Hiking in Mt. Keumo in Kumi, Korea (Geumo-san, Kyungbuk)
Mt. Geumo (Mt. Keumo, Komosan)
3202 feet (976meter). Located in Kumi, Kyungsang-bukdo, S. Korea.
The mountain is full of steep cliffs and rocks and hiking to the top can be tough even though it’s only a 1.3 mile trail. At the end of the Goryeo dynasty, they built fortress walls, Geomo Sansung, to prevent Japanese invasion. Some of traces of the fortress walls can be easily spotted during hiking.
For non-hikers, there is a cable car that runs every 15 minutes till sunset (in winter, till 17:30). I think the cable car runs to Myunggeum Watherfall, but not sure. It usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get to Mt. Geumo by taxi from Kumi bus terminal or train station. Also, No. 12 bus is one that runs to Mt. Geumo only.
Official Mt. Keumo Website: http://www.geumo.net/
- A Fortress Wall (Built in Goryeo dynasty between 918-1392)
I love Mt. Keumo not simply because it’s located in Kumi, my hometown, but because it’s very personal to me.
When there was not enough food or not enough of anything in early 20th century during colonization, my grandfather walked more than three miles to get to the mountain and gathered up firewood. He sold the firewood to buy food for his family. Illegal or not, the Geumo mountain was a line of life of his family.
When I was twelve, my late uncle took my brother and me to the mountain, and we all hiked to the top. I was a type of a girl who spent the most of her awake time sitting still, not moving or exercising much. Naturally, it wasn’t a smooth hiking for me. But I did it at last, and when I had a great view of my hometown Kumi from the top, I started to feel good about myself. It was a great feeling.
Many grad schools in Kumi have an excursion to Mt. Keumo once every six months. At least, that’s how it worked when I was a kid. It might not have been a fun for my mom to prepare all kind of snacks, including kimbap, or it might not sound that much fun, but it certainly was a pleasant event for me to go to Mt. Keumo instead of to go to a boring classroom.
When I got old enough to make friends from other cities, I invited them and hiked in the mountain. The farthest point that we usually made was the cascade of the mountain, Daehye Flying Fall. Actually, I’ve made trips to the fall countless times with my parents, sister and brother, relatives and friends.
The mountain is very personal to me and brings me a lot of fun memories.
Yet, I hiked to the top of Mt. Keumo only once with my late uncle and brother.
So, last fall when I visited Korea, I hiked Mt. Kuemo with mom for the second time.
Don’t forget to get Mt. Geumo Tourism Guide from the entrance. It’s free and it’s still helpful even though English description is limited.
- Three Stone Pagodas
- A Gate of Geumo Sansung (Fortress Wall)
- There is a small exercise area. Mom’s working out hard!
- Daehye Pokpo (Daehye Flying Fall) aka Myeonggeum Pokpo (Myunggeum Waterfall)
- Their milestones are pretty well done.
- Mom climbing Halttak Gogae (Can’t-breath-any-more-hill). Quite steep. (I love the name! Ask your Korean friends how it’s named.)
- There is a good vista point after Halttak Gogae.
- There are more than twenty point sticks on the trail.
- Frog Rock!
- This helicopter parking lot is not used any more.
- Yaksa-am entrance, bunch of hikers having lunch in the shade. We had good talks about Mt. Keumo and hiking.
- Bell in Yaksaam. Unfortunately, it’s not allowed to walk to the bell. 
- Yaksaam (Yaksa Temple)
- The rocks worry me…
It’s said that Yaksaam was build in the Silla Dynasty (57BC ~ 935AD). It’s amazing that they built such a temple accompanying the rocks perfectly.
- Just the same way three pagodas were built.
Mom and I had some errands to take care of in the afternoon, so we skipped a few spots such as Doseon Cave and Maaebosal Ipsang. But these spots are definitely recommended.
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