Trail Running in Busan 🇰🇷 : Busan Stole Our Hearts—And It Might Steal Yours Too

Some cities invite you to visit. Busan invites you to stay.

Perched where granite peaks plunge into the Korea Strait, Busan became our unexpected love affair with South Korea. Mountains towering behind neighborhoods. Ocean stretching endlessly ahead. Endless café culture—like Momos Coffee, where post-run lattes became as sacred as the runs themselves.

A trail running and road running community that welcomes you like family before you've even laced up your shoes.

This isn't Seoul's polished urbanism. This is raw, vibrant, lived-in beauty—a city where fishermen still mend nets at dawn, where temple bells echo across ridgelines, where you can run 5km or 80km without ever leaving the city limits.

Busan doesn't just have trails. Busan is trails.

Safe, welcoming, infinitely runnable, and stunningly diverse, Busan proved itself our Korean favorite.

Why Busan Captured Our Hearts

Endless Trails, Instant Access

Every subway station becomes a portal to adventure. Summits, forest paths, coastal cliffs, riverside flows—all within minutes of stepping off the metro.

The variety overwhelms in the best way: technical ridges one morning, soft forest trails the next, oceanfront paths when you need the sea's rhythm.

The abundance creates its own delightful challenge. One morning on Hwangnyeongsan Mountain, we titled our Strava run "Today's mission: find the right trail… and maybe Wally too."

Turns out both were hiding behind confusing intersections and sneaky roots!

After getting briefly turned around—something that could happen on any of Busan's mountains—we eventually found our way and rewarded ourselves at Starbucks, which was coincidentally running a Where's Wally promotion. Sometimes the universe has a sense of humor. ☕️

A Community That Welcomes You Home

The running scene here surprised us most. Not just welcoming—eager to connect.

Daily meet-ups, track sessions at multiple stadiums, trail groups that blur the line between strangers and friends within a single run. Sunny, who leads the Busan Running Crew, speaks perfect English and made us feel at home from our first 5 AM gathering. Many crew members share that language ease, bridging gaps before they form.

Along every trail, whether grinding up peaks at 4:30 AM or cruising through valleys at 2:30 PM, you'll hear it: "Fighting! Fighting!"

Korean hikers and trail runners cheer you on with genuine smiles. Speed doesn't matter. Experience doesn't matter. Everyone celebrates the simple act of moving through these mountains.

Safety never crossed our minds. The metro reaches every trailhead, neighborhoods feel secure day and night, and convenience stores and cafés appear every few blocks—perfect for mid-run hydration or those sacred post-run rituals where steam rises from lattes and the world slows down just enough.

Essential Busan Running Routes

Geumgang Park & Mountain – From City Streets to Forest Ridges

Within minutes of leaving residential streets, you're climbing through forest canopy, past hidden temples, onto ridgelines where the city reveals itself below.

We loved the flexibility—quick morning loops when time was tight, extended ridge traverses when adventure called.

Fair warning: the network of intersecting paths can confuse even experienced navigators. Download your route beforehand or embrace getting wonderfully lost.

Wildlife rustles in the underbrush. Traditional temples appear around corners. The forest breathes around you while the city hums distantly below.

If you push all the way to Children Park, make sure to stop by Merci Madame Café for a coffee.

Type: Mountain trails, forest paths
Distance: Flexible (5-20km+++)
Strava Link

Hwangnyeongsan Mountain – For Sweeping Views of City, Sea, and Sky

This delivers what you came for: ocean on one side, mountains on the other, cityscape sprawling between.

The trails mix technical single-track with smoother sections, keeping your attention sharp while your legs work.

Life pulses here. Runners, hikers, families, solo adventurers all finding their rhythm. Outdoor exercise stations dot the route where locals stretch and strengthen between climbs.

The summit opens wide—pure panorama, pure reward.

Type: Mountain trails, mixed terrain
Distance: Variable (8-15km typical), you can always run more!
Strava Link

Oncheoncheonjajeongo-gil to Suyonggang River & Haeundae Beach – When Water Becomes Your Guide

This route became our meditation. Following gentle streams inland through neighborhoods, the rhythm settles into something peaceful, almost hypnotic.

The water widens gradually into Suyonggang River, flanked by green space and exercise stations where local runners appear in waves—some fast, some easy, all part of the morning ritual.

Continue east and Haeundae Beach arrives—the transition from quiet riverside to bustling waterfront feels symbolic. Peaceful focus rewarded with vibrant energy.

We ran this repeatedly, never tiring of how morning light caught the surface differently each day.

Type: Paved paths, waterfront running
Distance: Flexible (10-25km one way)
Strava Link

Jukseong, Ananti, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple up to Busan via Green Railway – Where Waves Meet Prayer Bells

This route taught us to slow down and see. Starting on the coastal road from Jukseong, the ocean stays with you—sometimes crashing dramatically, sometimes stretching calm and blue toward the horizon such as Ananti.

