Routes · Hanyangdoseong, central Seoul

Seoul City Wall Trail.

서울 한양도성 순성길

The big one. The full 20 km loop of the old Seoul City Wall, over four mountains and past the great gates, the Blue House, DDP and N Seoul Tower. The most popular route in Seoul, and the real challenge is running all of it in one go.

Distance
20.2 km
Elevation
907 m
Difficulty
Hard
How it runs ↓
The map
A runner in a white cap climbing the bare granite slab of Inwangsan along a rope-and-post railing, the Seoul City Wall trail, with the city spreading out far below under a moody dawn sky.
Inwangsan · the first climb
The hazy view south from high on Inwangsan across the whole of central Seoul to N Seoul Tower standing on its distant hill, framed by pine branches.
Inwangsan · you finish on that tower
The crenellated stone fortress wall descending the ridge of Bugaksan among pine trees, with the hazy city and N Seoul Tower in the distance.
Bugaksan · the high point of the wall
The flowing silver form of Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Zaha Hadid’s neofuturist landmark, rising beside a preserved excavated section of the old Seoul City Wall.
DDP · a spaceship out of nowhere
Heunginjimun, the Great East Gate (Dongdaemun), a two-tier wooden pavilion on a stone base with its arched gateway, pigeons lined along the eaves against a hazy sky.
Heunginjimun · the Great East Gate
A steep wooden staircase descending alongside the towering granite blocks of the restored Seoul City Wall on Bugaksan, green forest to the left and the city beyond.
Bugaksan · the long way down
A dirt path curving between low hedges along the Naksan section of the Seoul City Wall at sunrise, the stone wall climbing to the right.
Naksan · the gentle stretch
The southern Seoul skyline seen from the Namsan section of the city wall, green forest in front and tower clusters spreading to the horizon, with an excavated wall foundation and wooden fence in the foreground.
Namsan · the southern view
A wide panorama of the craggy granite peaks of the Inwangsan and Bugaksan range under a clear blue sky, the city visible below the forested ridgelines.
The granite spine of old Seoul

Course map

The route, on the actual map.

GPS-recorded track with points of interest along the way. Click any marker for the local context: water, toilets, CV stores, bridge crossings, photo spots.

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How it runs

The route, in five parts.

This is the one. If there is a single most popular route in Seoul, it is this, and for good reason. It is the most-saved route on Garmin, everyone wants to do it, and yet most people only ever run a piece of it. The real challenge, and the real reward, is running the whole thing in one go.

What the route does is take you around the entire old Seoul City Wall, the Joseon-era fortress that still weaves through the centre of the city and draws a complete circle around what used to be all of Seoul. Because of that, one run gives you everything: you climb four mountains, you thread through quiet city backstreets along the palace, you get views down onto the Blue House, Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Square, and then minutes later you are deep in forest with no idea you are still in the middle of a capital city. One of my favourite moments is coming out of the trees and running straight into DDP, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, this silver spaceship of a building that just appears out of nowhere, before the wall climbs back up to finish over Namsan.

Be warned, it is a challenge. Done all in one go it is a half marathon, and it is a half marathon that climbs the better part of 1,000 metres. The terrain is all over the place in the best way: stone fortress wall, granite steps, rocky forest trail, springy artificial path, long stretches of clean pavement, narrow steep bits and flat easy bits. You really do get everything. It is not easy. It is also one of the most fun and unique runs you can do anywhere.

I run it from City Hall or Seoul Station, both big transit hubs, and I head for Inwangsan first, going west then up north and looping all the way around to finish on Namsan. That order matters. You hit two big mountains right away and earn huge views immediately, and you get through the busier trail sections before the crowds arrive. Start early. I started at 5:30am and finished three hours later, and that was perfect.

  1. 01

    Start near City Hall, pick up the west wall

    We start from the city centre near City Hall and Seoul Station and pick up the wall on its western run. Restrooms, a water fountain and a convenience store are all right here at the bottom, so top up now. Within a few minutes the pavement tips upward and the wall starts climbing toward Inwangsan.

