AJ & Jeremy at Elephant Rock

This is one of my favorite sessions and will always have a sweet spot in my heart because this session is truly where I saw myself as a photographer and where all of my learning and skills up to that point came together and it clicked. This session was at Hwanggeumsan Mountain also known as Elephant Rock Trail in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. 

Now this session wasn’t easy, I had just recovered from covid and the incline of this trail had my lungs burning but the views at the end were worth it. This trail had little crabs that would come out and run at you and thankfully my clients were the adventurous sort who thought this charming ( not me I threatened every crab to meet its maker because I am a certified scaredy cat ) and once we climbed up and down what felt like a million feet we made it to this amazing and very rocky view that was worth the crabs, wheezing and wobbling ankles.

Now my lovely couple Aj and Jer were honestly champions and such an amazing duo. They had been together for almost 15 years and you knew it by the way they looked at each other. The more I interacted with them as a couple the more I could feel the love between the two and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to capture that love on camera. 

Here’s all about what you need to know if you want go to this trail yourself : 

All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/south-korea/south-chungcheong/hwanggeumsan-elephant-rock-trail

Naver: Hwanggeumsan Mountain 충남 서산시 대산읍 독곶리
http://naver.me/50q60ms6

Waze: Type: Hwanggeumsan or click:
https://waze.com/ul/hwy9f6tzpy

Distance from Osan Air Base: 1 hour and 30 mins 

Distance from Camp Humphreys: 1 hour 

Distance from Seoul Station: 2 hours 

• Elephant Rock Trail is an easy/moderate 1.8 mile out and back trail that leads to a beautiful rock beach with scenic views, including a rock formation that looks like an elephant dipping its trunk into the water.
• What to expect: this is a very rocky trail, it has 4 paths that all interconnect and 3 that lead to elephant rock itself. This is not a stroller friendly or little one friendly trail. There is a small parking lot before the trailhead. The beginning of the tail has a map and a stamp spot. 
• There is no entrance fee and they do have a bathrooms at the beginning of the trail.
• You can swim but it is not recommend, it is very rocky and slippery on the shoreline and does get deep fast.
• There are lots of caves and smaller trails along the beach
• If you go at sunset bring flashlights as it gets dark fast and the uphill is very rocky back to the trail.

This was a great underrated spot in South Korea, Check it out during sunset for an amazing hike and views.