Last checked: October 10, 2026 · Sources: Korea Forest Service 2026 foliage forecast map, Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) foliage observations, Korea National Park Service (KNPS) notices and the Kobus booking site, linked below.
Korea’s autumn color moves from north to south. On the Korea Forest Service’s 2026 forecast, the leaves peak at Seoraksan around October 20, Jirisan around October 27, Songnisan around October 28, Naejangsan around November 4 and Hallasan’s 1100 Road around November 6. Peak dates are forecasts, not promises, so check the live status before you travel. If you plan to go in the second half of November, know that national parks close many high trails from mid-November to mid-December for wildfire prevention.
When do the leaves peak at each mountain in 2026?
The table puts two official sources side by side. The first-color column is what KMA has actually observed so far. The two peak columns are the forest service forecast for maples (the red leaves) and for oaks (brown and yellow). The last column is what to sort out now.
| Mountain | First color seen (KMA, by Oct 10) | Peak forecast, maples | Peak forecast, oaks | Book or know now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoraksan | Sept 28 | Oct 20 | Oct 25 | Shelter beds: Seoraksan shelter booking. Weekend buses from Seoul sell out (box below) |
| Jeombongsan (south of Seoraksan) | Sept 14 (forest service citizen observation, first in Korea this year) | Oct 21 | Oct 21 | Gombaegol trail needs a booking: KNPS booking site in English |
| Odaesan | Oct 1 | Not on the map | Not on the map | – |
| Chiaksan | Oct 6 | Not on the map | Not on the map | – |
| Sobaeksan | Not yet | Oct 20 | Oct 16 | – |
| Juwangsan | Not yet | Oct 26 | Nov 6 | – |
| Songnisan | Not yet | Oct 28 | Oct 30 | – |
| Jirisan | Not yet | Oct 27 | Oct 25 | Shelters: Jirisan shelter booking. Seongsamjae road closed on weekdays (below) |
| Gayasan (Gyeongbuk side) | Not yet | Oct 28 | Oct 21 | – |
| Palgongsan | Not yet | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | – |
| Gyeryongsan | Not yet | Nov 1 | Oct 28 | – |
| Naejangsan | Not yet | Nov 4 | Oct 26 | Cars banned on peak days (below) |
| Hallasan (1100 Road) | Not yet | Nov 6 | Oct 25 | Summit trails need a reservation: Hallasan reservation |
| Wolchulsan | Not yet | Nov 9 | Nov 11 | – |
| Duryunsan | Not yet | Nov 11 | Not on the map | – |
| Bukhansan (Seoul) | Not yet | Not on the map. Nearest Seoul point: Seoul Botanic Park, Nov 2 | Not on the map | – |
The two agencies measure differently. The forest service calls it peak when 50% of the leaves on the trees it watches have turned. KMA calls it first color when about 20% of a mountain has turned from the summit down, and peak at about 80%. So the two agencies’ dates for the same mountain won’t always match. Across Korea, the forest service expects maples and oaks to peak on October 31 on average and ginkgo trees on October 30, about 0.8 days later than the last five years.
Live status, checked October 10, 2026
- KMA has seen first color at only three of its 21 mountains: Seoraksan (Sept 28, the same as normal), Odaesan (Oct 1) and Chiaksan (Oct 6). No mountain has reached peak yet.
- At Seoraksan, KMA’s normal peak is October 17. Last year it came on October 24.
- Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Sokcho on Kobus (45 buses a day each way): on Saturday, Oct 17, 15 buses were already sold out, every departure from 06:00 to 11:00. Back to Seoul on Sunday, Oct 18, 13 were sold out, almost all between 13:00 and 18:40. On Saturday, Oct 24, 10 were gone, most of them between 06:30 and 10:00. Wednesday, Oct 21 had seats on every bus both ways.
Our take: for Seoraksan, aim for a weekday between about October 19 and 23 and book the bus now. Weekend morning buses for the forecast peak are already gone. If your dates are in early November, the forecast favors the south and Jeju: Naejangsan, Hallasan’s 1100 Road and Wolchulsan.
Where can you check the leaves before you go?
- KMA mountain foliage status (Korean). Pick a mountain to see photos taken before color, at first color and at peak, with the date of each. KMA updates it from September 21 to November 27.
- KMA Gangwon foliage service (Korean). Live status, weather and live video for Seoraksan, Odaesan, Chiaksan and Taebaeksan.
- National Arboretum peak search (Korean). Search a road address or a building name and it shows the forecast peak date for that spot. It’s on knpn.nature.go.kr under 관측기록 → 계절예측 (Observation records → Season forecast).
All three are linked under Sources. They’re in Korean, but the dates and photos are easy to read with your browser’s translate button.
Will trails close in November?
Yes, most likely, but the 2026 list hasn’t been published yet. Every autumn KNPS closes trails with high wildfire risk, mostly ridges and summit routes. Two recent examples:
- 2022: 115 trails in 19 national parks closed from November 15 to December 15.
