The most popular of Chiang Mai's National Parks is Doi Inthanon National Park which covers an area of 482 square kilometres and houses Thailand's highest peak, Doi Inthanon, standing 2,565 metres above sea level. Temperatures at the summit in winter have been known to drop to around zero, and even in summer it remains relatively cool on the peak.
The park lies to the South of Chiang Mai: a 57 kilometre drive to Chom Thong, then a right turn and a further 30 kilometres to the park entrance. Doi Inthanon is home to more than 300 species of birds, and while animal numbers have dwindled owing to hunting, there are still to be found snakes, gibbons, deer, wild board and Red jungle fowl.
Hmong and Karen villagers harvest cool-weather fruits such as strawberries, apples and grapes, as well as many exotic flowers.
The park is home to many waterfalls, including one of the country's most beautiful - Mae Ya waterfall. Visitors can swim or picnic at some of these falls, and they are very popular in the summer months. The park has nature trails that criss-cross the hills and valleys, and are very popular with bird watchers.