| Distance: 24 kilometers | Elevation: 810m | Difficulty: Medium |
What to expect on this trail?
This scenic trail loop is located in Mae On district, and crosses part of the Mae Takhrai National Park. It really has a little bit of everything from flowy forest trails to technical climbs. And from dense green nature to wide open views. The trail is very remote, and some navigations skills are needed for this Mae On Mae Takhrai trail loop.
Mae On – Mae Takhrai Trail Loop in detail
This route starts at the trail fork on the main road about 1,5 Kilometer north of Baan Mae Takrai in Mae On district. The drive from the city takes just under an hour, so it definitely is not a trail to quickly squeeze a run in. The area is quite remote but very beautiful.
After you start running on the double track trail that forks from the road, it quickly transforms into a single track. And that is basically what you will get all the way until you end up near the Mae Takhrai National Park gate. The trail is well kept with some concrete sections added to it, and climbs gradually for the first part until you end up at a very remote village, Baan Mae Taeng, after approximtely 5 kilometers.
Passing such a local village was really quite a surprise as it is really very remote and local. It is one of the few villages that I know of anno 2021 that completely relies on solar energy because it is so remote. The villagers did not seem comfortable at all (probably due to Covid-19 fears) and we didn’t spend time in the village.
Important note: there are multiple trails heading out of the village in all different directions. It is very important to consult your GPS device here to assure you continue on the correct trail. Otherwise, you risk getting lost and losing valuable time. I already made this mistake so you don’t have to 😉.
After the local village, you really head out into nature and you won’t see any more signs of civilization until you reach the road near the Mae Takhrai National Park gate. The track is quite varied with quite a bit of nice rolling sections. Around the halfway point there is a serious climb which takes you to the highest point from where you finally have some views.
Then it is mostly down along the ridge that follows the natural border between Chiang Mai and Lampang province. You will follow this ridge until you reach the National Park area where the trails open op and become wider. Do not underestimate the second leg of the route though. Even though it is mostly downhill, there are some challenging short climbs scattered along the route.
You will run the final section along a fire break thatends up on a road. You will be rightt in front of the Mae Takhrai National Park gate at this point. From here you have about 1,5 kilometers of road to go. The road section crosses Baan Mae Takhrai, and then slowly climbs back to the starting point.
Tips for this trail
- The trail is very remote and there are absolutely no facilities around. Not even at the start of the route. So make sure to be prepared, enough fluids and a GPS device are absolutely crucial.
- The route has some very technical climbs and descends, good trail shoes will really benefit you on those.
- There is a water reservoir and a waterfall located in the National Park, but I haven’t visited. It could be a nice place to relax after the run. This is the entrance location if you want to check it out. If you do, make sure to let me know how it was!
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Pai Canyon Trail Loop (Mae Hong Son)
Mae Wang Waterfalls, Rice & Elephants Trail Loop
Huay Tueng Tao Short Trail Loop
