The Yongmasan Skywalk, one of the highlights of Seoul Dulle-gil's recommended summer courses. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
The Yongmasan Skywalk, one of the highlights of Seoul Dulle-gil's recommended summer courses. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has selected and announced its "Best 5 Summer Recommended Courses" on the Seoul Dulle-gil trail for walkers looking to stay cool this season.

According to the city on Saturday, the Seoul Dulle-gil is a 156.5-kilometer trail network of 21 courses encircling the outer edges of Seoul. Originally opened in 2014 with eight courses, it was reorganized into 21 shorter segments in 2024 so that anyone can complete a single course in a day. The average time to finish a course was cut from eight hours to three, and rest areas, skywalks and observation decks have been added. More than 101,700 people have completed the full circuit to date.

The five courses were chosen for their dense forest shade, valley scenery and relatively flat terrain that makes for easy walking.

The selections are the Mangwu-Yongmasan course (Course 4), the Achasan course (Course 5), the Daemo-Guryongsan course (Course 9), the Noeul-Haneul Park course (Course 15) and the Bukhansan Seongbuk course (Course 19).

Each course on the Seoul Dulle-gil varies in difficulty and scenery, allowing walkers to choose based on their fitness level and preferences. Detailed information on each course, programs and visitor guidance is available on the Seoul Dulle-gil website.

The city urged walkers to use the trail during cooler parts of the day — such as the morning or around sunset — to bring sufficient drinking water, and to refrain from hiking when weather warnings or extreme heat alerts are in effect.

"We hope everyone will choose a course suited to their fitness level on the Seoul Dulle-gil, where you can enjoy refreshing nature without traveling far, and have a safe and healthy summer," said Kim Yeong-hwan, director of the city's Garden City Bureau.


ken@heraldcorp.com