Korean Peninsula Dinosaur Route

Cretaceous Time Preserved in the Rock Layers — Goseong · Mokpo · Yeosu · Jinju · Haenam · Hwasun

Around 100 million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period, dinosaurs lived along the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula.
Their footprints, as they roamed through various environments such as lakes, rivers, and coastal areas, gradually hardened into rock over time. Today, these traces provide a vivid record of the Cretaceous ecosystem.

The sites contain a wide range of fossils, from the large footprints of sauropods to fine trackways left by smaller dinosaurs. Traces of pterosaurs and early birds have also been discovered alongside those of dinosaurs.

Footprints can reveal what kinds of animals passed through an area and how they moved, providing important clues to their behavior and ecology.

Recognized as fossil sites of global significance, the dinosaur heritage sites along Korea’s southern coast preserve traces of Mesozoic life within the natural record of the rock layers.

Following these footprints offers a unique journey through time, bringing visitors face to face with the movement of life on the Korean Peninsula from 100 million years ago.

Korean Peninsula Dinosaur Route Visit Routes

A Mystical Island Once Home to Herds of Ornithopod Dinosaurs Dinosaur Tracksite in Nangdo-ri, Yeosu

Surveys were undertaken of the area around the islands of Nangdo, Sado, and Chudo after fossils were discovered there in 2001. Dinosaur tracksites dating to the Late Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era were identified on Sado and five nearby islands. A total of 3,546 dinosaur footprints has been confirmed so far. The tracks found here were made by a variety of dinosaurs, including ornithopods (herbivorous dinosaurs that walked on their hind legs), theropods (carnivorous dinosaurs that also walked on two legs), and sauropods (long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs). Ornithopod tracks dominate, accounting for 81 percent of the total. The 81-meter ornithopod trackway discovered on Chudo is exceptionally long, not simply by Korean standards, but also internationally. On Chudo and Sado, several trackways show regular spacing and run in the same direction, which is interpreted as direct evidence that the dinosaurs that left these footprints moved in herds and lived in groups. Web-footed bird tracks were also discovered on Sado, indicating that many different types of creatures shared the environment. Fossilized wood found on nearby Jeungdo offers a detailed look at the process by which trees from the age of dinosaurs were buried in volcanic ash and transformed into fossils.

The Dinosaur Tracksite in Nangdo-ri, Yeosu provides valuable material for reconstructing the ecosystem of the Late Cretaceous Period. It also helps connect the dinosaur fossil sites along the coasts of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do with related sites in Japan and China.

Sado is widely known for the way the sea parts at extreme low tides to reveal a path. Together with Yeonmok, Jungdo, Chudo, and other islands, it forms a group of seven islands arranged in a “ㄷ” shape. Around the first full moon of the lunar year, or between the second and fourth lunar months, the tide recedes especially far, sometimes opening a sea path all the way to Chudo. Nangdo is connected to the mainland by a bridge and can be reached by car. Along the Nangdo Dulle-gil Trail, visitors can observe dinosaur footprints while enjoying scenic rock formations such as Cheonseondae and Sinseondae. To visit Sado and Chudo, visitors must take a regular passenger ferry from the Yeosu Coastal Ferry Terminal or Nangdo Port, so it is advisable to check the tide and ferry schedules in advance and allow plenty of time for the trip.

Address

8-1, Sado-gil, Hwajeong-myeon, Yeosu-si, Jeonnam-Gwangju
Contact

061-659-4746 (Yeosu City Cultural Heritage Division)

Visiting Hours

Open daily (outdoors, within ferry operating hours) · No closing days (unavailable if ferry service is suspended)

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Sado Tourist Center
Admission Fee

Free (ferry fare not included)
Website

https://www.yeosu.go.kr/tour/travel/island_beach?mode=view&idx=273

Directions

① Take the scheduled ferry to Sado/Chudo from Nangdo Port 
② Take the scheduled ferry to Sado from Yeosu Coastal Passenger Terminal

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Exploring Earth’s History Beginning with Dinosaur Eggs Mokpo Natural History Museum

The Mokpo Natural History Museum is Korea’s largest public natural history museum. It consists of twelve exhibition halls, including a natural history hall that presents a broad survey of natural history from the birth of Earth 4.6 billion years ago to the present. It also features a culture and history hall focused on the Mokpo region. The museum displays one of the world’s only two Prenoceratops dinosaur fossils. Also on display is a large fossilized nest of eggs from a carnivorous dinosaur, an internationally significant find excavated and restored on Aphaedo Island in Sinan-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City and nationally designated as a Natural Monument. Outside the museum, visitors can also see a sculpture depicting an Oviraptor guarding its nest. Through its geology hall and other exhibition spaces, the museum offers a wide-ranging look at various minerals, fossils, and biological specimens. It serves as a living earth science classroom for children and is regarded as one of Mokpo’s leading cultural attractions. It is ideal for visiting together with the Mokpo Modern History and Culture District.

