Autumn Foliage Walks in Seoul, 2026

Seoul Forest Woodland Trail suits a short walk around a grove. Inside Seoul Forest in Seongdong-gu, you will find ginkgo and elm trees. Seoul Metropolitan Government highlights a grove of 600 ginkgo trees. This is a good choice if you want to linger among trees and take in the autumn colors.

Approach the park from exit 4 of Seoul Forest Station on the Suin–Bundang Line. The designated foliage route is listed as 0.5km. That is different from the perimeter of the entire park, which includes the culture and arts park and the ecological forest. Add the walk in from the station when planning your distance.

At Seokchon Lake in Songpa-gu, you can see autumn foliage on both zelkova and Yoshino cherry trees as you walk beside the water. Seoul Metropolitan Government lists the foliage route designated as Songpanaru Neighborhood Park at 2.6km. It suits a day when you want a sustained lakeside walk rather than a brief look around a grove.

Songpa-daero divides the lake into an east lake and a west lake. There is also a jogging track and space to rest. Choose this if you want a waterside outing centered on a lake, rather than an embankment trail with its endpoints far apart. For subway access, use exit 2 of Jamsil Station on Lines 2 and 8.

This 1.2km foliage section combines a palace wall with a gallery street. On Samcheongdong-gil in Jongno-gu, you will find ginkgo and zelkova trees. The street runs beside Gyeongbokgung Palace’s eastern wall. It suits a walk with some architecture to look at along the way.

Galleries and art museums stand across from the wall. Use Anguk Station on Line 3 to reach the Samcheong-dong area. Some alleys connecting to Bukchon have steep stone steps. If steps are difficult for you, plan your Samcheong-ro walk separately from exploring the alleys.

Songjeong Embankment Trail suits a longer walk. This path along the Jungnangcheon embankment connects Seongdong-gu and Gwangjin-gu. You can see autumn foliage on both ginkgo and Yoshino cherry trees. Smart Seoul Map lists the Seongdonggyo Bridge–Gunjagyo Bridge–Jangpyeonggyo Bridge section at 4.7km.

The bridges make useful reference points for choosing how far to walk. From Gunjagyo Bridge, plan whether to head toward Seongdonggyo Bridge or Jangpyeonggyo Bridge. If you intend to walk the full route, check the locations of both ends.

On weekdays, Seonggong Bus Route 3 provides access to the middle of the embankment trail. It connects Seongdong-gu Office, near Wangsimni Station, with the Eorini Sangsangmadang children’s space on Songjeong Embankment Trail. This shuttle serves public-facility users and people with mobility or transport difficulties. Its boarding requirements differ from those of a regular city bus.

Deoksugung-gil’s designated foliage section is a short 0.3km. It runs from Daehanmun Gate to Seoul Museum of Art in Jung-gu. It suits a street walk with stone walls, ginkgo trees and zelkova trees. Plan it separately from a visit inside the palace.

Wall construction is taking place this autumn. The work covers the southern outer wall between Daehanmun Gate and the former Ungyo bridge site, along with the roof of Pyeongseongmun Gate. Construction is scheduled to continue through November 19, 2026. Pyeongseongmun Gate is closed from October 25 to November 19.

The construction schedule may change depending on conditions on site. Keep this in mind when adding a short walk to plans around City Hall. Do not plan to enter or leave through Pyeongseongmun Gate.