While we are all about trail running, sometimes things turn out different than what we anticipate. Like when the trail run to Doi Mon Long via the northside turned into quite an exploration adventure. We planned on a nice run of about 20 kilometers with about 700 meters elevation. But it turned out to be quite a bit longer, and running was not always possible.
Even though it is not for everyone, we thought we’d share the adventure anyway. So you can find the .gpx file of the route in this article. We haven’t added it to The Database though, we thought it would be better to keep it for more easily runnable trails. To be clear: don’t try it unless you are well prepared and are in for a real jungle adventure. Note that this is not a loop, the starting point and the end point are not at the same place.
Check out the video:
Some background info
Doi Mon Long is a scenic viewpoint located in Mae Rim district, north of Chiang Mai town. It is close to Mon Jam, a very popular tourist destination, especially during the cool season. There is a fairly straight forward route that starts near the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, but we noticed there were some trails approaching from the northern side. Looking at heatmaps these trails seemed fairly well-established, but this turned out to be not the case entirely. Read on and you will know all about it!
We set out on a trail that looked very promising, starting very close to the Chomdoi Homestay. The route starts off passing a small waterfall and there are nice views right away. Soon you will turn into farmlands and turn onto a single track trail into the forest. So far so good, with a clear trail visible, albeit a bit muddy. But no complaints, what do you expect during the rainy season?
Going deeper into the forest the trail got a bit less obvious though, and we needed to check the GPS on multiple occasions and take some calculated guesses about which direction to go. One guess was miscalculated as we started following a trail that got increasingly overgrown. At one point it disappeared completely and we had to start crawling on hands and feet to see if there was any sign of the trail further ahead. There wasn’t. There were vicious stinging insects though, and we decided to retreat. nobody really got a good look at those insects, but the stings are still red, swollen and itchy after 4 days.
After regrouping we decided to continue our Doi Mon Long exploration and follow a different trail based on the general direction of our goal. We did have to stop a couple more times to be make sure we were on the right track, but luckily we didn’t get lost anymore. The trail was still far from runnable, and it really was more of a jungle hike. There were also no more stinging insects, which definitely was a plus! While the trail was overgrown and not runnable, it was actually very beautiful. We were right at the right time when the sun was shining on the clouds lingering in the forest. Absolutely stunning!
After spending well over an hour working through the fist 5 kilometers we finally arrived at farm and things got easier from there. Going forward the route was all on farm roads and double track, all the way until the Doi Mon Long summit. Unfortunately we were in the clouds, so no views. Not a problem though, now we have an excuse to go back another time.
The route back was considerably easier. If you would ever like to go for a run to Doi Mon Long, doing and out-and-back run from the point where we ended can definitely be a nice option. Again, if you want to follow the exact route we did, do keep in mind that the trail is overgrown and you will need some orientation skills to make it through the first 5 kilometers!
Practical info on the Doi Mon Long Exploration
To do the run (or adventure) like we did it, you will need some practical organization. The starting point and the end point are about 4 kilometers from each other. We drove with 2 cars and met at the end point. From there we then took one car to the starting point. With motorbikes this would be quite a bit more complicated. You could of course consider running to make a complete loop. But the section between start and end is along a steep mountain road, so don’t underestimate it!
Before attempting this adventure, make sure you have a fully functioning GPS device with a reliable compass. Without it we would have possibly gotten into big trouble. The paths are not always obvious but if you know the general direction of the goals you can navigate your way. Whenever you are not sure about the route, make sure to take a good look at the route, the map and your compass.
It speaks for itself that you will need plenty of water and fuel for such an adventure. And shoes with good grip will also help you immensely on the first 5 kilometers. Once you reach the farm roads you should be fine though. Finally, Doi Mon Long has amazing views (when the weather is right at least), and you will definitely want to take some photos. But there are no ropes, or barriers, so be very careful while doing so!
Have you ever been to Doi Mon Long, or did you try this exploration? Let us know in the comments!
Hi there fellow trail enthusiast!
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