Address

135 Namnong-ro, Mokpo-si, Jeonnam-Gwangju
Contact

061-274-3655 / 061-270-4124

Visiting Hours

09:00–18:00 (extended by 1 hour on Sat/Sun/holidays in Jun–Aug; ticket booth closes 1 hour before closing) · Closed on Mondays (next day if a holiday) and Jan 1

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Mokpo Natural History Museum
Admission Fee

Adults 3,000 KRW; youth/military-police 2,000 KRW; elementary students 1,000 KRW; preschoolers 500 KRW (50% discount for Mokpo/Sinan-gun residents)
Website

https://museum.mokpo.go.kr

Directions

Get off at Mokpo Station, then take a city bus to the Natural History Museum

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Traces Left from a Journey by Theropod Dinosaurs Dinosaur Tracksite in Seoyu-ri, Hwasun

The Dinosaur Tracksite in Seoyu-ri, Hwasun is a fossil site discovered in strata dating back about 90 million years to the Late Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era. It was excavated and studied in 1999 by the Korea Dinosaur Research Center of Chonnam National University during a survey for the development of Hwasun Hot Springs. Comprising five fossil-bearing layers, the site contains an exceptionally high concentration with more than 1,500 dinosaur footprints and some 70 trackways within a relatively small area measuring 60 by 54 meters. Another distinctive feature of the Seoyu-ri site is that about 88 percent of the footprints found here were made by carnivorous dinosaurs. Among them, a 52-meter-long carnivorous dinosaur trackway is an extremely important fossil record, as it made it possible for the first time in the world to estimate a dinosaur’s acceleration. In recognition of this value, the site was designated as a Natural Monument in 2007.

A major geosite in the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark, the tracksite has continued to draw scholarly attention in recent years. These studies have produced significant scientific findings, including Korea’s first evidence for group behavior by pterosaurs, as shown by the discovery and analysis of some 350 pterosaur track fossils. Visitors can also observe plant fossils, such as petrified wood, found together with the dinosaur tracks, as well as various sedimentary structures, including ripple marks and mud cracks.

Address

2080 Baega-ro, Baega-myeon, Hwasun-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju
Contact

061-379-3530 (Dinosaur Fossil Site Tourist Information Center)

Visiting Hours

09:00–18:00 (outdoor exhibit) · No closing days

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Dinosaur Fossil Site Tourist Information Center
Admission Fee

Free
Website

https://www.hwasun.go.kr

Directions

From Hwasun Bus Terminal, take a rural bus to the Dinosaur Fossil Site (Baega-myeon)

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A Habitat Shared by Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, and Birds Tracksite of Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, and Birds in Uhang-ri, Haenam

This tracksite first drew media attention in 1996, following the first preliminary scientific study of its kind in the Jeolla-do Province region. It attracted great interest as the first site in the world where fossilized tracks of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and birds were found together in the same stratigraphic layer, and in 1998 it was designated as a Natural Monument. Today, visitors can see actual fossilized footprints preserved in the strata inside three protective shelters. In Shelter No. 2, Haenamichnus uhangriensis, the first pterosaur track fossil discovered in Asia, can be observed together with fossilized bird tracks. At the time of its discovery, Haenamichnus was the world’s largest known pterosaur track, with forefoot impressions measuring 330 mm in length and 110 mm in width, and hindfoot impressions measuring 350 mm in length and 105 mm in width. The bird tracks discovered alongside it were named Hwangsanipes choughi and Uhangrichnus chuni. They provide important evidence that the living environments of pterosaurs and birds overlapped at the time.

Opened in 2007, the Haenam Dinosaur Museum is South Korea’s largest dinosaur museum, attracting around 200,000 visitors each year. In the eight exhibition halls on its first and second floors, the museum presents the Uhang-ri strata as well as skeletal fossils of dinosaurs and pterosaurs representing different geological periods. In particular, it houses Asia’s first and Korea’s only authentic Allosaurus fossil. The museum grounds also feature large life-size dinosaur sculptures, including one that appears to burst through the building, inspiring a vivid and dynamic visitor experience.

