What is there to do in Pyeongchang when there is no snow?
Pyeongchang offers expansive highland pastures, panoramic ridge viewpoints, and open-air ranches that thrive across spring, summer, and autumn.
When winter snow sports conclude, the mountains shed their snowbanks to reveal sprawling grasslands and open forest canopies. Travellers who arrive after the ski season discover a slower pace suited to walking, landscape photography, and quiet outdoor retreats.
Much of this warm-weather outdoor activity centers on the district of Daegwallyeong (대관령). At Daegwallyeong Yangtte Ranch, situated at an elevation of 920 meters across 205,000 square meters of grassland, sheep graze outdoors throughout the non-winter months. A circular path winds around the grazing pasture for a leisurely 40-minute walk. Individual admission is 9,000 won for adults and 7,000 won for children, with free entry for infants aged three and under. Visitors can observe the flock in the open fields, walk among scenic viewpoints, and take part in sheep-feeding experiences with hay.
Towering wind turbines capture natural breezes along the ridgeline while cattle and sheep graze freely across vast organic pastures. Operating hours run from 09:00 to 18:00 between May and October, with the last admission permitted one hour before closing. Admission is 12,000 won for adults, 10,000 won for children, and 9,000 won for senior citizens. The ranch features open-air feeding areas, a gift shop, and a café that serves organic milk and ice cream.
Nearby in the Daegwallyeong area, Daegwallyeong Sky Ranch offers sweeping fields where visitors can tour the pastures on a tractor instead of walking. For elevated views across the ridges of Gangwon, the Balwangsan Cable Car spans 7.4 kilometers round trip. The 20-minute ride carries passengers up to the summit of Balwangsan Mountain (발왕산) at 1,458 meters above sea level. This allows travellers to enjoy panoramic views from Korea's 12th-highest mountain without requiring a strenuous trek up the slope.
Where can you walk through quiet mountain forests in Pyeongchang?
At the entrance of Woljeongsa Temple, founded in 643 during the Silla dynasty, lies an unpaved forest trail shaded by more than 1,700 needle fir trees. This flat pathway measures approximately 1 kilometer in length, stretching between the Iljumun Gate and Geumganggyo Bridge. The forest path and temple grounds remain open 24 hours a day throughout the entire year, giving travellers the opportunity to walk at dawn or dusk when mist drifts through the branches. Parking is available on-site for 3,000 won for passenger cars and 6,000 won for SUVs.
For those who want a longer hike, the Odaesan Seonjaegil Trail begins beside Woljeongsa and follows the Odaecheon Stream upward for 9 kilometers to Sangwonsa Temple. Monks and Buddhist pilgrims historically walked this route through the valley. Today, the trail serves as an unhurried forest tunnel where visitors can listen to running water while admiring seasonal foliage, wild plants, and historical stone traces. Its gentle slope makes it suitable for families, older adults, and anyone seeking immersion in mountain nature.
How do you plan daily life and work during a longer mountain stay?
A multi-week mountain stay works best when you base yourself near accessible transport hubs while keeping your daily schedule unhurried.
Pyeongchang forms part of the Daegwallyeong Special Tourist Zone, which encompasses 428.3 square kilometers across Gangwon province, as detailed on the Visit Korea tourist zone page. The zone links mountain hubs like Pyeongchang and Hoengseong with coastal areas like Gangneung, Donghae, and Samcheok. Arriving via KTX high-speed train at Jinbu Station (진부역) puts you within easy reach of local bus routes, regional markets, and the Pyeongchang Tourist Taxi service, which pairs visitors with a local driver for flexible sightseeing.
Because the train connects Jinbu directly to the coast, taking a quick day trip down to Gangneung to visit Gyeongpoho Lake, Gyeongpodae Pavilion, or historic homes like Seongyojang House is straightforward. After spending the midday hours beside the ocean, you can return to the cooler mountain elevations before nightfall.
For remote work or extended rest, selecting accommodation surrounded by greenery provides the necessary calm. Staying at Hotel Around Pyeongchang positions you on a quiet forested hillside with a choice of standard hotel rooms, suites, terrace rooms for up to four guests, and private villas with kitchens accommodating up to six. The property includes an on-site lawn garden beside the terrace building, air conditioning, accessible rooms, and an underground car park on basement level 1. Beginning the morning with fresh mountain air on the hillside lets you focus on quiet projects before heading out to walk along the Odaecheon valley in the afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Woljeongsa and Odaesan without a car?
