Kolon Sport, the outdoor brand of Kolon Industries FnC (Kolon FnC), announced that it has wrapped up 'KOLON TRAIL CAMP – Dongseo Trail,' Korea's first long-distance backpacking trail event. The event concluded on October 10 at an apple orchard in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, where some 400 participants arrived at the final destination.
The event was hosted and organized by Kolon Sport. It is the first private-sector event held in conjunction with the Dongseo Trail, which is supported by the Korea Forest Service and the Korea Mountaineering and Trekking Support Center. The Dongseo Trail is a long-distance backpacking trail being developed by the Korea Forest Service, running east to west across the Korean Peninsula from Taean in South Chungcheong Province to Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province. Stretching approximately 849km across 55 sections, it links five provinces and metropolitan cities and 21 cities, counties and districts into a single forest trail. Seventeen sections (244km) are currently in pilot operation, with the project aiming to open the entire trail by October 2027.
Last October, Kolon Sport signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Forest Service and the Korea Mountaineering and Trekking Support Center to promote the Dongseo Trail, and has since continued private-sector cooperation and development projects. According to the company, the event was designed to introduce long-distance hiking culture to Korea and help revitalize the Dongseo Trail. Kolon Sport also partnered with local governments along the route, including North Gyeongsang Province and Bonghwa County. The goal, the company explained, was to foster a mutually beneficial trail culture in which hikers pass through local villages, interact with residents and support local businesses.
The event was run on a fully self-directed basis, with hikers deciding everything themselves, from their starting point and route to their companions, schedule, pace and campsites. Kolon Sport proposed three routes. The longest, at 120km, runs from Section 55 (Uljin) to Section 47 (Bonghwa). The 60km route covers Section 43 (Danyang) to Section 47 (Bonghwa), while the 25km route spans Section 49 (Chunyang) to Section 47 (Bonghwa).
Completion was verified with stamps. Checkpoints along each route featured stamps reflecting the character of the areas hikers had passed through. Participants walked while checking the route and their current location on a map app, with trail tags hanging from their packs. Collecting all five stamps placed along each route counted as completion, and finishers received commemorative gifts.
Features were also put in place to encourage interaction among participants. Hikers wearing the same 'Hiker Strap' greeted one another on the trail, building a sense of camaraderie. 'Hiker Boxes' filled with water and snacks were placed along each section, and the organizers shared their locations. In doing so, they encouraged participants to help one another as 'Trail Angels' — helpers who offer assistance with nothing expected in return. A 'Leave No Trace (LNT)' campaign, calling on hikers to leave behind no trash or other traces, was also carried out.
Upon arriving at the apple-orchard campsite on October 10, hikers shared dinner together. Rice was cooked with Cuchen's 'Titan Collection,' and side dishes were prepared by Bonghwa County residents themselves. Local makgeolli and cocktails made with Bonghwa apples were also served. Kolon Mountaineering School, Helinox Wear and the Dongseo Trail took part on site. A lineup of programs to cheer on the hikers followed, including a 'Trail Cinema' that used a natural cliff face as its screen, handpan lessons and a band performance.
Helinox Wear joined the event as the Trail Angel of 'KOLON TRAIL CAMP 2026.' Participants walked the forest trail with a Helinox Wear foam mat included in their pre-event kit. After finishing, they crafted their own completion medals at the 'Finish Medal Workshop' held in the Helinox Wear zone at the apple-orchard campsite.
"Kolon Sport aims to be a brand that walks alongside hikers as a 'companion,' so they can take to the trail in their own way," a Kolon Sport official said. "We will continue working to create an environment where hikers can access more trails, so that long-distance hiking culture can take root in Korea."
