Hiking to Korean Smoke-and-Fire Beacon Station Jwaisan

Address: San 52-4, Songcheon-ri, Hail-myeon, Goseong-gun

I first noticed Jwaisan Mountain while driving around the base of it and looking up, thinking it would be an interesting one to hike.

At that time, I didn’t know Jwaisan Mountain has remains of a beacon station used during the Joseon Dynasty. It received a signal from Geoje and sent the signal to Sacheon.

The main peak can be approached from three starting points. I chose to start from around Cheonglyong Temple.

As you approach the temple, the trail is to the right of the temple. It took me a few minutes to figure that out.

While this is the shortest of the three routes, there was not much to look at for much of the way up.

At one point, the trail bends to the right, but a sign warns that it is a private area. So hikers need to take a smaller trail on the left around a metal pole.

This narrower trail leads through a pine forest and up to a ridge.

Jwaisan peak is 0.2m to the left from the top of the ridge.

A glance to the right looked inviting, and I later went this way.

The peak is quite rocky and it sticks out to suit being used as a beacon station.

It’s always fun scrambling up the craggy peaks.

The weather was not bad for December 31, 2021.

The wooden stairs are the last bit before reaching the beacon station at the top.

It’s a nice view with all directions visible.

A little shelter sits on the remains of the beacon station.

The smoke-and-fire beacon system of communication was in use during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Enemy invasions and other military events could be communicated this way.

To quote the signpost, the beacons “had five furnaces which were lit in a particular pattern to indicate the severity of the situation.”

This map shows Jwaisan mountain between Sacheon and Geoje. The signal was received from Geoje and sent to Sacheon.

I came across another beacon station while hiking Gujeolsan Mountain on the other side of Goseong’s town center..

Many islands are visible from here.

Solseom Island, in the bottom left of the below photo, is a nice place to visit and is a popular place for photography.

A look in the direction of Sacheon (northwest) shows more mountains, one of which in the distance is probably the next beacon station.

The villages at the base of the near mountains are part of Hai-myeon in Goseong.

A look in the direction of Namhae (southwest) shows the Goseong Dinosaur Museum (blue arrow in the photo below) and Sangjogam Park, where there are dinosaur footprints in their original locations.

I chatted a little with the man at the top who was nice and pointed out some of the landmarks.

On my way back, I decided to check out this little smaller peak because it was so close.

The trees obstructed the view from here, but it was cool to look back at Jwaisan from here.