  2. 02

    Up Inwangsan, the first big climb

    Straight into it. Inwangsan is granite: bare rock slabs, rope-and-post railings, and one of the best panoramas in Seoul opening up almost immediately. The wall, closed to the public for decades after the 1968 raid on the Blue House, runs right up the spine of the mountain. From the top you can already see Namsan and N Seoul Tower across the city, the place you will finish.

  3. 03

    Changuimun saddle up to Bugaksan

    Drop to Changuimun, the best-preserved of the old small gates, in the saddle between the two peaks, then climb again. Bugaksan (Baegaksan) is the highest point on the whole wall and sits directly behind the Blue House. This stretch was sealed off for over fifty years and only fully reopened in 2022. You look straight down onto Cheong Wa Dae and Gyeongbokgung from the crenellated wall.

  4. 04

    Down to Hyehwamun and along Naksan

    A long, often steep, staircase descent off Bugaksan brings you down to Hyehwamun and the gentlest part of the loop. Naksan is the little camel-backed hill on the east side, an easy ridge of wall with the Ihwa mural village just inside it. After two mountains this is your breather: chill paths, hedges, the wall on your shoulder.

  5. 05

    Heunginjimun, then DDP appears

    The wall drops to its lowest, most urban point at Heunginjimun, the Great East Gate, the only gate ringed by a half-moon defensive wall. Then the moment the route is famous for: you come out of the old city and DDP, Zaha Hadid’s flowing silver landmark, rises out of nowhere. An excavated section of the original wall and the old Igansumun water gate sit preserved right beside it.

  6. 06

    Gwanghuimun up to Namsan and the tower

    Past Gwanghuimun the route turns and climbs the last mountain. Namsan is the big finish: up through the trees to N Seoul Tower, the love locks, the restored beacon mounds and the wall-side viewpoints over the whole southern city. Take your time at the top. You have earned it.

  7. 07

    Down to Sungnyemun and finish

    A steep descent off Namsan, then the wall runs back toward Sungnyemun (Namdaemun), the Great South Gate and Korea’s National Treasure No. 1, and on to close the loop where you started. Twenty kilometres, four mountains, the whole old city behind you.

Facts

Numbers, surfaces, fountains, toilets.

The things you actually want to know before you head out.

Distance
20.2 km full loop (about a half marathon)
Elevation gain
+907 m. Close to 1,000 m of climbing spread over four mountains, not one long grind.
Mountains
Inwangsan (~338 m), Bugaksan/Baegaksan (~342 m, the high point), Naksan (~125 m), Namsan (~262 m)
Gates passed
Sungnyemun (Namdaemun), Changuimun, Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun), Gwanghuimun, and the Hyehwamun saddle
Surface
Stone fortress wall and granite steps on the mountains, forest trail, springy track, and clean city pavement through the low sections
Shade
Good tree cover on the mountain sections; exposed across the city-centre and gate stretches
Water
Fountains are sparse. There is one near the start; otherwise rely on convenience stores. Carry a bottle, especially in summer.
Toilets
Public restrooms at the start, on the Bugaksan section, and around Namsan and the gates. Reasonable coverage.
Convenience stores
At the base of Inwangsan, near Changuimun, by Dongdaemun, and around Gwanghuimun. Always within reach of the city.
Transit
Start/finish at City Hall (Lines 1, 2) or Seoul Station (Lines 1, 4, AREX). You are never far from a subway anywhere on the loop.
Popularity
The most-saved route in Seoul on Garmin

When to run it

Best time, best season, the honest caveats.

Best time of day

Early morning, and I mean early. The mountain trails, Inwangsan especially, get busy on weekends, and as a trail run you want clear path to actually run. I started at 5:30am and finished around 8:30. A weekday dawn is the dream. Avoid weekend late mornings if you can.

