The Ttangmoesan Red Clay Trail in Geumjeong-gu, Busan is free to enter and open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
How To Get To Ttangmoesan Red Clay Trail Busan By Metro And Bus
| Admission | Free (city guide, 2026-10-06) |
|---|---|
| Hours | 24 hours, every day, all year |
| Barefoot trail | 1.7 km, about 30 minutes |
| Full reservoir loop | ~20 km, at least 5 hours (city guide) |
| Getting there | Metro Line 1 → Beomeosa Stn Exit 1 → Village Bus Geumjeong-gu 3-1 → Sanghyeon Village |
| Parking | Seondong Parking Lot, free (newer city guide) |
The trail is reached by Busan Metro Line 1, then a short village bus ride.
Per the city guide’s directions, you reach the trail by Metro Line 1 to Beomeosa Station Exit 1, then Village Bus Geumjeong-gu 3-1 to Sanghyeon Village, and walk from there.
The English and Korean pages of the same city guide give two versions of the transfer.
- Metro Line 1 → Beomeosa Station Exit 1 → Village Bus Geumjeong-gu 3-1 → Sanghyeon Village → walk to the trail.
- Metro Line 1 → Namsan Station Exit 4 → bus stop at the hospital by the station → Village Bus Geumjeong-gu 3-1 → Hoedong Reservoir entrance.
Both versions use the same bus number, but the stop names differ, so check the stop on your map app before boarding.
A metro-to-village-bus transfer is the part that fails without Korean, so save the stop name (Sanghyeon Village or Hoedong Reservoir entrance) on your phone in Korean in advance.
Is It Free And When Is It Open?
Yes — admission is free and the trail is open 24 hours, every day, with no closing days.
Per Busan Metropolitan City’s English guide (checked 2026-10-06), the Ttangmoesan Red Clay Trail is free and open 24 hours with no closing days.
There is no ticketing or booking step — you just walk in, which makes it easy to fit into any part of a Busan day.
How Long Is The Trail And How Long Does It Take?
Per the city guide, the red clay barefoot trail is 1.7 km and takes about 30 minutes at a relaxed pace, while the full Hoedong Reservoir loop is about 20 km and at least 5 hours.
That means the barefoot section is about 8.5% of the full loop (1.7 ÷ 20 ≈ 0.085) — the numbers describe two very different walks, so decide before you start.
| Route | Distance | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barefoot red clay trail | 1.7 km | ~30 min | The themed-trip highlight |
| Full Hoedong Reservoir loop | ~20 km | ~5 hours | City guide figure; split into Course A (with the red clay trail) and Course B |
| Flat western loop | — | — | City guide recommends this for first-timers |
The loop is divided into Course A, which includes the red clay trail, and Course B, which is easy walking, and light sneakers are enough for either.
If I were going, I would do the 1.7 km barefoot trail plus the flat western loop and skip the full 20 km circuit — the flat section gives the lake, the cypress forest and the viewpoints in one walk.
Parking And What To Expect On The Trail
The newer city guide names Seondong Parking Lot as free parking, with nearby spaces as an alternative.
An older 2024 listing says "Parking: Not available" — do not trust that line, since the newer and more specific city guide names the public lot; still, confirm on site when you arrive.
On the trail itself, the guide describes a simple sequence.
- From the reservoir walkway, follow the arrow painted on the mural pointing to the barefoot path.
- Take off your shoes and walk the red clay — it feels cool underfoot, with a dense cypress forest on one side and the lake on the other.
- Rest at the octagonal pavilion for a full view of the lake.
- Wash your feet at the foot-washing station at the end of the path; restrooms are on site.
Pets are not allowed, and there is no experience-guide program.
A steep climb of about 15 minutes from the trail leads to Owlsan summit, where the city guide says the deck looks out over the lake and village.
Health claims about barefoot clay walking are traditional, not verified medical facts — go for the feel of it, not a promised benefit.
Where To Eat In Geumjeong-gu
The city guide’s where-to-eat page for Geumjeong-gu is the reliable starting point: where to eat in Busan, Geumjeong-gu.
It lists restaurants within roughly 2.2–2.6 km of the trail, including Gijang Bangwoo Sashimi (2.2 km) and others on the district food page.
Restaurant names beyond those listed on the district food page could not be verified, so use that page rather than a name pulled from an old listing.
If you are driving, Seondong Parking Lot sits at the trail side, so most of these spots are a short drive rather than a walk.
Fitting It Into A Busan Day: The Second Stop
The city guide pairs this trail with Suyeong Historical Park in Suyeong-gu as one themed trip, ‘Autumn breeze walk’.
| Stop | Detail |
|---|---|
| Themed trip | ‘Autumn breeze walk’ — Ttangmoesan Red Clay Trail + Suyeong Historical Park, per the Busan city English guide |
| Getting there | 9-minute walk from Exit 1 of Suyeong Station (Metro Lines 2 and 3); buses 1, 131, 141, 20, 5-1, 62 and 63 stop there |
| What you see | Joseon-era Gyeongsangjwa-do naval fortress site: the south gate, the arched stone wall, a 400-year-old black pine and a 500-year-old muku tree |
| Cost and hours | Free, open every day, all year — the whole themed trip costs nothing |
Coming from Seoul first?
Check the KTX Seoul ↔ Busan timetable before you plan the day.
If you want one quiet forest walk and one history walk in a day, these two stops make a clean pairing; if you have only a few hours, do the 1.7 km barefoot trail alone.
👉 where to eat in Busan, Geumjeong-gu
👉 Busan city guide (Korean) — Hoedong Reservoir
Related posts
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Sources
- 1.7 km trail, ~30 min, restrooms, phone, 24-hr open, free (ktriptips.com)
- koreankorea.com district food page for internal linking (koreankorea.com)
- koreankorea.com timetable page to link for readers coming fr (koreankorea.com)
What To Remember
- Free, open 24 hours, every day — no booking step.
- Two access routes: Beomeosa Station Exit 1 or Namsan Station Exit 4, both connect via Village Bus Geumjeong-gu 3-1.
- Barefoot trail: 1.7 km, about 30 minutes; the full reservoir loop is a separate ~5-hour walk.
- Parking: Seondong Parking Lot (free) per the newer city guide — the ‘not available’ line in an older listing is stale.
- Foot-washing station at the end of the path; pets not allowed.
FAQ
Q. What is Ttangmoesan Red Clay Trail?
A barefoot red clay walking path at Hoedong Reservoir in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, listed in the city guide’s ‘Autumn breeze walk’ themed trip.
Q. How do I get to the Ttangmoesan Red Clay Trail?
Busan Metro Line 1 to Beomeosa Station Exit 1, then Village Bus Geumjeong-gu 3-1 to Sanghyeon Village, and walk to the trail.
Q. Is Ttangmoesan Red Clay Trail free and always open?
Yes — per the city guide (checked 2026-10-06), admission is free and it is open 24 hours, every day, all year.
Q. How long does the barefoot trail take?
The 1.7 km barefoot path takes about 30 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Q. Is there parking near the trail?
The newer city guide names Seondong Parking Lot (free); an older listing says parking is not available, so confirm on site.
Pair it with Suyeong Historical Park — same themed trip, also free, also open all year.
Cover photo: AI-generated illustration (red clay walking) — AI-generated image, illustrative only
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