Nature Travel: Walking along the Yangjaecheon stream

Have a long good walk along the Yangjaecheon stream while traveling Korea!

I truly am a heavy thinker. I think and worry a lot. And there were 2 things that helped me to think less and that’s writing and walking. So, I walked along the Yangjaecheon stream! It was truly beautiful and made me forget about my worries! It would’ve been better if it was more sunny, but either way, it was a great way to make me less stressed! 😊

Where is it?

Name of place:

Yangjaecheon “양재천”

Address:

Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea “서울 강남구 대치동”

Naver map link: https://naver.me/5wfEnVrK

Kakao map link: https://place.map.kakao.com/m/17154013

What is it?

The Yangjaecheon stream is as long as 18.5 km long. The stream crosses the Seocho and Gangnam district. Many people visit this place to exercise. Most of them like to jog, ride bikes, and walk. It’s usually crowded at night when people come out for a jog/walk.

While walking by the Yangjaecheon stream, you will see signs on the ground just like the picture above. In Korea, we usually use the right side when walking. So when you go to malls and subway stations, you’ll see most of the people using the right side of the stairways or using the right side in the escalator to stand while using the left side to walk up. Thus, just like in the picture, if there are people coming from the other side, make sure to step aside to your right. 😁 It goes the same for bicycle lanes as well.

Please note that if you’re riding a bicycle, there are some areas where it only allows a one way route! If you want to go back the other way, you might have to cross the other side of the the stream.

While walking along the Yangjaecheon Stream, I also visited Yangjae Maeheon Citizen’s Forest and the Seocho Culture & Arts Park! I will also upload a post about these two locations as well, so stay tuned!

The Yangjaecheon stream is open 24/7.

How to get there?

Subway:

If planning to have a LONG walk along the Yangjaecheon stream you can start from Dogok Station (Line 3/ orange line, Suinbundang/ yellow line) or from Gwacheon Station (Line 4/ skyblue line).

If you took either the Suinbundang/yellow line or Line 3/orange line, then you stop at Dogok Station. Look for exit 3 and walk till the Yangjaecheon Stream. Make sure to turn your right when you reach to the stream since the forest and the park is located at the right side of the map.

For the Gwacheon station, you have to take the Line 4/sky blue line and stop at Gwacheon station. You can use exits number 6 and 5. As you can see in the picture, the thin light blue in between the green field-looking thing on the map is Yangjaecheon stream. For you to walk all the way to Yangjae or the Dogok station through this pathway, you have to walk to the opposite direction (upward direction when looking at the map above) from exit number 6.

I personally, had a really light walk and visited the Maeheon Citizen’s Forest so I got off at the Yangjae Citizens Forest Station😁!

You have to take the Shinbundang Line/Red line to get there. You can go to the stream through Maeheon Citizen’s Forest by using exit number 1, or you can use exit number 5 and pass through the Yeouicheon Stream just like in the picture above.

Bus:

If you are planning to take a bus to the stream, then there are tons of options. First you have to decide where you’ll start your walk (from Dogok? Gwacheon? or Yangjae Citizens Forest Station?)

For Dogok station, there are buses like 242, 472, 4432, and Gangnam10. For Gwacheon there are buses like 1-1, 7, 8, 8-1, 9, 11-2, 11-5, 103, 777 and more. Lastly for Yangjae Citizens Forest Station, there are bus numbers like 6, 11-3, 140, 400, 405, 421, 440, 441, 452, 470, 741, 0411, 4432, and much more!

Before taking the bus, make sure you’re going to the right direction. It’s always best to ask the bus driver if it takes you to your preferred destination before paying for the bus fee (though most of the time bus drivers tend to be a little bit irritated about it 😅).

Gwacheon Station Naver map link: https://naver.me/5te2LRsF

Gwacheon Station Kakao map link: https://place.map.kakao.com/21160649

Yangjae Citizens Forest Station Naver map link: https://naver.me/5SygAzRT

Yangjae Citizens Forest Station Kakao map link: https://place.map.kakao.com/18382446

Car:

Since I visited the Yangjaecheon near Yangjae Citizens Forest Station, I was only able to get the information of parking lots near there. I’ll try researching about the parking lots near Dogok and Gwacheon when I get the chance.

There are 3 parking lots you can use for Yangjae Citizens Forest.

1️⃣ Maeheon Yun Bong-Gil Memorial Hall Parking Lot “매헌윤봉길의사기념관 주차장”

➡ up to 57 cars

➡ fee: ₩300 per 10 minutes

➡ Open from 8:00 a.m ~ 8:59 p.m.

Naver map: https://naver.me/GDaZo1Pa

2️⃣ Yangjae Citizens Forest Maeheon Station Public Parking Lot “매헌시민의숲(매헌역) 공영 주차장”

➡ up to 50 cars

➡ fee: ₩500 per 10 minutes

➡ Open 24/7

Naver map: https://naver.me/5huSHNLf

3️⃣ Maeheon Citizen’s Forest Eastern Public Parking Lot “매헌시민의숲 동측 공영 주차장”

➡ up to 148 cars

➡ ₩500 per 10 minutes

➡ Open 24/7

Naver map: https://naver.me/IIt7BPRS

I would recommend if you visit the place at spring time when the Cherry Blossoms bloom! 🌸 Spring times usually start from March/April. Because of the climate change, it changes year to year. We are usually informed through the news when the cherry blossoms are forecasted to bloom every year 😁. I can maybe revisit here when spring comes!