Autumn leaves

Korea’s autumn leaves peak from mid-October in the Gangwon mountains to early November in Seoul’s parks, Naejangsan and Jeju. As of 14 October 2026, Odaesan has peaked and Seoraksan, Bukhansan, Jirisan and Hallasan show first colour; the Forest Service forecast Seoraksan’s peak for 20 October and Naejangsan’s for 4 November.

Arriving later in the season? Head south: the colour moves from the northern mountains down to the lowlands and the south coast over about three weeks. Arriving early? Go to Gangwon. For a single-base trip, Seoul gets its own colour in late October, with Bukhansan and the palaces inside the city.

When do autumn leaves peak in Korea?

Place	Long-term average (KMA)	2026 forecast peak (Forest Service)	2026 observed (KMA)
Seoraksan (Gangwon)	First colour 28 Sep, peak 17 Oct	20 October	First colour 28 Sep
Odaesan (Gangwon)	—	—	First colour 1 Oct, peak 14 Oct
Bukhansan (Seoul)	—	—	First colour 14 Oct
Songnisan (Chungcheong)	—	28 October	Not yet turned (14 Oct)
Naejangsan (Jeolla)	—	4 November	Not yet turned (14 Oct)
Hallasan (Jeju)	—	6 November	First colour 14 Oct

Forecast from the Korea Forest Service (22 September 2026); averages and observations from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA); checked 15 October 2026. A dash means no official figure was found. In short: Gangwon now, central Korea by the end of October, the south and Jeju in the first week of November.

The two agencies measure differently, so their dates can be a week apart. The Forest Service calls a peak when 50% of a tree’s leaves have turned. The KMA judges the whole mountain: first colour when about 20% of the slope has turned from the summit down, peak at about 80%.

Nationally, the Forest Service forecast ginkgo to peak around 30 October and maples and oaks around 31 October, about 0.8 days later than the five-year average. A separate 2026 autumn map from the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea National Arboretum, released on 8 October, expects the Seoul area and Gangwon to peak in late October and the Gyeongsang and Jeolla regions in early to mid-November. For the full list of 2026 forecast points, see the autumn leaves 2026 report.

How to check the live foliage status

Forecasts move with the weather, so check a few days before you go. All three official tools are in Korean only, but they are easy to use with a browser’s translate function.

• KMA live status (best for mountains): the weather portal weather.go.kr posts status and photos for 21 mountains from 21 September to 27 November 2026. Find it under 현재날씨 → 봄꽃·단풍 → 유명산 단풍현황. Each mountain moves from 단풍 전 (not yet) to 첫 단풍 (first colour) to 절정 (peak).
• Gangwon trails: the KMA’s Gangwon office runs a foliage and weather service for Seoraksan, Odaesan, Chiaksan and Taebaeksan at kma.go.kr/gangwon/maple, with live camera views.
• Any address: the Korea National Arboretum’s search at knpn.nature.go.kr gives the forecast peak date for a place name or address.

Where to see autumn leaves from your base

From Seoul

You do not need to leave the city. Bukhansan is a national park on Seoul’s northern edge, where the KMA recorded first colour on 14 October 2026. Changdeokgung and its Secret Garden combine maples and ginkgo with palace architecture; see Korea’s palaces for timed tours and hours.

Seoul also publishes a list of foliage streets each autumn: the 2025 list had 110 routes totalling 167 km, grouped as downtown streets, waterside paths, parks and walking trails. The 2026 list had not been released as of 15 October.

For golden silver grass rather than leaves, the 25th Seoul Silver Grass Festival runs from 17 to 23 October 2026, 10:00–21:00 daily, at Haneul Park in World Cup Park. From World Cup Stadium (Line 6) or Mapo-gu Office station allow about 40 minutes on foot; an electric shuttle leaves from the Nanjicheon Park car park. Seoul recommends public transport because the area gets congested.

Gangwon: Seoraksan and Odaesan

The earliest and most dramatic colour. Seoraksan’s long-term average peak is 17 October; colour starts at the summit and works down the slopes. Odaesan, inland near Pyeongchang, peaked on 14 October 2026. Base yourself in Sokcho or Gangneung, or take a day trip by bus or KTX from Seoul.

Central Korea and the south-west

Songnisan peaks in late October. Naejangsan in Jeongeup is the classic late-season trip, with its maple tunnel leading to Naejangsa Temple; the nearest KTX station is Jeongeup. Peak weekends are very crowded, so go on a weekday and arrive early.

Gyeongju and Jeju

Gyeongju combines autumn colour with temples and royal tombs; the grounds of Bulguksa Temple are a popular autumn walk. The 2026 regional map expects the Gyeongsang region to peak in early to mid-November. On Jeju, Hallasan is among the last mountains to peak (forecast 6 November); the KMA watches it from Eorimok, where first colour came on 14 October 2026.

Trails that need a booking in autumn

Most parks and temples need no booking (see Korea’s national parks for entry rules). A few popular sections limit numbers and must be booked on the Korea National Park Service reservation site (reservation.knps.or.kr, Korean with an English option):

• Seoraksan: Heullimgol valley and Gombaegol
• Naejangsan: Seoraebong
• Jirisan: Nogodan and Chilseon Valley
• Bukhansan: Uiryeong-gil

Other sections on the same list include Gayasan’s Manmulsang, Chiaksan’s Hyangnobong and Juwangsan’s Jeolgol. Check the reservation page for your date before you set off.

Tips for an autumn foliage trip

• Go on a weekday. Peak weekends bring heavy traffic around Seoraksan and Naejangsan, so book buses and trains early.
• Dress for two seasons. Seoul averages 20.2 °C (68 °F) by day and 10.6 °C (51 °F) at night in October, but only 11.9 °C (53 °F) and 3.5 °C (38 °F) in November, and mountain tops are colder. Visitors from Singapore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur or Mumbai will want a warm jacket. See the best time to visit Korea.
• Southern-hemisphere visitors: October is spring in Australia, so this is a chance to see autumn twice in one year.
• Use public transport. For getting between regions, see Transportation and the KTX guide.
• Plan national park hikes around entry hours. See Korea’s national parks and Hiking in Korea.