Namdaecheon Stream

This stream is taken as the first among the Eight Sights of Yangyang. Originating from Odaesan Mountain (1,563 m) in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, this river flows through Yangyang and into the East Sea. The stream is divided into five areas; the upper stream, Buyeon Valley, Beopsuchiri Valley, Eoseongjeoncheon Stream, and Namdaecheon Stream. Namdaecheon Stream is the foremost site for salmon run in Korea, with more than 70% of salmon in Korea returning to this “river mother of salmons.” Salmon fry hatching here spend about 3 to 5 years in Bering or the Sea of Okhotsk, and return to the East Sea to run the river and lay their eggs at the end of their lives. Salmon run in Namdaecheon Stream reaches its x_height in mid-October to November, and is celebrated by Yangyang Salmon Festival held in mid-October. Other fish sightings include the big-scaled redfin in April and May, and sweetfish in July and August. Namdaecheon Stream is said to be the clearest and the longest stream in Yeongdong region of Gangwon-do: while other streams are about 20 km long, Namdaecheon Stream has a total length of 54 km and many other distributaries. It is also home to tourist sites like the Beopsuchiri Valley and Naksan Beach, and Namdaecheon Eco Trail at the delta is known for its silver reeds in fall.