Op Khan NP road

danwhite · Mar 31, 2007

I will be in Mae Hong Son tomorrow. I see on the map that there is a small road going through Op Khan national park north of Doi Inthanon that gets you to Chiang Mai from MHS. Looks like it goes high. I think a few km of it may be dirt. Anyone done that road? Is it passable on a road bike?

DavidFL · Mar 31, 2007

quote:

Originally posted by danwhite

I will be in Mae Hong Son tomorrow. I see on the map that there is a small road going through Op Khan national park north of Doi Inthanon that gets you to Chiang Mai from MHS. Looks like it goes high. I think a few km of it may be dirt. Anyone done that road? Is it passable on a road bike?

dan
you're a bit vague there mate - north of doi inthanon, from mhs to chiang mai??
1. any village names?
2. sounds as if you aren't referring to the gt rider mae hong son loop map?
3.what sort of road bike - a honda dream or a triumph rocket.
4. how good a rider are you?

danwhite · Apr 1, 2007

Hi David

Turn off the MHS to Mae Sariang Road at Khun Yuam. Then continue on the 1263 until Ban Mae Na Chon. Rather than following the road south there is a small road marked that goes East to Mae Wang joining the 1013 to San Pa Tong. I have done most variations of the loop but not tried this road. Not sure of the condition.

Very experienced rider (23 years on three continents). We met in the Kafe in December with James Fuller after I finished that 5000 km trip from Bangkok via Chantaburi, Cambo border, Isaan, Indo China, Route 13 and up to Nan. I am on the exotic GTO that rattles.

DavidFL · Apr 1, 2007

Dan
If youve got the GT Rider map, & it doesnt sound as if you do, you will see that the GT Rider classification is 4WD Forestry track only at the "Mae Wang" end. This is not something I would normally recommend you take a road bike on, although I first did it on a Honda Wing 175 ( bored out 125) 15 years ago. However you seem to have been most places on your bike, so perhaps you wont find it so difficult & will want to have a go.
Now bloody hell, 5,000 kms through out Indochina - sounds like you could have a few good road & trip reports to contribute to the board.....

SilverhawkUSA · Apr 1, 2007

My old B&B North Thailand map shows that road going from Sop Wak through Chon Luang and exiting near Huay Tong on 1013. If we are talking about the same one.

That MAY be a road I tried from the Huay Tong end a couple years ago after the rainy season. We only got about 17km in and couldn't get up the mountain through the mud. If it is the same road, it was also said they had held previous Thailand Enduro Championships on that route.

Give it a try, Dan, and let us know!

danwhite · Apr 1, 2007

Right then!.... I will give it a go. If it gets iffy I will just turn back. Its very dry season at present so it may work.

I haven't got the GT rider map although I saw a copy in Pai. Where are the maps stocked in Chiang Mai? Are they sold in BKK also?

I will let you know.

Cheers

Dan

DavidFL · Apr 1, 2007

Dan
Do yourself a favour, get the GT Rider map for the MHS Loop & you'll see a lot more variations of the loop that you have not tried.
http://board.gt-rider.com/topic.asp?TOP ... Terms=kafe

The map is not really difficut to find if you look around.
Try any of these places

MAE HONG SON
1. Rose Garden Tours
2. Piya Guesthouse
3. Lakeside Internet.
4. Ban Thai Massage (the best massages in North Thailand. Ask for But or Lisa or On.)
5. Sunflower Cafe & Tours.
6. Sang Tong Huts.
7. Pana Huts.
8. Long Time Tours.
9. Fern Resort.
10. P.A. Motorcycle Hire.
11. Lucky Restaurant.
12. Salween Pub & restaurant.
13. Coffee Morning.
14. JiJis restaurant.
15. TN Tour.
16. Rungthip Souvenir Tara Hotel.
17. Nong Popeye Souvenir. Doi Kong Mou.
18. Singha Travel.
19. Crossroads Pub (where the sexy Nok hangs out.)
20. Fresh Souvenir airport terminal.
21. Mae Hong Son Travel.
22. Nong TapTim Restaurant at Tham Pla Fish Cave

KHUN YUAM
1. Ban Farang guesthouse.

PAI
1. Jumbo Hammocks (ex Pai Enduro.)
2. Baan Pai Restaurant.
3. Pai Lanna House.
4. PM Travel.
5. Own Home Restaurant.
6. Thapai Spa.
7. Pai Treehouse.
8. The Link Cafe.
9. Blue Restaurant.
10. JJ Off Road Motorcycle Hire.
11. Belle Villa.
12. Goodview M/c Hire.
13. Thai Adventure.
14. Burger House.
15. Come Pai Bookshop
16. Duan Den Motorcycle Hire.

SOPPONG / PANG MAPHA
1. Little Eden
2. Soppong River Inn
3. Lisu Mountain (Andy's joint & the great new exciting mountain top place to hang out in. Heaps of biking tips for the MHS loop too. Check out his Border bar in Soppong)

Mae Sa (halfway bus stop from Chiang Mai - Pai)
1. Mae Sa mini mart.

danwhite · Apr 3, 2007

Hi David

Next trip I will make sure I am in posession of the map. I just saw a copy and not only is it vastly better than the one I have. Its also waterproof which will be useful when the rains come. My last set of maps got trashed in a biblical downpour whilst getting lost in the south somewhere near Nakhon Si Thammarat at Christmas. I see from the other thread that there are a load of routes around the MHS loop I didn't know were there.

I checked out that road. It is dirt. You can see it going up into the hills fom Ban Mae Na Chon as you come down the mountain fom the other side. It looks like it would be great fun on a minsk.... Or even on an unladen GTO classic which is a similarly light bike. I had loads of paniers and cameras and all kinds of stuff tied on so I took the cautious option and drove back via Inthanon. I have done it before but it was overcast. Yesterday it was clear even with the burning. Its a fun road the 1263. Its nice to see Doi Inthanon from that side.