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View from Ihwa Pass

Saejae Bike Path
Learn about Ihwa Mountain Pass and the views it offers.

Ihwa Mountain Pass (이화령; map; 539 m) is the highest ascent in Korea’s cycling certification system. It slips through the Sobaek Mountain Range below Joryeong Mountain (조령산; map; 1,026 m).

While the climb is exhausting, the summit offers superb high-angle views of the area.

Ihwa Pass Tunnel (이화령터널; map) crowns the top of the mountain pass. It also marks the border between Goesan County (괴산군; map) in North Chungcheong Province and Mungyeong City (문경시; map) in North Gyeongsang Province.

Pass through the tunnel to switch between eastward and westward facing platforms.

  • The west platform looks out into Yeonpung Town (연풍면; map) in Goesan County.
  • The east platform offers a glimpse of Mungyeong Town (​​문경읍; map) in Mungyeong City.

Below Ihwa Pass’s summit, National Highway 3 (국도3호선; map) carves a path between Joryeong and Heeyang Mountains, then disappears into a tunnel below.

A few more features sit atop of the Ihwa Pass:

A picture of the Ihwaryeong Rest Area Certification Center at the top of Ihwa Pass in Goesan County, South Korea.
Discover the Ihwaryeong Rest Area Certification Center near a restaurant/cafe/mart on top of Ihwa Pass.