Once off-limits to civilians, historic border between the Koreas is opened for scenic tours

GOSEONG, South Korea - To reach the trailhead, you have to drive through the checkpoint manned by rifle-toting soldiers, park near the Korean War-era plane and find the locked wooden gate at the end of a gravel lot.

Don't mind the military police, the miles of concertina wire or the bright red-and-yellow signs warning of some 200,000 landmines.

It's all part of the experience of hiking in the Demilitarized Zone, the 2 1/2-mile-wide buffer strip between North and South Korea.

And please, selfies only in designated photo areas.

It's no Yosemite, but the DMZ features some stunning coastline with sweeping ocean vistas and a clear view of Mount