- 2025 at Seoraksan: the high trails to Daecheongbong closed from November 15 to December 15, including Osaek–Daecheongbong and Biseondae–Huiungak. Lower routes stayed open: Seorak-dong to Ulsanbawi, Sogongwon to Biseondae, Sogongwon to the Towangseong Falls viewpoint, and Jujeongol valley from Osaek to Yongso Falls.
For 2026, the exact closed sections are not officially confirmed — check before you go. Until the list comes out, plan any summit hike for no later than November 14. Some sections closed earlier in 2025: Gombaegol–Gangseon-ri from November 1 and Suryeomdong shelter–Bongjeongam from November 10. One part is already fixed: eight shelters in Jirisan, Seoraksan and Deogyusan can’t be used from November 15 to December 15, 2026, according to their KNPS booking pages.
Entering a closed trail without permission can cost a fine of up to ₩500,000. Smoking or carrying a lighter or stove in a national park can cost up to ₩2,000,000. On the morning of your hike, check the KNPS trail control page (linked below) for that day’s partial or full closures.
Can you drive or take a taxi into Naejangsan in peak season?
Not on the busiest days. Naejangsan National Park bans vehicles, including motorcycles and bicycles, on two stretches in autumn 2026:
| Section | Dates | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the temple area: Yeonjagyo bridge to the visitor information center | Oct 24–25, Oct 30 – Nov 15, Nov 21–22 | 07:00–18:00 |
| Outside: Naejang Lake parking lot to Wollyeonggyo bridge | Oct 30 – Nov 15 | From when parking lot 2 is full until 17:00 |
The park says the dates may change with conditions. Exceptions are official vehicles, vehicles carrying people with severe disabilities, and vehicles the park office approves. A violation can cost up to ₩500,000. Questions: Naejangsan National Park office, 063-538-7875.
Is the road to Seongsamjae (Jirisan) open?
Only on weekends and public holidays. Gurye County is closing the road between Siamjae rest area and Seongsamjae rest area (1.4 km) to all vehicles on weekdays from October 12 to December 10, 2026, for slope repair work. Seongsamjae is the usual start for Nogodan and the Jirisan ridge. The notice doesn’t say how the Gurye–Seongsamjae bus will run on weekdays; that’s not officially confirmed. Call the Jirisan National Park Jeonnam office at 061-780-7700 before a weekday trip.
What to book now for a foliage trip
- Shelter beds (Seoraksan, Jirisan). The November–December lottery is over and leftover beds now go first-come. See the Seoraksan and Jirisan shelter guides.
- Buses for peak weekends. Book both directions, the return first. Kobus has an English booking site: see how to book Korea express buses as a foreigner.
- Hallasan summit slots. Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa need a free reservation. Each month’s dates open on the first business day of the month before, at 9:00 a.m. Korea time, so November dates are already on sale. The November 6 forecast is for the 1100 Road (a roadside spot that needs no reservation), not the summit trails, so book a summit slot only if you plan to hike to Baengnokdam. Steps are in our Hallasan reservation guide, and the bus is in Jeju Airport to Seongpanak.
- Reservation-only trails. Some trails, such as Gombaegol near Jeombongsan, cap daily hikers. Gombaegol is closed every Monday and Tuesday and during the wildfire-prevention period; the cap is 350 hikers a day. The KNPS booking site guide shows what you can and can’t book in English.
Going to Jirisan for the leaves? Our Seoul to Jirisan by bus or train guide has the direct buses, the night buses and how the weekday Seongsamjae road closure affects them.
Going to Seoraksan for the leaves? Tickets for the Gwongeumseong cable car are sold on site only; see our Seoraksan cable car guide for fares, hours and how to avoid the longest queues.
Read next
Sources
- Korea Forest Service press release, Sept 22, 2026 — 2026 Korean Peninsula foliage peak forecast map, with maple and oak maps (Korean)
- Korea Forest Service / National Arboretum press release, Sept 29, 2026 — peak date search by address (Korean)
- National Arboretum plant phenology site — Season forecast search (Korean)
- KMA Gangwon press release, Sept 28, 2026 — Seoraksan first color, normal and 2025 dates, 20% / 80% rule (Korean)
- KMA — Mountain foliage status, 21 mountains, checked Oct 10, 2026 (Korean)
- KMA Gangwon — Foliage and weather service for Gangwon national parks (Korean)
- KNPS Naejangsan notice, Oct 8, 2026 — Autumn 2026 vehicle ban (Korean)
- KNPS Jirisan Jeonnam notice, Oct 7, 2026 — Siamjae–Seongsamjae road closed on weekdays, Oct 12 – Dec 10 (Korean)
- KNPS Seoraksan notice, Oct 26, 2025 — Autumn 2025 trail closures, Nov 15 – Dec 15 (Korean)
- Korea.kr, Nov 7, 2022 — KNPS closes 115 trails Nov 15 – Dec 15, fines (Korean)
- KNPS shelter page — Huiungak, Seoraksan (Nov 15 – Dec 15, 2026 closure) (Korean)
- KNPS — Trail control status by park, live (Korean)
- Kobus — Timetable and seats, Seoul Express Bus Terminal ↔ Sokcho, checked Oct 10, 2026