Mae Tho National Park is situated between the northern latitudes of 18°07¢-18°29¢ and the eastern longitudes of 98°8.5¢-98°24¢ in an approximate area of 990 square kilometers or 618,750 rai, covering the areas of Pah Mae-lai National Conserved Forest in Hod District and Pah Mae-jam National Conserved Forest in Mae-jam District of Chiang Mai Province. The National Park’s office is located at the Water Source Development Unit 6 (Doi Mae Tho), Baan Lao-li, Moo 9 (separated from Baan Maetho Moo 10), Tambon Borsalee, Hod District, Chiang Mai Province.

Topography
The geographical features of the National Park consist of steep mountains (400-1,699 meters above the medium sea level), extending northwards in the same mountain range of Doi Inthanon. 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 Kew Rai-mong is the highest mountaintop (1,699 meters above the medium sea level), located at Baan Pang Hin-fon, Mae-jam District. Meanwhile, the National Park’s office is located at the approximate altitude of 1,200 meters above the medium sea level.

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

Flora and Fauna
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.