1. For a short palace-side walk in the city center

    1. Deoksugung stone-wall road and Jeongdong-gil

    덕수궁길 · 정동길

    Seoul's 2025 list of autumn foliage roads includes Deoksugung-gil, 0.3 km of ginkgo and zelkova trees from Daehanmun Gate to the Seoul Museum of Art, and Jeongdong-gil, which continues 0.5 km to the Jeongdong junction. The Korea Tourism Organization lists the stone-wall path as open 24 hours and describes the ginkgo trees and the palace wall together in autumn. Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government: Seoul autumn foliage roads, 110 routes (2025)

    Diagram of Deoksugung-gil running 0.3 km from Daehanmun Gate to the Seoul Museum of Art and Jeongdong-gil continuing 0.5 km to the Jeongdong junction, with City Hall Station Exit 1.

    It suits a day already based in the center, when you want foliage without a long trip. Deoksugung itself is a separate, ticketed visit inside the wall if you want to add a palace.

    At 0.8 km in total, this is a short walk, and it is a city street rather than a park. The palace closes on Mondays, so a Monday visit means the wall and the street only.

    Visit Seoul lists City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) Exit 1, about 72 m from the palace at 99 Sejong-daero. It gives palace hours of 9:00–21:00 with last entry at 20:00, and standard admission of 1,000 won for foreign visitors aged 19–64; exemptions apply.

    Source: Korea Tourism Organization: Deoksugung Stone Wall Path.

    Source: Visit Seoul: Deoksugung Palace.

  2. For a longer walk on a car-free mountain road

    2. Namsan North Circular Road

    남산 북측순환로

    In Seoul's 2025 list, the North Circular Road in Namsan Park is a 3.5 km pedestrian-only road lined with cherry and maple trees, used for both exercise and walks. The Korea Tourism Organization gives Namsan's height as 265 m in the middle of the city, and Visit Seoul lists free entry to the park. Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government: Seoul autumn foliage roads, 110 routes (2025)

    Diagram of Namsan's 3.5 km pedestrian-only North Circular Road on an illustrated wooded hill, listing Myeong-dong Station Exit 3 and Hoehyeon Station Exit 4.

    Namsan gives you the longest single listed route of the four, on a tree-lined mountain road with no cars.

    A curving tree-lined mountain road under red and orange maple leaves, with a hilltop tower and the city in the distance.

    The 3.5 km is the road itself; walking to and from it adds distance. Paid attractions such as the cable car and the tower observatory are separate from the free park.

    Visit Seoul lists Myeong-dong Station (Line 4) Exit 3, 846 m from the park address, and Hoehyeon Station (Line 4) Exit 4, 932 m away. Search for 남산 북측순환로 in a map app to find the road itself.

    Source: Korea Tourism Organization: Seoul Namsan Park.

    Source: Visit Seoul: Namsan Park.

  3. For a park walk around a ginkgo grove

    3. Seoul Forest's ginkgo forest path

    서울숲 숲속길

    Seoul's 2025 list includes a 0.5 km forest path in Seoul Forest, planted with ginkgo and zelkova trees around a grove of 600 ginkgos. The Korea Tourism Organization notes that the park's metasequoia and ginkgo trees turn gold in autumn and that its walking paths are unpaved. Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government: Seoul autumn foliage roads, 110 routes (2025)

    Diagram of a 0.5 km path through an illustrated ginkgo grove in Seoul Forest, listing Seoul Forest Station Exits 3 and 4, Ttukseom Station Exit 8 and the garden show's 27 October end date.

    Pick Seoul Forest for a park setting, with Seongsu-dong's cafés and restaurants close by for afterwards.

    The listed path is only 0.5 km; add other park paths for a longer walk. Until 27 October, Seoul Forest also hosts the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show, so expect show gardens and events alongside the trees.

    Visit Seoul lists Seoul Forest Station (Suin-Bundang Line) Exits 3 and 4, about 242 m away, and Ttukseom Station (Line 2) Exit 8, about 537 m. Entry is free and the park is open 24 hours; the Eco Forest area opens 5:30–21:30.

    Source: Korea Tourism Organization: Seoul's Top 5 Fall Forests.

    Source: Visit Seoul: Seoul Forest.

    Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government: 2026 Seoul International Garden Show.

  4. For a long walk beside water south of the Hangang

    4. Yangjaecheon stream path

    양재천

    Seoul's 2025 list includes 2.8 km of Yangjaecheon from the Yangjae 2-gyo to the Yeongdong 2-gyo bridge, where cherry trees form a tunnel over the path and about 50 kinds of grasses and flowers grow along the banks. It lists a separate 2.95 km metasequoia street section on Yangjaecheon-ro, from Yeongdong 2-gyo to Yeongdong 6-gyo. Visit Seoul calls the stream famous for its autumn foliage. Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government: Seoul autumn foliage roads, 110 routes (2025)

    Diagram of a 2.8 km cherry-tree stretch of Yangjaecheon from Yangjae 2-gyo to Yeongdong 2-gyo, a separate 2.95 km metasequoia street section from Yeongdong 2-gyo to Yeongdong 6-gyo, and Dogok Station Exit 3.

    Yangjaecheon is the walk for distance and water rather than landmarks, or for a stay south of the river.

    A path beneath rust-colored trees beside a stream, with a low bridge, apartment buildings and a wooded hill beyond.
    The listed Yangjae 2-gyo–Yeongdong 2-gyo stretch is cherry-lined; the separate Yangjaecheon-ro route has metasequoias.

    This is a separate southern-Seoul outing. Choose the cherry-tree section or the metasequoia street before setting off.

    Visit Seoul lists Dogok Station (Line 3 and Suin-Bundang Line) Exit 3, about 564 m from the stream address it gives. The whole stream runs 18.5 km, so save the bridge names from Seoul's list: 양재2교 and 영동2교 mark the ends of the cherry-tree section, and 영동2교 to 영동6교 the metasequoia street.

    Source: Visit Seoul: Yangjaecheon Stream & Tancheon Stream.

Before you go

Pack for a cool morning and a mild afternoon. The Korea Meteorological Administration's 1991–2020 normals for Seoul give October an average daily high of 20.2°C and low of 10.6°C, and November 11.9°C and 3.5°C. Average monthly precipitation is 52.2 mm in October and 51.1 mm in November, and Seoul's normal date for first frost is 28 October. Check the KMA forecast and each site's notice on the day.

Sources & checks

Sources checked .