While riding southbound on the 118/Chiang Rai Road I had seen this sign multiple times and thought I would explore this road and maybe have lunch at the Retreat:
Kevin (fishenough) and I headed up there today. We met at my house and took a nice leisurely route to the 118 North past the San Kampaeng Hot Springs and followed the canal road.
The turnoff for the 3058 is just past the Khun Chae National Park Headquarters (We stopped here but could not find any riding trails). Look for the Orchid Butterfly sign and take a right. (19.108494,99.454783)
The road looks recently repaved and has some nice twists as well as some great views.
Unfortunately the Orchid Butterfly restaurant was closed. We met the owner who told us, sadly, that she will probably be closing for good. So sad.
Here is a view from a slight detour
This is literally "the end of the road". The 3058 ends and you are left with this trail. I had previously researched the area on googlemaps and thought it might connect with another road on the other side of the ridge-line. Kevin and I go exploring.
The top of this ridge is the Chiang Rai / Lampang border. Here you are squeezed between Khun Chae Nat'l Park and Chae Son Nat'l Park.
It is all hillside trails at this point
I got "caught looking" in some freshly tilled earth
Shelter
The Man. The Legend.
My camera, my camera skills, and the smoke in the air cannot do justice to sights like this. This tree was magnificent in the distance.
And the view heading back out toward the 118
It's too bad this road dead-ends as I found it a nice ride.
PS - One of the maps shows a trail heading over to the other side. Has anyone been over this ridge line? :?
I placed two yellow pushpins where there are roads on the Lampang side of the hill.