Daegwallyeong Sheep Ranch

Character

The postcard version of Daegwallyeong Sheep Ranch exists only for part of the year. Sheep graze the highland pasture when grass and weather allow, then spend the long Daegwallyeong winter in the barn. The attraction changes with the flock instead of holding one marketable scene in place year-round

That seasonal movement is the ranch's most useful organizing fact. Korea Tourism Organization guidance places the main grazing period roughly from mid-May through late October, while the ranch's own 2026 notices delayed spring turnout because low temperatures slowed grass growth. Animal condition and weather can still interrupt grazing even after the season begins

The experience

A 1.2-kilometer circular walking path climbs around about 205,000 square meters of pasture, reaching roughly 920 meters at its higher point. The loop takes around 40 minutes at an ordinary walking pace before stops, so this is a short highland walk with animals in the landscape rather than a large farm park requiring a full day

The physical experience changes sharply across seasons. In the grazing months, sheep are distributed across open slopes and the walk is about distance, grassland and broad views. In winter, the animals move into the barn and the encounter becomes more concentrated. Hay feeding gives visitors close contact even when the open pasture is empty

The highland itself remains constant. Daegwallyeong's elevation produces a cooler climate and exposed weather, which is one reason the grassland reads so differently from lower Korean farmland. The same openness that makes the pasture photogenic also means fog, wind, rain and winter cold can change a visit quickly

History

The ranch began in 1988. An independent account in The Asia Business Daily traces its origin to a neglected dairy-ranch site that founder Jeon Yeong-dae saw as having tourism potential in the natural highland setting. The first sheep barn was completed in 1989, and sheep were introduced in 1991

The project grew around leased Korea Forest Service land rather than a purpose-built amusement landscape. Over decades, the walking loop, feeding experience and pasture management turned ordinary ranch functions into the public experience while keeping livestock at the center of the site

That distinction still matters operationally. Official and KTO material describe grazing dates as biological and weather-dependent rather than fixed showtimes. In spring 2026, for example, prolonged cold delayed grass growth; temporary grazing began only in May and could be cancelled according to weather or the sheep's condition

Before you go

Decide first whether you care about seeing sheep on open pasture. For that version of the ranch, the main grazing season is the better fit, but exact turnout depends on grass, weather and animal condition. Winter is a different visit: the loop and highland landscape remain, while sheep are primarily encountered indoors

Allow extra margin for weather even though the walking circuit is short. Conditions at roughly 900 meters can be colder, windier and foggier than nearby lowlands, and the ranch can change operations for safety or animal welfare. Feeding provides a close-range encounter when the sheep are indoors