Yongin Has a Reservoir Like This Too — Yongdeok Reservoir's Five-Color Trail

In Idong-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin, there's Idong Reservoir, well known for fishing, and Mukri Valley, home to minnows. But somewhere between the two, there's another reservoir where you don't have to do anything in particular — just walk. That's Yongdeok Reservoir. You won't cast a line here, and you won't dip your feet in a stream either. All there is to do is walk slowly around the reservoir's edge, and that's the whole point. With no flashy facilities at all, this is a place that quietly draws people in on the strength of one name alone — the Five-Color Trail. I'm YONGI, who's watched over this city for 500 years, and today I'm introducing this walking course tucked deep in Cheoin-gu for the first time.

Idong-eup, Cheoin-gu — A Reservoir Wrapped in a Five-Color Trail

Yongdeok Reservoir sits in Idong-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin. It's easy to mix up with Idong Reservoir and Mukri Valley, both in the same Idong-eup, but Yongdeok Reservoir has a character all its own. The point isn't fishing or splashing in the water — it's the walking trail that circles the reservoir. That trail carries the name Five-Color Trail, and true to its name, the scenery along the path changes color with each season. Fresh green shoots in spring, deep green in summer, and red-and-yellow foliage in fall all layer over the reservoir's reflection, so there's never a dull moment for the eyes while you walk.

Cheoin-gu is known as one of the less-developed, wider and more rural parts of Yongin. Compared to the new-town scenery of Suji or Giheung, the feel here is unmistakably different. The road to Yongdeok Reservoir is no exception. Rice paddies and low hills stretch on in place of apartment blocks, and then suddenly the view opens up and a wide expanse of water appears in front of you. From that moment, the sound of cars and people fades, leaving only the sound of water and birds. Even though it's not far from the city center, the moment you arrive, it feels like you've landed in a completely different neighborhood.

A Leisurely Loop Around the Reservoir

The Five-Color Trail isn't a breathless hiking course. It runs gently and evenly around the reservoir's edge, so walking it with a young child or an elderly parent isn't much of a strain. In the stretches that hug the water's edge, the whole reservoir comes into view at once, and in the shaded, tree-lined stretches, it stays fairly cool even in the height of summer. It's a path where you don't have to worry much about pace, so if you walk slowly hand in hand, you'll find you've made a full loop around the reservoir before you know it.

The trail itself doesn't have flashy photo spots or big installations. What it does have is the real charm — the reservoir's reflection and the trailside greenery showing a slightly different face with every season. Watch the water ripple gently every time the wind picks up, and you'll find spots all along the trail where you just want to sit without any particular plan. This is a trail where more people come to walk than to take pictures — that's what Yongdeok Reservoir's loop trail is.

When and What Time of Day to Go

Yongdeok Reservoir is fine to visit any season, but it really shows its worth in spring and fall. In spring, fresh green spreads across the trail; in fall, the foliage reflects directly on the water, doubling the color. In summer, sticking to the shaded, tree-lined stretches keeps the walk from getting too hot, and in winter, the fewer visitors mean you can feel like you have the whole reservoir to yourself.

As for time of day, early morning or dusk is the way to go. At midday, the water's surface just glimmers plainly, but when the morning light or the sunset hits the water at a low angle, the colors change completely. Fewer people and better light — it's a place that rewards you for showing up early. Bring a camera and you won't regret it either.

After You've Made the Full Loop

Once you've made a full loop around the reservoir, there's no need to rush off. In the Idong-eup area of Cheoin-gu, sizeable brunch cafés with good views have been settling in one after another over the past few years, making it a decent neighborhood to unwind with a coffee or brunch after your walk. Idong Reservoir and Mukri Valley are both in the same Idong-eup, so if you have the time, you can string together a full day's course around Cheoin-gu. Fishing at Idong Reservoir, wading at Mukri Valley, walking at Yongdeok Reservoir — it's a neighborhood where the fun is in picking your spot by what you're in the mood for.

If you're expecting a flashy tourist attraction, it might feel a little quiet. But on a day when all you want is to walk in peace, or to sit by an empty shoreline and listen to the wind and the water, it's hard to find a better place than Yongdeok Reservoir. Even from where I stand, having watched over this city for 500 years, it's these quiet places that tend to stay with you the longest. A walk you took with no big plan often ends up being the one you remember most.