Doi Chong is the highest doi in Lampang and Lamphung. Doi Chong National Park used to be the Royal Thai Air Force telecommunication station but since a new radar station was built at Doi Inthanon, the station was out of commission, and was instead managed by the Department of National Park with 24-hour staff.

It has an area of approximately 207,500 rai of land in Lampang’s Amphoe Sop Prap, Amphoe Thoen, and Amphoe Mae Phrik, and Lamphun’s Amphoe Li. Along Highway 106 on the area between Lampang’s Amphoe Thoen and Lamphun’s Amphoe Li, visitors can admire a deciduous dipterocarp forest and a mixed deciduous forest densely growing on the roadsides. Particularly in the late cool season, this forested land will be even more beautiful with trees changing their colours before shedding their leaves in the dry season. This is a deciduous forest that remains intact. There are several viewpoints on clifs for seeing the sunrise and sunset. Furthermore, many orchids are found on the hill. Among them is ‘Fa Mui’ whose colour is more beautiful than that in other areas. The orchid fowers during October to JanuaryDoi Chong is the highest hilltop. The telecommunication station of the RoyalThai Army was constructed here and then dismantled when the radar station was established on the hilltop of Doi Inthanon. The park oversees the hilltop and some ofcials are stationed here everyday. From the park’s headquarters, a route to the hilltop covers a distance of about 7 kilometres. The mountain ridge, views of vast rice felds in Amphoe Sop Prap and Amphoe Ko Kha can be seen. There are separate routes for mounting and descending the hill. It takes more than 5 hours to go up. The fairly steep route requires a half-day uphill walk. The descent is very steep and mixed with gravel, passing the San Pa Kia area where Son Song Bai and Son Sam Bai pine trees are found more densely than other areas. This place is suitable for an overnight stay. Contact the park’s headquarters for a guide. Visitors have to bring their own meals, tents, sleeping bags, and personal things. A two-day trip is suggested. Spend the frst night at San Pa Kia. Stay on the hilltop for the second night, and climb down in the late morning of the next day. The mountain ridge is covered with an oak forest interspersed with pine trees, and the undergrowth is full of Krachiao (Curcuma) or Siam tulip whose pink blossoms can be seen during the early rainy season. Accommodation: The park does not have any houses or restaurants. Only a campsite is on ofer. To visit the park, visitors can bring their own tents and meals. Fresh food is available in Sop Prap town where there are some restaurants. A fresh food market opens in the early morning and in the evening. The park generates electricity for its own usage. Water used at the park comes from Lam Huai Mae Nga Chang. For more information, contact the Doi Chong National Park www.dnp.go.th