| Distance: 42.3 kilometers | Elevation: 1060m | Difficulty: Medium/Hard |
What to expect on this trail?
This Hang Dong Trail Marathon route combines the best trails of 3 amazing areas all into one trail. You will get to suffer on the infamous Buddha steps of Wat Baan Pong and the flowing singles track trails on the mountain behind it, but also the best trails of Nam Phrae’s backcountry and the ones behind Chiang Mai Grand Canyon. If you are looking for a marathon distance trail route with lots of variation, look no further!
Hang Dong Trail Marathon in detail
The route is a loop, with the start and end point in front of Wat Baan Pong. It is a convenient as there is parking space available, as well as toilets (not super clean though). You will start climbing right away as you make your way up the stairs to the White Pagoda of Baan Pong. The perfect way to get your heart pumping!
After climbing the stairs you will make your way across the mountain and descend to a road. A short road section brings some relief before turning back onto the trails for the longest climb of the route. What goes up must come down, and that’s exactly what you will do along a nice single track trail. At the bottom the longest stretch of roadwork is waiting for you.
You will be well on your way when you arrive near the southern edge of Ob Khan National Park. This section is dotted with amazing single tracks and you will run some of the best ones. The climbs in this area area not extremely difficult with not much elevation gain, making for good amount of fast and fun trail running. After a while you will pass Wat Doi Ku Kham, a local temple where you can fill up your water.
Then it is one to the next section: the backcountry behind the famous Chiang Mai Grand Canyon. There is a nice mix of double tracks and single tracks waiting for you here, and this area connects neatly to the trails around Baan Pong. You’ll have to conquer some deceivingly long climbs before you make your way back to the starting point in the home stretch.
Tips for this trail
- Start as early as possible, because as soon as the sun is out it can get very hot
- You will need versatile trail shoes with good grip. This route contains a mix of all kinds of terrain, from rocky single tracks to sandy river beds to asphalt road.
- You will need plenty of water and fuel for the trails. There are some spots along the way where you can refill or buy snacks, but they are limited. Be prepared!
- Take it easy on the stairs in the beginning, they are long and very steep at the end. Don’t spend your fuel too early
- For a post-run coffee or snack, you can check out Brand New Field Good, a scenic local spot that is very popular with Instagrammers. Or if you are looking for something more nutritious check out Hern Lhin Resort which is just around the corner on the main road. The latter is run by an avid outdoors athlete and the whole place is aimed at trail runners and cyclists.
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