The mountains near my place have already started to show some color. Just a little red and yellow so far, nothing dramatic yet. But that's enough. Once the first leaves go, half the country turns into amateur weather forecasters, and every group chat gets the same message. So when are we going?
Fair question. The Korea Forest Service put out its 2026 foliage map back on September 22. The first turned leaves of the year had been spotted even earlier, on September 14, by a citizen observer at the Jeombongsan forest protection area up in Gangwon. Then on September 28 the Korea Meteorological Administration called first foliage on Seoraksan. Four days earlier than last year (that was October 2), and pretty much right on the usual date.
I already went through first foliage vs peak in my hiking post, so I won't do that again here. This one's about the 2026 dates, why they don't agree with each other, and how to plan around them.
Quick facts
- Forest Service 2026 peaks: Seoraksan Oct 20, Naejangsan Nov 4
- Forest Service "peak" means 50 percent turned; KMA waits for 80
- KMA posts foliage photos for 21 mountains, Sept 21 to Nov 27
- Seoul Eulalia Festival at Haneul Park: Oct 17 to 23
- Dobongsan Station is on subway Lines 1 and 7
Why the dates don't match
Here's the part that confuses even Koreans. There are two official-sounding forecasts out there and they aren't measuring the same thing.
The Forest Service calls it peak when about half the leaves on a mountain have turned. Fifty percent. The KMA waits for 80 percent (it calls first foliage at 20), and it judges from the summit down. So one mountain can end up with two different "peak" dates and nobody's lying. They're answering slightly different questions. Then the private weather companies throw in their own numbers too, which is how you get three dates for Seoraksan and a small argument at dinner.
The Forest Service's 2026 peak forecast map, with my English labels. Source: Korea Forest Service
For the record, the Forest Service has Seoraksan peaking on October 20 this year, Songnisan on October 28, Naejangsan on November 4 and Hallasan, way down on Jeju, on November 6. By tree, ginkgo around October 30, and maples and oaks both around October 31. That's about 0.8 days later than the five-year average, they say. Less than a day! I like that somebody sat down and worked that out.
Oaks and maples turning on a hillside in Nowon, near my place. Photo: A Korean's Take
What about the KMA? Its records put Seoraksan's average peak on October 17. Last year it didn't get there until October 24.
My own rule is pretty lazy. If you want the mountain properly red and not halfway, take the Forest Service date and add a few days. And treat it as a window, not a reservation. The trees didn't get the memo about your flight.
The better tool, honestly, is the KMA weather site (weather.go.kr). From September 21 to November 27 it posts real photos and the current status for 21 major mountains. A photo from this week beats a forecast from September. Every time.
Fall color without a summit
Not everybody wants to climb. That's fine. Seoul has plenty of color you can reach in sneakers.
Namsan's north loop road is the easy one. It's a car-free road of about 3.4 km with trees leaning over it, so you get the leaves and the fresh air and nobody makes you do stairs (OK, getting to the start might involve a few).
Haneul Park, inside World Cup Park in Mapo, is a different look. It's not about red leaves up there. It's silver grass, eulalia, covering the top of the hill, and on a windy afternoon the whole thing moves like water. The 25th Seoul Eulalia Festival runs October 17 to 23 this year. Weekends get packed, so maybe go on a weekday.
The palaces work too. Flat paths, old roofs, maple trees, all in one afternoon. I went through the palaces in detail in another post so I'll just point you there. Same with the ginkgo streets, which got a post of their own (smell warning included).
A real mountain, by subway
If you want an actual mountain, though, Seoul is a little spoiled.
I'm thinking of heading up Dobongsan, which is close to my home. I try to get to a mountain about once a month. Partly for my health, sure. But being out in nature seems to do even more for my mental health. (Not a medical opinion. Please don't quote me to your doctor.)
So if you're in Seoul, go climb a nearby mountain. I've been on business trips to Japan and the US, and I never saw another big city where you can just ride the subway to a mountain like this. For Dobongsan you take Line 1 or Line 7 to Dobongsan Station, and you're at the edge of Bukhansan National Park, which Dobongsan belongs to. Apartments, a few restaurants, then rocks and trees. Not a lot in between.
I've heard there are places that rent shoes and trekking poles to foreigners. Get the poles. Your knees will thank you on the way down. The Seoul Hiking Tourism Centers at Bukhansan, Bugaksan and Gwanaksan rent gear to foreign tourists, and the Gwanaksan one is right inside Gwanaksan Station. They're open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but each one closes on a different weekday, so check first.
Speaking of Gwanaksan, it's been a lot busier than usual this year, and not because of the leaves. Back in February a well-known fortune teller said on a TV show that if things aren't going your way, you should climb to Yeonjudae near the top of Gwanaksan, because the mountain has strong, good energy. That was all it took. The clip spread everywhere, and now people in their 20s and 30s, the ones who used to leave hiking to their parents, are lining up on weekends for a photo with the summit stone. Some hikers said they waited an hour. I can't promise anything about the luck. The workout, though, is guaranteed.
One more thing. Korean mountains aren't scary the way some forests are. The trees aren't huge or packed together, there's light coming through, and you're hardly ever alone up there. Still, there are dangerous spots. Steep rock, loose gravel, and in autumn, wet leaves that are slippery as anything. Don't get careless just because you came on the subway.
Planning the trip
Weekdays, if you can swing it. I said it in the hiking post and I'll keep saying it.
Look at those KMA photos a few days before you leave. For Seoraksan, most people take an express bus to Sokcho. For Naejangsan it's usually the KTX to Jeongeup. Book weekend tickets early, because you're not the only one who read the forecast.
And bring an extra layer. Mountain mornings in late October are cold, and the jacket you almost left at home might be the best call you make all day.
Official info
Dates, prices and hours change, so check before you go (details as of 2026-10-10). These pages are in Korean.
- Korea Forest Service: 2026 foliage peak forecast map
- KMA Weather Nuri: live foliage photos for 21 mountains
- Seoul Hiking Tourism Center: gear rental for foreign visitors
More from this blog:
- Korean Hiking Culture: Why Koreans Dress Like They're Climbing Everest
- Ginkgo Season in Seoul: Golden Streets, That Smell and Where to Go
So which would you pick, a famous mountain or the one you can reach on the subway?
Top photo: fall color below the granite slopes of Buramsan in Nowon, near my place. Photo: A Korean's Take
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