A barrier-free trail walked by moonlight sounded like a strange combination the first time I heard about it, but that’s exactly what my first walk on this newly opened accessible forest path on Beombangsan was. I’ve walked the trail twice. The first time was in early November with my friend Areum, starting from Gupo Station on a supermoon night, the first group outing on the trail. The second was the following summer, in early August, with my friend Jiwoo: a sunset session of a “sunset Gamnaetgil” series, this time approaching from Gumyeong Station. Both were out-and-back walks of about two hours.
November by moonlight from Gupo Station
Areum and I met at Gupo Station a little early, and with time to spare we wandered down to the Gamdong Ferry Riverwalk to watch the evening commute lights come on across the water.
The Gamdong Ferry Riverwalk bridge, seen while waiting for the group to gather at Gupo Station.
A quiet stretch of riverwalk near Gupo Station, lit for evening walkers.
Route waypoints
LED headbands and a group photo at the station
At 7pm sharp, the lead guide gathered everyone for a briefing. Because this route runs on a barrier-free forest trail, the group walked with a guide at the front, one in the middle and one at the back, a more structured formation than most daytime walks. Everyone strapped on a rented LED headband, the one essential piece of gear for a moonlight walk, and we posed for a group photo, glowing faintly under the station’s lights, before heading out.
The toughest stretch is the first one
The route out of Gupo Station winds through quiet, narrow back streets for about 1.5 km before reaching the barrier-free trail entrance. With traffic and uneven footing in the dark, that was arguably the hardest part of the night. Once we reached the small coffee shop that marks the trailhead, things eased: a bathroom break, some clothing adjustments, and then onto the wide, gently graded deck trail built for barrier-free access.
Into the dark forest, up toward the moon
The trail climbs in switchbacks through tall trees that blocked out sky and moon for the first stretch, with faint laser-projected lights lining the edges of the deck. At the first overlook we got our first real look at the night view. The moon was still low, and the darkness was too complete for a phone camera, so video captured it better than stills.
By the second, higher overlook, the sky opened up and word went around that the summit had to be close. When everyone turned away from the city glow, the full moon was bright and clear enough to quiet the whole group. It was one of the better moon-viewing moments either of us has had on a walk.
Beombangsan’s summit under a supermoon
It was a supermoon night, bigger and brighter than an ordinary full moon, and nobody in the group missed it. Several people stopped for photos by a small moon-shaped art installation near the peak. The city lights spread out below made a strong contrast with the quiet of the summit, and everyone took a proper rest before heading back down.
Walked in early November on a clear supermoon night, the first group outing on this newly opened barrier-free trail.
August at sunset from Gumyeong Station
After a stretch of days pushing close to 40 degrees, a drop of just three degrees felt like real relief, and it was on that slightly cooler evening that Jiwoo and I joined the sixth session of the summer sunset series on the same trail.
Late afternoon sun breaking through clouds over the city, seen from the trail’s upper viewpoints.
Route waypoints
An early-evening start, not yet cool
Gumyeong Station’s meeting plaza still radiated the day’s stored heat when our group of twenty-eight gathered, though a welcome breeze picked up as soon as we stepped outside. The route follows a gentle incline from the station to the same coffee shop that marks the barrier-free trail’s entrance. This time the approach was a little more cluttered because of parking-lot construction.
An unexpected outdoor gallery
Along the deck we passed a small display of photos and artwork that looked like it had been temporarily moved from Hwamyeong Ecological Park. It gave the group a reason to slow down and look rather than just walk through. We walked single file and kept to one side of the deck throughout.
Skipping the first overlook, resting at the second
Direct evening sun was still too strong to linger at the first overlook, so the group pushed through and regrouped further along, waiting for stragglers. By the second overlook the light had softened enough to stop: a proper rest, water, and a good look at Turtle Rock, a formation along the trail that does resemble its namesake from the right angle.
Sunset from Beombangsan’s Sky Ridge Overlook
The final stretch of zigzagging deck brought us to Beombangsan’s Sky Ridge Overlook just as the sky began to turn. A photographer was already set up with a tripod, clearly there for the same reason. We watched the sun go down together without hurrying: snacks passed around, faces glowing pink in the light, a group photo taken with the color at its peak before the walk back down.
The descent in fading light
Heading back the way we came, grades that hadn’t registered much on the way up became noticeable, though the descent felt lighter and easier than expected. We paused again at both overlooks, this time stopping at the first one we’d skipped earlier, where the sunset colors looked even richer from the lower vantage point as dusk settled in.
Walked in early August on a rare cooler evening, the sixth of an eight-part summer sunset walking series.
Trail info at a glance
- Distance: approx. 6.2 km round trip from Gupo Station to the Beombangsan summit (the moonlight walk); approx. 5 km round trip from Gumyeong Station to the Sky Ridge Overlook (the sunset walk)
- Walking time: about 2 hours either way (average pace 3.6 km/h by moonlight, 3.2 km/h at sunset)
- Difficulty: Easy: a barrier-free deck trail with gradual, well-graded climbing. From Gupo, the first 1.5 km of back streets is the trickiest part in the dark
- Start/finish: Gupo Station (Busan Metro Line 3) or Gumyeong Station, both out-and-back
- Best time: A clear evening around the full moon, ideally in cooler autumn weather before it gets too cold to linger at the summit; or roughly 1-1.5 hours before sunset, especially once the worst summer heat has broken
Map of the route
The route at a glance
A few practical notes
For a night walk, check the lunar calendar. A full or near-full moon makes a real difference, and this route was designed with moonlit walking in mind. A headlamp or LED headband is useful rather than optional, since the forested lower section blocks most ambient light. The first 1.5 km through Gupo’s back streets is the least scenic part, so don’t judge the walk by its opening stretch.
For a sunset walk in summer, direct sun is strong at the lower overlooks, so don’t be surprised if your group pushes through them to rest higher up. Bring extra water even on a cooler evening, since the initial climb from either Gupo or Gumyeong Station starts before any shade.
For subway access to Gupo and Gumyeong stations, see our guide to getting around Busan.
More walks nearby
Other walks in Northern hills: Beombangsan to Hoedong Reservoir on this site: