Ecology Trip Along the Paroho Bike Trail | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Paroho is an artificial lake created by the construction of Hwacheon Dam, which was completed in 1944. When viewed from a distance, Paroho resembles a great phoenix spreading its wings in flight, which is why it was also named Daebungho. After liberation, the area belonged to North Korea but was recovered during the Korean War. To commemorate this, former President Syngman Rhee personally visited Hwacheon and named it Paroho, using the characters for 'break' (깨트릴 파) and 'barbarian' (오랑캐 노).

Bungeo Island was formed by the water impoundment of Chuncheon Dam, and the island's environment is well preserved. It is a recreational area equipped with various sports facilities such as a soccer field (grass field), jokgu court, tennis court, multipurpose field, futsal field, waterside walking trail, permanent stage, restrooms, and water supply facilities, allowing visitors to enjoy both sports and nature. The island is densely populated with many trees naturally, making it a popular location for filming dramas and movies. Bungeo Island Resort is a four-season green experience resort that maximizes natural elements and is very popular among tourists. Around Bungeo Island, many freshwater fish species inhabit, and in summer, a water playground operates on the island, making it suitable for family trips. Additionally, the Hwangtotgil path has been created to promote local residents' health and provide natural healing tourism for visitors.

Hwacheon Hyanggyo is a local national educational institution established during the Joseon Dynasty for Confucian education and ancestral rites of sages, located in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-teukbyeoljachi-do. The exact founding date is unknown, but it was burned down during the Korean War and restored in 1960 with Daeseongjeon and Naesammun. In 1963 a fence was built, and in 1975 Myeongnyundang, an educational hall, was newly constructed. Currently, Hwacheon Hyanggyo consists of buildings including Daeseongjeon, Myeongnyundang, Naesammun, Oesammun, and Jegigo. Daeseongjeon is the space for offering rites to Confucian sages, including Confucius. Myeongnyundang is a lecture hall for teaching students, symbolizing the educational function of the hyanggyo. Jegigo is used as a warehouse for storing ritual utensils. The hyanggyo is arranged in a front-school-back-shrine layout with Myeongnyundang in front and Daeseongjeon at the back. Seokjeon Festival is held in spring and autumn, involving local Confucian scholars and students in traditional ceremonies. Currently, the hyanggyo serves more as a space for traditional culture preservation and etiquette education than for formal education.