A Tale of Two Valleys: Swimming Deep in the Mountains of Gokseong 

By Isaiah Winters 

Fed up with the two-hour drive to half-decent beaches only to swim under the punishing gaze of killjoy lifeguards guarding me from life, I’ve retreated deep into the mountains of Gokseong County to swim in peace. In this edition of “Lost,” I’ll bring you along to two of Gokseong’s beautiful valleys terraced with swimmable pools of pure mountain spring water, each with nary a lifeguard in sight. One valley is perfect for the crowd-loving extroverts among our readership, while the other is fit for the misanthropic troglodytes among us who truly believe that three’s a crowd. So, without further ado, let’s jump in. 

Dorimsa Valley (도림사 계곡) 

This valley is hardly a closely kept secret, but I don’t think many foreigners associate the place with swimming, so this is a low but worthwhile springboard for the article. The valley is excellent to visit on weekdays and has a bevy of big enough pools to choose from almost from the start. At the lower end, where the humble restaurants and decks are, you’ll find lots of Korean families having a blast in the clear, cool waters beneath leafy boughs. Etched in the smooth rockface of the valley are numerous verses penned by bygone scholars and monks who likely found immense inspiration beside the stream, though you’ll have to know hanja (한자, Chinese characters) to read them. Overlooked by Dorimsa, a tranquil and easily accessible temple, the broad and gently inclining valley leads up to only slightly more rugged terrain where the pools get better and better. 

This is where I headed on my most recent visit, hoping to hike high enough to where I’d get a more private pool all my own. Even though it was a Tuesday afternoon, I was surprised by how many visitors lurked behind nearly every twist and turn of the valley trail. Nevertheless, it didn’t take long before I found a worthwhile pool for myself. I spent about an hour there filming, floating, and warming up on the nearby rocks whenever the water chilled me to the bone. I stayed until a pair of young guys stumbled upon the pool and shouted, “This one’s really good!” before noisily wading in right beside me. I took this as my cue to slowly pack up and leave them to it. There were other, far wilder pools still ahead, so there was no reason to stay put and exchange awkward glances with each other here. Pictured is one of the more rugged spots where I ended up later that day. 

Know before you go: To enjoy the best parts of Dorimsa Valley, adults will have to pay 3,000 won each for admission. If you have a car, you can drive quite far up the valley and park, but the lower end has more ample parking. In terms of cleanliness, it’s great overall, but the sheer mass of visitors means there’s inevitably going to be some trash here and there. On a related note, remember that the further downstream you swim, the more urine, spit, and snot you’ll be sousing yourself in, so head high. Lastly, if you go on weekends with hot weather, remember that I warned you not to. 

[Redacted] Valley 

Have the extroverts all gone to Dorimsa Valley? Good! It’s a lot quieter already. 

Now we can talk about a more relaxing valley just a few minutes away where crowd-averse introverts can wash away their social anxieties in a lonely pool all their own. Now, I should admit up front that this section of the article is a bit of tease, as I won’t mention this valley’s name outright, but it’s easy enough to find if you consult a map. Like me, I presume you’re a nerdy loner with few if any engagements, so I trust you’ll have time to invest in the hunt. When you finally do find it, please do me one favor. If you visit on a hot weekend, go to Dorimsa Valley first and drive around the horribly crowded parking lot. Your stress levels will rise as you slow to a crawl between the narrow traffic lanes lined tightly with vehicles parked in the most imaginative ways. During your misery lap, if you see another driver snag a coveted parking space, roll down your window and shout “좋겠다!” (“Must be nice!”) to let them think they’re winning the game of life. Then, when your trolling quota has been met, simply do a U-turn and head over to [Redacted] Valley. 

In just a few minutes, you’ll find plenty of parking and enjoy the luxury of opening your car door fully to get out – not halfway to where your clothes swipe your car door clean as you shimmy your way free. You’ll pay nothing to enter, and after a ten-minute stroll, you’ll be greeted by the sights and sounds of several valley pools that will look almost as lonely as you. You may see a few people here and there, but just keep your calm and walk a bit more up the valley to another spot. On our first visit, the missus and I spotted a perfectly wide and deep pool, but a family was putting it to good use, so we left them to it and soon found an entire waterfall all our own to relax at. Once thoroughly chilled by our private cascade, we warmed up again by hiking a bit further into the valley to a rolling double waterfall, where we were secluded enough to pull out our Bluetooth speaker and enjoy leftover Alleyway pizza to Elvis Presley’s “Peace in the Valley” as the sun dimmed to a flicker behind the falls. If you eventually find this location, going from the pressure cooker of the Dorimsa Valley parking lot to this little slice of valley nirvana in such a short time will be immensely satisfying – trust me. 

Know before you go: The valley is quite long, but you won’t need to go far to find great pools. If you’re adventurous and want to explore further up the valley, go ahead. However, I’ve ventured quite far up and can attest that the rolling double waterfall is the last great pool to swim in.

Pools above this point are still beautiful and deep enough for a dip, but they’re less impressive. If you make your way up further still, you’ll find the source of the valley stream: a spurt of water gushing from under a huge pile of mossy boulders. Climb these boulders and you’ll find it mostly dry and sandy up top, making the contrast surreal. On a final note, don’t be surprised if the little minnows in this valley gently nip at your legs while you swim. They’re just trying to see if you’re edible. 

The Article Is Over – You Can Stop Reading Here 

Are the introverts gone, too? Thank God! The neurotic bunch. 

Now that it’s just the two of us, I’ll vaguely tell you about a third valley – we’ll just call it “Secret Valley #3” – that blows the previous two to bits for its cleanliness, seclusion, and serenity. I spent an entire week in mid-August going way off the beaten path to find something special for this article, and the valley I ended up at was so good that I almost felt guilty enjoying it alone.

Its best bend had a comfortingly shallow pool that abruptly ended at an underwater precipice – the depths beyond which I only reached after jumping off the nearby rocks and allowing myself to sink as low as possible. Best of all, this pool’s got a steady waterfall to provide an original soundtrack to the experience. If you ever manage to find it, I recommend holding your breath underwater and listening to its muffled majesty for as long as you can while you ponder the fact that if some accident were to befall you here, nobody would likely ever find you. Oh, second best of all, the fish here seem to be so unfamiliar with people that they’re too timid to bite, though that might change if said accident were to occur, rendering you a perfectly viable food source. On that awkward note, happy hunting! 

The Author 

Hailing from Chino, California, Isaiah Winters is a pixel-stained wretch who loves writing about Gwangju and Honam, warts and all. He’s grateful to have written for the Gwangju News for over five years. More of his unique finds can be seen on Instagram @d.p.r.kwangju and YouTube at Lost in Honam.