Circumnavigating South Korea’s capital city, The Seoul Trail is my next hike — and my first long hike in Asia.
The Seoul Trail (서울둘레길, Seoul dullegil) is a 156.5 km (97.2 mile) trail that circles the city, traveling through or along the forests, mountains, rivers, and villages that surround Seoul. Opened in 2014, and significantly revised in 2024, the trail consists of 21 routes, each between 5 - 11 km (2 - 5 hours) long.
The trail is intended to be extremely accessible: the endpoints of each route are within walking distance to a subway station. This will make the Seoul Trail unique among my long trails to date: I can hike it as a series of day hikes, carrying only a day pack, and sleeping in the same place with a bed and shower and good food every night. Not every trail needs to stay in the wilderness!
I first became aware of the Seoul Trail late last year, after my partner learned about it, and then hiked it in November during a break from work (just before we set off to hike the Walk the Yorke). Six months later, I won’t be getting the incredible fall colors she had. But as a combination nature, historical, and cultural trail, it should be a great way to visit a new country and learn something about it.
So shortly, I’ll be leaving Auckland, New Zealand (home of the incredible Te Araroa) for what will likely be the last time for a long while.
And as always, I’ll have daily posts from the trail. So stay tuned, as I explore the Seoul Trail!