Take the KTX train to Jinbu Station. From the station, local buses and taxis run regularly toward Odaesan National Park and the entrance to Woljeongsa Temple, making the needle fir forest easy to visit on public transit.
Is Pyeongchang noticeably cooler than Seoul during summer?
Yes, because Pyeongchang sits at an average altitude of 500 meters, with Daegwallyeong pastures reaching beyond 900 meters. These higher elevations produce milder temperatures, lower humidity, and constant mountain breezes that make summer walking far more comfortable.
Do the Daegwallyeong ranches stay open when there is no skiing?
Yes, both Daegwallyeong Yangtte Ranch and Samyang Round Hill welcome visitors across spring, summer, and autumn. Sheep and cattle graze freely on the open green hillsides once the winter snows have cleared.
How long does the Balwangsan Cable Car ride take?
The cable car journey takes 20 minutes for a one-way trip and spans 7.4 kilometers round trip. It transports passengers from the resort base directly up to the summit of Balwangsan Mountain at 1,458 meters elevation.
Updated 12 November 2026
Sources
- Balwangsan Cable Car: Outside the winter ski season, Pyeongchang offers cool highland temperatures, expansive ranches, and dense ancient woodland trails for long-stay travellers **Daegwallyeong Highland Ranches:** Perched at 700–900+ meters above sea level, venues like Daegwallyeong Yangtte Ranch and Samyang Round Hill (Eco Green Campus) provide wide-open grasslands, grazing sheep/cattle, and wind-turbine vistas that serve as breezy summer escapes **Balwangsan & Alpine Workation Bases:** The Balwangsan Cable Car (Yongpyong) reaches 1,458 meters for panoramic ridge walks without strenuous hiking **Highland Summer Escape:** Experiencing Daegwallyeong’s alpine pastures, sheep farms, and cool mountain breezes away from Seoul’s humidity
- Visit Korea tourist zone page: Outside the winter ski season, Pyeongchang offers cool highland temperatures, expansive ranches, and dense ancient woodland trails for long-stay travellers The Daegwallyeong/Alpensia and Jinbu basins offer quiet high-altitude bases with rail links to Seoul and the Gangneung coast **Jinbu & Mountain Workation Hub:** Structuring a quiet Gangwon workation base near Jinbu KTX Station with day trips to coastal Gangneung and local valleys
- Woljeongsa Temple: **Odaesan National Park & Woljeongsa Fir Forest:** Located near Jinbu, Woljeongsa features a flat 1 km needle fir forest pathway lined with over 1,700 trees It is accessible via KTX to Jinbu Station followed by local transit or taxi **The Forest Immersion Guide:** Spending a multi-week retreat around Odaesan, Woljeongsa fir paths, and Seonjaegil stream walks *(Official source verification: VisitKorea.or.kr and Pyeongchang County pc.go.kr
- Odaesan Seonjaegil Trail: **Odaesan National Park & Woljeongsa Fir Forest:** Located near Jinbu, Woljeongsa features a flat 1 km needle fir forest pathway lined with over 1,700 trees, continuing into the scenic 9 km Seonjaegil Trail following the Odaecheon valley up to Sangwonsa **The Forest Immersion Guide:** Spending a multi-week retreat around Odaesan, Woljeongsa fir paths, and Seonjaegil stream walks
- Daegwallyeong Yangtte Ranch: **Daegwallyeong Highland Ranches:** Perched at 700–900+ meters above sea level, venues like Daegwallyeong Yangtte Ranch and Samyang Round Hill (Eco Green Campus) provide wide-open grasslands, grazing sheep/cattle, and wind-turbine vistas that serve as breezy summer escapes **Highland Summer Escape:** Experiencing Daegwallyeong’s alpine pastures, sheep farms, and cool mountain breezes away from Seoul’s humidity
- Samyang Round Hill: **Daegwallyeong Highland Ranches:** Perched at 700–900+ meters above sea level, venues like Daegwallyeong Yangtte Ranch and Samyang Round Hill (Eco Green Campus) provide wide-open grasslands, grazing sheep/cattle, and wind-turbine vistas that serve as breezy summer escapes **Highland Summer Escape:** Experiencing Daegwallyeong’s alpine pastures, sheep farms, and cool mountain breezes away from Seoul’s humidity
