Must-visit in Fall: Songhae Park in Dalseong

Daegu, South Korea

Songhae Park in Dalseong

Blog by Jenikah Joy

  

Autumn in Daegu!

Having spent most of my time in the suburban areas of Daegu, this time I decided I wanted to see

a little bit of the nature that surrounds the city. Now that the weather is a bit cooler, it’s the perfect

time to visit Daegu! A friend recommended visiting the cosmos fields at Songhae Park in Dalseong,

and after seeing just one photo, I knew I had to go! I have seen these beautiful kind of photos

before on social media many times, but never knew where they were taken. Also, I always thought

these kinds of flowers only bloomed in spring, thankfully however, this time of year, they are also

in bloom and I was able to fully experience them.

Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

송해공원 Songhae Park

Songhae Park is located at the end of the red line at Daegok Station. You can take a bus or taxi to

the actual park, because it’s a ways out in the mountains. The park is located between two of

Daegu’s most well known temples, so we first went to Yongyeonsa Temple and walked down from

there to the park. The temple is quite beautiful so if you’re heading out to the park, it’s close

enough to visit as well. The walk to the park is quite long, but you can see a lot of the outside of

the main city, which is lovely in the early fall weather.

용연사 Yongyeonsa Temple

Songhae Park

When you first arrive at the park, there is a large parking lot for families and visitors who are able

to drive in. There are some small local vendors selling fresh vegetables and other snacks. We

grabbed a couple bottles of water and looked around at what we wanted to explore first.

During this time of year, many people come to see the flowers while the weather is good. Later on

in the year, you can see the fall leaves changing, and then in winter, this park is known for the

frozen waterfalls or the ice wall. Of course, this is probably one of those parks that is wonderful

any time of the year. As well, we came during the afternoon, but in the evening you can see

statues lit up on the lakes, and other spectacular lights after dark.

At the entrance to the park are several attractions including a giant water wheel, a gazebo, a heart

walkway which lights up at night, and a statue of a named Song Seung, a well known comedian

and MC who seems to be the mascot for this park! Right from the beginning this park is truly

beautiful, especially as we arrived in the late afternoon, you could see everything in the soft

afternoon glow.

송해공원 Songhae Park

옥연지 Okyeonji Pond

Once you walk through the archway of hearts you will come across one of the most spectacular

views in Daegu. Here you will come to 백세교 Baekse Bridge, which literally means 100 years old,

because it is said that if you walk across this bridge you will live to be 100! The bridge is built in a

winding fashion, with 3 main walkways, creating a taeguk, a symbol that is famous in Korea. The

view of the water and mountains is truly breathtaking. I can honestly say I have not seen this same

kind of beauty anywhere in Seoul.

백세교 Baekse Bridge

Keep Walking

After exploring the pavilion and taking many photos, we decided to start off on the trail. The

walking trail which runs along the side of the mountain, goes for about 3.5km and ends at a

another temple at the end. The trail is very easy to navigate, and while it is a bit of a long walk, it is

not difficult at all. People of all ages walked the trail, and there were handrails and lights the whole

length. There were even signs on the trees warning people to watch their heads for low hanging

trees. Also at many points there are lookouts where you can stop to rest and take photos.

The view along the trails

What’s at the End?

Perhaps the most rewarding part of the hike was the end point, where you can cross the pink

arched bridge which passes next to one of the many waterfalls you can see along your walk.

Although the bridge is titled 구름다리, a title given to bridges that are considered scary or thrilling, I thought the bridge was truly beautiful.

I imagine that this area is really beautiful after a heavy rain, where the waterfall probably runs even heavier, but the sight near the lake, from the bridge was captivating anyhow. Once you walk down from the bridge you can see how highly suspended it is. Which is probably how it received its name.

Welcome to the Cosmos!

And of course the thing that brought me to the park in the first place, was to see the beautiful

flowers! I’ve always loved flowers, but rarely been able to see entire fields of them. On a few

occasions when I was a child I saw some along the roads, or when traveling to specific flower

gardens, but it was truly wonderful to see them growing so organically along the sides of the

bridges and in the fields near the end of the park.

Wild flowers in fall

I’m really glad I came out to this park and experienced a little nature outside of the city. It was

really invigorating to be able to take in all the natural beauty and to see a different side of Korea. I

want to come back and see the park in winter with the frozen waterfalls but of course now that I’ve visited in fall, I recommend coming any time of the year!