Deokhangsan | Mountain Guide | K-Travel Mate

[A mountain always shrouded in mist, a mountain of fantasy] A mountain where a hiker once said, "If there is a place in Korea resembling the Grand Canyon, it is Jaaamgol of Deokhangsan." It is a mountain of remarkable scenery, exemplifying a tilted geological block. The east side features steep limestone slopes, while the west side forms a high-level flat surface around 1000 meters. The limestone slopes are dotted with caves such as Hwansun Cave, Baram Cave, and Gwaneum Cave, as well as unique rock formations like Chotdaebong, Sadari Rock, Nahanbong, Suribong, Geumgangbong, and Mireukbong. The valleys are almost always filled with mist, revealing glimpses of rugged mountains and strange rocks, creating a fantastic landscape. The original name was Deokmegi Mountain, a name used by people from Samcheok, meaning "a mountain with a highland suitable for slash-and-burn farming beyond." This evolved into Deokhangsan, written with the characters for 'virtue' and 'neck/pass.' The highland is now a highland vegetable field for residents relocated due to the Gwangdong Dam reservoir. Because it is not very famous, geographical and ecological studies are scarce. The mountain area is not well understood; for example, there is a 1130-meter peak west of the Gwangdong Dam resettlement area, but the 1073-meter peak, which appears highest from Daeri, is considered the main peak. This is lower than Hwansunbong (1079m) on the Baekdudaegan ridge to the northwest. According to mountain records, Daetjae and Jukhyeon are followed by Geonuiryeong, so Deokhangsan lies between Daetjae and Geonuiryeong, with the summit being the 1130-meter peak.