Doi Nang Moh Viewpoint Trail

Distance: 8 kilometers

Elevation: 500m

Difficulty: Expert

What to expect on this trail?

Warning: the Doi Nang Moh Viewpoint Trail route contains dangerous sections where one wrong step can result in serious injury or even death. Do not attempt this route if you are afraid of heights or if you are not comfortable climbing on rocks.

This exciting route is not very runnable because of the steep climbs and the dangerous terrain. Nonetheless, it is an amazing route to hike (and climb) up to a viewpoint that is among the best in all of Northern Thailand! Highly recommended for any mountain lover looking for an adventure.

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Doi Nang Moh Viewpoint Trail in detail

This route is located in Mae On Tai sub-district of San Kamphaeng. The starting point of the route is at the Pa Haen Reservoir, about 30 kilometers east of Chiang Mai old town. Besides some parking space, there are no facilities, so keep this in mind.

You will start the route by following the main road for about 500m and then turning right on a forest road. Pay attention to your GPS because there are multiple roads heading into the forest. Once you are on the correct road the route is pretty easy to follow as there are ribbons and even arrows to point you in the right direction. Soon you will find yourself on a single-track trail that climbs up the mountain above you. This climb is pretty brutal and you will basically cover all the elevation in this one section. You know you are almost at the top when you arrive at an open space where you can get a taste of the amazing views that are waiting for you.

Following the trail to the left, you will arrive at a rockface that you will have to climb. This section is definitely not for the faint of heart and extreme caution is needed here. Luckily there is a route for some extra reassurance. After climbing the rock face you will have arrived at the main ridge and it is only a short distance to the actual top. Here you will find an ancient volcano crater and a number of Buddha statues overlooking the valley below. Take a moment to admire the views, they are truly world-class!

From the top, you will start the descent towards the south side of the mountain. This section is dubbed the Suicide Ridge in Strava, and you will soon understand why. The trail is very narrow with steep cliffs on both sides. It is another section where you need to be extremely cautious. Keep following the ridge until you end up in the forest below and make sure to turn right at the junction. From here the trails are “normal” again and it makes for some nice running back to the starting point.

Tips for this trail

The trail is closed fron June 1st until August 31st. While there is no real enforcement, we stronly recommend to only attempt this route when it is officially open. As we explained, some sections are very dangerous, and this can be especially the case during the rainy season.
One more time, this route is not for everyone. if you are afraid of heights, or if you are not comfortable climbing on rocks, this route is not for you!
Take plenty of water, and make sure to take rest from time to time. While the distance of this route is short, it is definitely not easy and you will need full concentration for the more dangerous sections.

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