Set for Oct. 31 on Jiyangsan, the course expands from 4.5km to about 5km for a two-hour hike — with a performance at the finish line. Registration opens Monday at 10 a.m. for the first 1,000 residents.
Yangcheon-gu will hold the "2026 Yangcheon Family Hiking Event" on Oct. 31 on Jiyangsan, giving residents a chance to stroll through forest trails and soak in the colors of autumn.
The Yangcheon Family Hiking Event has been held annually since 2022 as a recreational sports event. Families have turned out in steady numbers each year to walk the nearby Jiyangsan forest paths, enjoy a break from city life and look after their health.
This year the course has been extended from 4.5 kilometers to about 5 kilometers. The route sets off from the Yangcheon Middle School athletic field, passes through the Kkachiul Tunnel and the Gukgibong turnaround point, continues through Yangcheon Urban Agriculture Park and finishes at the Jiyangsan Haemaji Village infant forest experience center. The full hike takes about two hours, and the longer course lets participants walk the Jiyangsan perimeter trail at a more leisurely pace while taking in the autumn scenery.
New this year, organizers have added activities at the finish line. A busking performance and photo zone will be set up at the infant forest experience center at the descent point, and participants who pre-registered and complete the course will receive commemorative gifts and snacks.
Safety measures have also been strengthened. Numbered zones will be assigned along the main trail sections, with trained first-aid personnel stationed at each. Staff will maintain a real-time communication network, and pre-event training in CPR and emergency reporting procedures will sharpen on-site response capabilities.
Residents wishing to take part may register online via Google Forms starting at 10 a.m. Monday, on a first-come, first-served basis, with spots capped at 1,000. Full details are available on the Yangcheon Sports Council website and the Yangcheon-gu office's official notice board.
Beyond the Jiyangsan forest trail featured in this event, Yangcheon-gu operates the Yangcheon Dulle-gil, a walking route that traces the district's boundaries. Six courses totaling 26.2 kilometers — including a waterfront vitality path, the Sinjeong Galsan trail and a street garden path — have been developed to expand nature-friendly walking options close to where residents live.
"This year we widened the hiking course so people can enjoy Jiyangsan's autumn scenery at a more relaxed pace, and we have also arranged a musical performance where hikers can unwind after coming down," Yangcheon-gu District Mayor Lee Gi-jae said. "I hope this becomes a time for families and neighbors to walk together, look after their health and fully savor the deepening beauty of autumn."
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