Then Haedong Yonggungsa Temple appears like a revelation. Perched on cliffs where waves spray the stone courtyards, it's one of Korea's few seaside temples.

The architecture, the incense, the sound of surf and prayer bells mixing—worth every stride.

Beyond the temple, Green Railway unfolds—an old rail line transformed into a coastal path winding through tunnels, along cliffsides, past small beaches. Flat and scenic, it became our recovery run favorite. All the way to Busan.

Great stop along the trail : God Shott Coffee

Type: Coastal road, converted railway path
Distance: ~15-20km
Strava Link

Gwangalli Beach to Sinseondae Terrace – Suspended Between Rock and Wave

For ocean lovers, this delivers pure magic. From Gwangalli's golden sands, the route quickly climbs onto wooden boardwalks built into the cliffs.

You're suspended between rock face and crashing surf, ocean spray misting your face, the constant rhythm below.

The trail weaves through rocky outcrops and forested sections, always hugging the coastline, always offering those extraordinary views—cliffs dropping to churning water, distant islands emerging through morning mist.

Sinseondae Terrace arrives as the perfect finale: a viewpoint carved into the clifftop where you pause, breathe, and understand why this stretch of coast draws people back again and again.

Type: Coastal boardwalk trails, cliff paths
Distance: 8-12km
Strava Link

Busan Running Crew – Your Early Morning Trail Family

Every weekday morning at 5:00 AM, something special happens at Exit 4 of Myeongnyun Station.

Runners gather—bleary-eyed but committed, ready to greet the day before the sun fully rises.

This is Busan Running Crew, and they became our morning family.

Led by Sunny, whose perfect English and warm energy make everyone feel immediately welcome, the group moves as one through Busan's streets and paths. Road-focused but trail-friendly, fast but inclusive, competitive but kind.

Their personal bests might intimidate at first—these runners are serious—but speed isn't what matters. Showing up does.

Many crew members speak English comfortably, making connections easy. Conversations flow naturally—about running, about Busan, about life.

Post-run coffee becomes ritual. Friendships form in that liminal space between effort and dawn, when guards drop and authentic connection happens effortlessly.

We'd never met these people before. Within days, they felt essential—proof that running transcends language, nationality, and circumstance.

When: Weekdays at 5:00 AM
Where: Myeongnyun Station, Exit 4
Who: Road and trail runners, all paces welcome

Beyond Busan: Ulsan's Trail Racing and Alpine Adventures

After exploring Busan's trails, the adventure doesn't have to stop. Just 30 minutes by train east lies Ulsan—home to world-class trail racing and the dramatic Yeongsan Alps.

We experienced Ulsan's trail scene through three days volunteering at UTNP (Ultra Trail National Park). Standing at aid stations, checking mandatory gear, cheering runners through the night gave us a completely different perspective on Korea's exploding trail community.

The enthusiasm for ultra distances struck us immediately. Runners arrived with the latest gear, matching kits, and serious ambitions. Trail running here carries a certain fashion-consciousness—everyone looks the part, from color-coordinated hydration vests to pristine trail shoes.

UTNP's mandatory gear list was extensive—perhaps too extensive. Backup headlamps, emergency blankets, whistles, every conceivable safety item checked meticulously before race start. The thoroughness impressed us, though we wondered if it reflected genuine safety concerns or simply the Korean approach to following rules to the letter.

Beyond race weekends, the Yeongsan Alps offer jagged peaks that challenge even experienced mountain runners. You can summit alpine terrain in the morning and return to Busan's ocean by afternoon.

Your Busan Story Begins Now

The trails are waiting. The ocean is calling. The running community gathers at 5 AM, and there's always room for one more.

At UltraNomades, we chase adventures that connect us to places and people beyond surface-level tourism. Busan embodied that mission perfectly.

Every run taught us something. Every sunrise with the crew deepened our understanding. Every conversation over coffee revealed new layers.

Even volunteering at UTNP showed us trail running through a lens we'd never experienced—the dedication, the growth, the uniquely Korean blend of serious athleticism and careful preparation.

The warmth here isn't performative—it's genuine. Trail runners share water and encouragement without speaking your language. Café owners remember your order after two visits. Sunny greets you like you've been running together for years.

We came for the trails, but we left with something deeper—a sense of belonging.

Busan reminded us that running isn't just about endurance; it's about connection. With the land. With people. With yourself.

Visit in spring or fall when clear skies and cool temperatures reward every stride. Base yourself in Seomyeon or Oncheoncheon for optimal metro access. Download Naver Map and KakaoTalk before arriving. Set your alarm for 4:45 AM.

Busan is ready for you.

And trust us—you're about to fall in love.

UltraNomades – We ®️U.N.

In Busan, every run tells a story. Every summit offers a view. Every stranger might become a friend. This is where trail dreams and ocean breezes meet—and where running becomes more than miles.