Seoul has two kinds of walks that tourists almost always miss. The first is the Seoul City Wall trail, and the easiest way into it is the Naksan section, a 3.2-kilometer walk from Hyehwamun Gate to Heunginjimun Gate that takes about an hour and runs past the colorful lanes of Ihwa Mural Village. The second is the stream trails, and the best of those is Cheonggyecheon, an 11-kilometer restored waterway with 22 bridges running flat through downtown, plus the quieter Yangjaecheon route in Gangnam. One afternoon walk plus one morning or evening walk: that is the pairing.
I have walked both more than once, and what gets me every time is the contrast. The fortress wall trail puts you on a 600-year-old stone wall with rooftops on one side and the city dropping away on the other. The streams put you below street level, beside water. Neither costs anything, neither needs a guide, and both show a Seoul the palace queues never will.
Photo: Rtflakfizer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Why are these walks hidden if they are this good?
They are hidden because they fit no one's itinerary. Tour buses go to the palaces and the tower. The wall is a long trail spread across four mountains, so nobody packages it neatly, and the streams look like nothing on a map. You end up sharing the wall with locals on their evening walk and the streams with office workers on lunch breaks, not tour groups, which is exactly why they feel like a discovery.
Which fortress wall section should you walk first?
Walk the Naksan section first. It runs from Hyehwamun Gate to Heunginjimun Gate, covers 3.2 kilometers, and takes about an hour, with a difficulty the city rates two stars out of five. It is the gentlest of the wall's mountain sections and stays open 24 hours, so it works morning, afternoon, or night.
The wall is part of Hanyangdoseong, the fortress ring built in 1396 under King Taejo to encircle the capital. The full loop is 18.6 kilometers across four mountains, about 70 percent of it restored. Naksan is the lowest of the four at 124 meters, which is why this section is a ridge walk rather than a hike. You pass Jangsu Village, a hillside neighborhood that survived redevelopment, and Ihwa Mural Village, where painted stairways turn the downhill stretch into an outdoor gallery.
How do you actually do the Naksan walk?
Start at Hansung University Station on Line 4, Exit 4, and Hyehwamun Gate is about three minutes on foot. From there just follow the wall uphill toward Naksan Park. The path is well signed in English, and the wall stays beside you the whole way, so getting lost is hard.
Budget 60 to 90 minutes with photo stops, ending at Heunginjimun, the grand East Gate, at Dongdaemun. Walk it after dark and the ridge is lined with lanterns, with some of the best free night views in the city.
Photo: Dwxn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What about the harder sections, Baegak and Inwangsan?
Save them for when you want a real hike. The Baegak section runs 4.7 kilometers from Changuimun Gate to Hyehwamun Gate, takes about three hours, and is rated five out of five for difficulty. It crosses Bugaksan, the highest of the four inner mountains, passing Sukjeongmun, the great north gate, with views over Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Baegak has seasonal recommended hours: roughly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in spring and fall, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in summer. An old rule requiring foreign visitors to register with a passport ended in 2023, but check the city's notices before you go, since mountain-section rules change from time to time.
Photo: WorldContributor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How do the stream trails compare to the wall?
They are the opposite kind of walk, and that is the point. The wall goes up for altitude and history. The streams stay flat for water, bridges, and the odd pleasure of walking below street level through a megacity. Both are free, paved, and good in any season.
Cheonggyecheon runs about 11 kilometers from Cheonggye Plaza, with its spring sculpture and candlelight fountain, east to the Jungnangcheon and on toward the Han River. It passes under 22 bridges, including restored Joseon-era stone bridges. The stream was buried under concrete and an elevated highway from the 1950s until 2003, then restored as a public walkway by 2005. The full walk takes three to four hours with stops, but most people do the first stretch from the plaza toward Dongdaemun, one to two hours with the densest cluster of art and historic bridges.
Yangjaecheon is the quieter southern alternative. It flows through Seocho and Gangnam, and the signed route runs 6.7 kilometers from the riverside culture lounge to Gwangpyeong Bridge in about an hour and 40 minutes. The metasequoia-lined path is at its best in autumn, and in spring the cherry blossom stretch gets busy. It is shady, flat, and far less touristy, which makes it my pick for a slow morning.
How do the routes compare at a glance?
Match a route to your legs and your schedule.
| Route | Distance | Time needed | Highlight | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naksan fortress wall | 3.2 km, Hyehwamun to Heunginjimun | About 1 hour | Ihwa Mural Village, ridge lanterns at night | Easy (2/5), open 24 hours |
| Baegak fortress wall | 4.7 km, Changuimun to Hyehwamun | About 3 hours | Sukjeongmun north gate, Bugaksan views | Hard (5/5), seasonal hours |
| Inwangsan fortress wall | 4.0 km, Donuimun site to Changuimun | About 2.5 hours | Rugged stonework, skyline views | Hard (5/5) |
| Cheonggyecheon stream | 11 km total, plaza to Han River | 1 to 4 hours, pick your stretch | 22 bridges, fountains, below-street-level city | Easy, fully flat |
| Yangjaecheon stream | 6.7 km, Riverside Lounge to Gwangpyeong Bridge | About 1 hour 40 min | Metasequoia path, spring cherry blossoms | Easy, fully flat |
One afternoon only: take the Naksan wall, finish at Heunginjimun, and ride one stop to Dongdaemun Design Plaza for dinner. A spare morning: take Yangjaecheon. The streams work best as part of a normal day rather than an expedition, which is how Seoulites use them.
When should you go, and what should you bring?
October and November are the sweet spot for the wall walks, when the air is clear and the ridge views are sharp. Summer mornings beat summer afternoons on the exposed sections. Wear real walking shoes, not sandals, and bring water; there are stores near the gates but not along the ridges.
For the streams, go when it fits. Cheonggyecheon is best in the evening when the lights and fountains come on; Yangjaecheon is a morning walk. Both are flat and stroller-friendly, with ramps and stairs up to street level at regular intervals.
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
FAQ
Is the Seoul City Wall trail free?
Yes, it is completely free, and most sections are open around the clock, including Naksan. The Baegak section has seasonal recommended daylight hours, so check the city's official notices before that one.
How long does it take to walk the whole Seoul City Wall?
The full ring is 18.6 kilometers, split into sections. Treat one section as one outing: Naksan takes about an hour, Inwangsan about two and a half, Baegak about three. The entire circuit in a day is possible for strong hikers but not the normal way to do it.
Can you walk Cheonggyecheon the whole way?
Yes. The stream-level path runs about 11 kilometers from Cheonggye Plaza to the Jungnangcheon near the Han River, and the full walk with stops takes three to four hours. Stairs and ramps connect to street level at regular intervals, so you can also walk just part of it.
Which stream is better, Cheonggyecheon or Yangjaecheon?
Cheonggyecheon for landmarks, bridges, and fountains downtown, especially in the evening. Yangjaecheon for a quiet, shady local walk with fewer people. Different moods, both free, no wrong answer.