Mae Tho National Park Chiang Mai

Mae Tho national park located at the Water Source Development Unit 6 (Doi Mae Tho), Ban Lao-li, Mu 9 (separated from Ban Maetho Mu 10), Tambon Bosali, Hot District, Chiang Mai Province. The park contains areas of Mae Line forest reserve in Hod district and Pha Mae Chaem forest reserve in Mae Chaem district of Chiang Mai province. The park covers 990 square kilometers of forested mountains.

Most of the land is of high steep hill ranges running north-south. Northern park of the park is higher, the highest being Doi Kew Rai at 1688 meters above sea level.

The weather at the National Park can be divided into 3 seasons including the rainy season (May-September) with the highest temperature of 25oC and the lowest temperature of 10oC ; winter (October-February) with the highest temperature of 20oC and the lowest temperature of 4oC ; and summer (March-April) with the highest temperature of 30oC and the lowest temperature of 12oC . The average year-round highest temperature is 27oC and the average year-round lowest temperature is 8oC. And the average rainfall at the National Park is 1,030 mm/year.
Flora and Fauna

May to September is rainy season. Cold season is from October to February, and it always brings drought and cold. The temperature may plunge to 4ยบ C. Summer months are March to April. The average maximum temperature has been 30ยบ C.

Mountains in the northern part of the area are about 20%-40% steeper than those in the southern part. The average altitude of the area is 1,000 meters above the medium sea level. Doi Kio Rai-mong is the highest mountaintop (1,699 meters above the medium sea level), located at Ban Pang Hin-fon, Mae-Chaem District. Meanwhile, the National Parkโ€™s office is located at the approximate altitude of 1,200 meters above the medium sea level.

Evergreen forests are found in the north; hill evergreen forest at elevations of 800 to 1400 meters. Dry dipterocarp and pine forest are found in in Hod district and around. Mixed deciduous and hill evergreen forest also exist in the park. There have been veriety of wild animals seen in the park.

Mountain climbing, view points, rafting on the Mae Chaem river are few of the popular tourist attractions. Camp site is available, however tourists have to bring their own equipment. For more information please call 053-248 604, 053-248 607 or 053-241 466.

To get to the park, if you are coming from Chiang Mai, at first drive to Hod district town. Then continue to the west on the highway 108 to Ban Klong Loi. You will pass Ob Luang national park (also spelled Aob Luang) on the way. When you meet the intersection with the highway 1270 turn (right or to the north) onto it and drive for about 16 km. It is the road from Ban Klong Loi to Ban Mae Tho. You will see a dirt road to the park headquarters.

There are various kinds of forests and plants within the areas of the National Park, including tropical evergreen forests of which major plants include Ironwood, rubber trees, Michelia Alba, Indian Mahogany, Mangifera Caloneura Kurz (wild mango), Therm, Garuga Pinnata (Ta-kram), Alstonia Scholaris (Teen Ped), and lower plants include Takran Mhaktao, Ploo-din, Kreu-tuay, and Gastrochilus Pandurata (Kra-chai); virgin forests of which major plants include Quercus Kerril Craib (Kor-pae), Kor-duan, Castanopsis Cerebrina (Kor-tamoo), Red zebra wood (Rak-yai), Aromadendron Elegans Bl., and lower plants include Carex Baccans Nees (Ya-kombang), pigeon peas, Aglaia Pirifera (Kangkao-din), Saab-ma, etc.; mixed forests of which major plants include teaks, Xylia Xylocarpa (redwood plants), Leguminosae (Pradoo), Lagerstroemia (Tabaek), Lagerstroemia Tomentosa Presl. (Se-lah), Anogeissus Acuminata Wall. (Takien Noo), rubber trees, and lower plants include bamboo and grasses; pinery and timber forests (mostly found in the area of Hod District) of which major plants include Pinus Kesiya Royle Ex Gordon (three-leaf pines), Lithocarpus Cantleyanus (Kor), Soloropyrum Wallichianum (Muad), Red zebra wood (Rak-yai), timbers, Shorea Siamensis (Rang), Dipterocarpus Intricatus (Hiang), Dipterocarpus Tuberculatus (Pluang), and lower plants include Dodonaca Viscosa (Ya-pek), Arundinaria Pusilla (Phai-jod), and other kinds of grasses.

Wild animals found in the National Park include gaur, deer, goral, Muliacus Muntjak, bears, gibbons, monkeys, langur, masked palm civets, rabbits, wild boars, and elephants, inhabiting in Om-koi Sanctuary, Dong Sam-muen and Mae-pai Forests, peacocks, pheasants, red jungle fowls, parrots, Gracula Religiosa, Trogon, hawks, woodpeckers, constrictors, pythons, cobras, monitor lizards, ground lizards, turtles, soft-shelled turtles, frogs, small green frogs, bull frogs, and fish in gullies and rivers, particularly Mae-jam River.