Address

234 Gongnyongbangmulgwan-gil, Hwangsan-myeon, Haenam-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju
Contact

061-532-7225

Visiting Hours

09:00–18:00 (extended to 19:00 on Sat/Sun/holidays in Jul–Aug; ticket booth closes 1 hour before closing) · Closed Mondays (open daily in Jul–Aug)

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Haenam Dinosaur Museum
Admission Fee

Paid (varies by age; see website)
Website

http://uhangridinopia.haenam.go.kr

Directions

From Haenam Bus Terminal, take a rural bus to Uhang-ri Dinosaur Museum

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Coexistence of Birds and Sauropods Tracksite of Birds and Dinosaurs in Gajin-ri, Jinju

Established in 1974, the Gyeongsangnamdo Science Education Institute relocated to its current site in Gajin-ri, Jinseong-myeon, Jinju in 2007. A buried fossil-bearing layer was discovered during construction, leading to the creation of a distinctive exhibition hall that preserves the fossil site in its original state. The site displays the exposed strata in situ, preserving fossilized footprints that show dinosaurs and birds lived together about 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era, in an environment similar to a lakeshore today. The site has been designated as a Natural Monument in recognition of its great academic value. Visitors can also explore the institute’s science education facilities, including exhibits on physics, chemistry, and earth science, as well as a planetarium. It is an ideal place for children to experience both natural history and science in a single visit.

Address

178-35, Jinui-ro, Jinseong-myeon, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
Contact

055-760-8150

Visiting Hours

10:00–12:00, 14:00–16:00 (closed for lunch) · Closed on Mondays and public holidays (open on Children's Day)

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Gyeongsangnamdo Science Education Institute Information Desk
Admission Fee

Free
Website

http://gnse.gne.go.kr

Directions

From Jinju Intercity/Express Bus Terminal, take a city bus to Gajin-ri, Jinseong-myeon (Science Education Center)

Coexistence with Pterosaurs Tracksite of Pterosaurs, Birds, and Dinosaurs in Chungmugong-dong, Jinju

This tracksite was discovered during the construction of Jinju Innovation City. In recognition of the remarkable results of the subsequent excavations and their outstanding scientific value, it was designated as a Natural Monument in 2011. The Jinju Pterosaur Tracks Museum was built over it to protect the fossil site and opened in November 2019. The site serves as a space for education and research where visitors can encounter traces of pterosaurs, dinosaurs, and other animals that lived in the Jinju area during the Cretaceous Period, roughly 110 million years ago. With more than 2,500 identified pterosaur tracks, it is regarded as one of the world’s leading pterosaur tracksites. Many rare fossils have also been discovered alongside these tracks, including exceptionally well-preserved lizard tracks and the world’s smallest raptor tracks. The site is therefore considered an important source of evidence for reconstructing the ecosystem in which pterosaurs, dinosaurs, birds, and other animals lived together during the Cretaceous Period.

Address

22 Yeongcheongang-ro 68beon-gil, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
Contact

055-749-7401

Visiting Hours

Mar–Oct 09:00–18:00 / Nov–Feb 10:00–17:00 · Closed on Mondays (next day if a holiday), Jan 1, Lunar New Year, Chuseok

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Jinju Pterosaur Tracks Museum
Admission Fee

Adults 2,000 KRW; youth/military 1,000 KRW; children 500 KRW; seniors/infants free
Website

https://www.jinju.go.kr/ptero/

Directions

From Jinju Intercity/Express Bus Terminal, take a city bus to Chungmugong-dong (Innovation City)

Land of Time: Traces of Sauropod and Ornithopod Dinosaurs Preserved in Sangjogam Tracksite of Dinosaurs and Birds in Deongmyeong-ri, Goseong

The area around Sangjogam is known for its striking coastal landscape and sweeping views of Hallyeosudo Waterway along Korea’s southern coast. In 1982, the area gained fame when large numbers of fossilized dinosaur tracks from the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era were discovered here along the coast. More than 2,000 footprints of sauropods, ornithopods, and theropods have been identified across approximately six kilometers of coastal sedimentary layers. The site is now regarded as one of the world’s three major dinosaur tracksites, along with one in Brazil and another in Canada. The discovery of Mesozoic bird tracks gives the site exceptional academic significance. Together with the nearby Goseong Dinosaur Museum and Goseong Dino Play Center, visitors can walk along the coast in Sangjogam County Park and enjoy the sea cliffs, columnar joints, sea caves, and dinosaur tracks all in one place.

Address

618 Jaranman-ro, Hai-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do
Contact

055-670-4451(Sangjogam County Park Office)

Visiting Hours

09:00~18:00(outdoor exhibition) / No closing days

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Sangjogam Auto Camping Site
Admission Fee

Free
Website

https://www.goseong.go.kr/geopark/

Directions

Take a local bus from Goseong Intercity Bus Terminal → Get off at Sangjogam (Hai-myeon)

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