Best seasons

Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–November) for cool air on the climbs and the clearest views from the summits. Summer is doable if you start at dawn and carry water; the mountain sections hold shade but the city stretches bake. Winter views are stunning but the granite steps on Inwangsan and Bugaksan get icy.

Caveats and Plan B

  • This is a genuine challenge. Half-marathon distance with close to 1,000 m of climbing. Respect it, eat before, and carry water.
  • It is easy to get lost. Even with a good map I made several wrong turns the first time. The wall disappears into city backstreets in the low sections and you follow markers, not a continuous wall. Running it once with someone who knows it helps a lot.
  • Start early. Inwangsan and the popular trail sections fill with walkers on weekend mornings, which will hold up a run.
  • The Bugaksan/Baegaksan stretch behind the Blue House was a restricted military zone for decades. Most rules have eased since it reopened in 2022, but carry ID and watch for any remaining no-photography signs.
  • Water fountains are genuinely sparse for a route this long. Know where the next convenience store is. You are always close to the city, so it is fine to step off course for water or a bathroom.
  • The descents off Bugaksan and Namsan are steeper than the climbs and can be slick after rain. Take the stairs with care.

From me

I ran this last weekend, the full loop, out the door before sunrise. I got lost more times than I will admit the first time I ever tried it, and honestly that is part of the story now. The moment I always come back to is cresting out of the forest and finding DDP just sitting there like it landed from space, then turning and climbing the last mountain to the tower I had been staring at since the top of Inwangsan three hours earlier. If you have run the river and you want to see every side of Seoul in one go, this is the run. It is the best introduction to trail running in this city, and it is the one I am proudest to guide.

· Quintin

Where we start

West wall trailhead near City Hall / Seoul Station

City Hall Station (Lines 1, 2) or Seoul Station (Lines 1, 4, and the AREX airport line) are both a short walk from where we pick up the western wall. Both are major hubs, easy to reach from anywhere in the city, which is why I like starting here. You can start the loop from several points; this one lets us climb Inwangsan first and finish over Namsan.

FAQ

Quick answers.

  • How hard is it, really?

    Hard. The full loop is about 20 km with close to 1,000 m of climbing, so think half marathon with a lot of up and down. The climbing comes in four separate mountains rather than one endless grind, which makes it manageable, but it is a real day out. If you are newer to trail running, this is a fantastic first big Seoul trail, just go in respecting the distance.

  • Do I have to run the whole thing?

    Not at all. Most people run a section: Naksan and the eastern wall for an easy stretch, or just Inwangsan or Namsan for the climbs and views. The full one-go loop is the challenge and the showpiece, but the wall is built in sections and any of them makes a great shorter run. Running with me, we can scale it to whatever you are up for.

  • Which direction should I go?

    I head for Inwangsan first, going west and north and looping around to finish on Namsan. Two reasons: you bank the hardest climbs and the best early views right away, and you clear the busiest trail sections before the weekend crowds arrive. Namsan is a perfect, forgiving finish even if it is busy.

  • Where should I start, and when?

    I start near City Hall or Seoul Station, both major transit hubs. And start early. The mountain trails, Inwangsan especially, get crowded on weekend mornings, and to actually run this you want clear trail. I started at 5:30am and it was perfect.

  • Water and bathrooms?

    Bathrooms are reasonably spaced and there are convenience stores at the base of every mountain. Water fountains, though, are sparse for a route this long, so bring a bottle, especially in heat, and know where the next store is. You are always near the city, so stepping off course for water is easy. Running with me, I carry water and supplies so you do not have to think about it.

  • What if I get lost?

    You might, and it is fine. The wall is continuous over the mountains but threads through city backstreets in the low sections where you follow markers. I got lost several times my first run here. Worst case it is a few extra hills. If you would rather not navigate, this is exactly the kind of route worth doing with someone who has run it before.

Take it with you

GPX + interactive map coming with the full runner's guide.

Downloadable GPX, turn-by-turn cues, the elevation profile, and an interactive map land with the full guide. Until then, run it with me, I know every turn.

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