Maehwasan (Hapcheon)

Maehwasan Namsanjeilbong is a 1,010m mountain located south of Gayasan, belonging to Gayasan National Park. It was named Maehwasan because the bizarre rock formations resemble plum blossoms in full bloom. It is the 4th of the 8 Scenic Views of Hapcheon, and Cheongnyangsa Temple is located at the eastern foot of the main ridge of Maehwasan. The mountain's terrain resembles Geumgangsan, with sharp rocky ridges and lush evergreen forests harmonizing in green and red, earning it the nickname 'Little Geumgangsan.' Additionally, the strange rocks are likened to Buddha statues, giving it the name 'Cheonbulsan' (Thousand Buddhas Mountain) as if a thousand Buddhas cover the ridge. The hiking course from Nongsanjeong via the ridge junction to the summit and then down through Anbu to Sinburak takes 3 hours and 20 minutes, while the course from Cheongnyang-dong via Cheongnyangsa takes 3 hours and 50 minutes. Address: San 114-1, Hwangsan-ri, Gaya-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do