GYERYONGSAN NATIONAL PARK

The park has three main entrances, all occupied by a temple : 동확사 Donghaksa, to the east, near Daejeon; 갑사 Gapsa, to the northwest, near Gongju; 신원사 Sinwonsa, to the southwest. From Donghaksa, a path leads into the mountain to the five- and seven-storey Nammaetap twin stupas. There is a nice legend about these stupas. A monk used to live in the mountain there. One day he saved a tiger that was strangling himself with a bone. Shortly afterwards, the tiger returned, bringing a young girl who had strayed into the mountain and was half dead. The monk took care of her, and when she recovered, she wanted to stay with him and marry him. Since he could not as a monk, he offered to live with her as a brother with a sister, and they spent the rest of their lives meditating. The girl's father, moved by these two young men, raised the two stupas to their memory. The path continued to Yongmun Falls and then Gapsa. From Donghaksa, one can also go left into the beautiful Donghaksa Valley to the 35-metre Unseon Waterfall. There is a hut and you can continue on the path, then go down to Gapsa on the right or Sinwonsa on the left. There is also a remote and rather wild valley, Dongwol, which can be accessed from road 641 which leaves on the left from the Donghaksa road. In this valley you can see shaman houses, an altar at Dangun, some farms and a bearded hermit, and you can feel the spirit of the Gyeryongsan.