Trip to the Twelve Fairy Pools looking for a fairy | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Inje Jangsu-dae is a mountain lodge located near the starting point of the Daeseungnyeong hiking trail, passing Oknyotang and Haneulbyeok in Naeseorak Hangge-ri. This building was constructed to console the souls of soldiers who died in the Seorak Mountain battles during the Korean War (6.25 War) and to commemorate the great victory of the Seorak battle. Currently, it serves as a resting place and mountain lodge for tourists and hikers visiting Hanggyeryeong, Haneulbyeok, and Seorak Mountain's Daeseung Waterfall. Situated among bizarre rock formations and dense red pine trees, there are many famous nearby tourist spots such as Daeseung Waterfall, Oknyotang, Gamatang, and Hangye Mountain Fortress. Some tourists specifically come here because the scenery is extremely beautiful. The highlight of the Jangsu-dae course is undoubtedly Daeseung Waterfall, which is regarded as one of the three great waterfalls in Korea, alongside Kaesong Bakyeon Falls and Kumgangsan Guryong Falls, boasting spectacular views.

The Inje Hangye Temple Site is the remains of a temple built during the Unified Silla period located in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. Hangye Temple was established in 647 by the monk Jajang but was rebuilt several times due to fires. After 1683, the temple was moved to Baekdamsa, leaving only the site behind. The temple site is located about 100m west in a forest from the Jangsudae branch office of Seoraksan National Park and is not visible from the national road. A 1984 academic survey by Gangwon University uncovered numerous ceramic, earthenware, stone, and metal artifacts. Excavations confirmed a main hall site measuring three bays wide and three bays deep, alongside subsidiary buildings. Currently, the site retains the South and North three-story stone pagodas and stone lion statues. The South three-story pagoda is Treasure No. 1275, and the North is Treasure No. 1276. The site is designated as Gangwon-teukbyeoljachi-do Monument No. 50 and is managed by Inje-gun. Access is restricted to prevent damage to the natural ecosystem and to conserve resources, with entry permitted only for cultural heritage investigation and academic research. The cultural heritage value of Hangye Temple Site is recognized for its historical importance and the necessity of preserving the natural environment.

Daeseungnyeong and Daeseung Waterfall in Inje are famous spots within Seoraksan National Park. Daeseungnyeong is a pass on the northwest ridge of Seoraksan. As the first pass entering Naeseorak, crossing it leads down to Baekdamsa Temple or Sipiseonnyeotang Valley. It features a splendid scenery of rocky cliffs, waterfalls, and valleys combined. Daeseung Waterfall is located 1 km north of Daeseungnyeong and is a spectacular site where an 88m tall column of water falls. Along with Baekyeon Waterfall in Gaeseong and Guryong Waterfall in Geumgangsan, it is one of Korea's three great waterfalls and is said to have been the summer resort of King Gyeongsun of Silla. On the rock opposite Daeseung Waterfall, there is an inscription reading Gucheon Eunha (Nine Heavens Silver River) written by Yang Sa-eon during the Joseon Dynasty. The trail from Jangsu-dae to Daeseung Waterfall is less crowded compared to other Seorak trails. Going past Daeseung Waterfall leads to Ansan (1430.4m) and connects to Sipiseonnyeotang Valley starting from Boksungatang or descends north directly from Daeseungnyeong, passing through Heukseondong Valley to Baekdamsa Temple.

Sibi Seonnyeotang is a valley located in Yongdae-ri, Buk-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon-do, next to Baekdam Valley. It is one of the eight scenic spots of Inje, and according to legend, every night the twelve fairies descended from the sky to Seoraksan to bathe in Sibi Seonnyeotang, which is why it is called Seonnyeotang. Traditionally, it is said that there are twelve pools, thus the name Sibi Seonnyeotang, but in reality, there are eight pools in total. Among the eight pools, the deep pool shaped like a peach, called the Peach Pool, is considered the most beautiful. It is a great place for a round-trip valley trek of about 8.4 km to Yongtang Waterfall, also called the Peach Pool. Along the way, large trees such as maple, fir, birch, and pine create beautiful scenery. The valley is surrounded entirely by rocks, and various valley landscapes unfold depending on the shapes of the rocks. Sibi Seonnyeotang features a series of waterfalls and pools whose shapes, formed over a long time by rugged bottom erosion, include concave or wide, deep holes in the bedrock, creating fascinating forms. The valley shows different appearances each season, with the red maple forest in autumn being especially beautiful.