Climbing the Sticky Waterfall

You climb the Sticky Waterfall by walking straight up the falls, in the water, on rock that grips like coarse sandpaper. The grip comes from a crust of limestone that the spring water keeps laying down, so the surface stays rough instead of turning slimy. Most people go barefoot or in water shoes, in swimwear or quick-dry clothes, with a change of clothes for the ride back. It is not a technical climb, but it is running water on a slope: go at your own pace, and if you are unsure, pick a trip with a guide on the rock.

Where you climb

The falls are in the hills of Mae Taeng district, about 53 km north of Chiang Mai, and begin about 100 metres from the park office.

How the grip works

The spring that feeds the falls carries dissolved calcium carbonate. As the water runs over the rock, the mineral settles out as a porous crust, tufa or travertine, and because it keeps forming, Thailand’s mines department explains, the falls do not get slippery. The national parks department describes the surface as rough and coarse, not slippery, and the falls as four tiers over about 280 metres. Feet and hands both grip: you can walk up the gentler tiers and use your hands on the steeper ones. The Bua Tong page has the geology in full.

Is it safe?

The rock grips, and that is the point of the place. It is still a waterfall: the water pushes and the tiers are steep in places. Keep three points of contact where it is steep, come down facing the rock, and stay out of the water after heavy rain or a storm. The park closes after bad weather, as it did after a storm in September 2023, and closes every year on 30 September for a day of maintenance; that work can leave the water cloudy and irritating to skin until the sediment settles. Call the park on 093 193 3556 if the weather has been bad.

Several of the trips are not sold to everyone. Thai Joyful Travel’s day is not for pregnant women, people with back problems or wheelchair users; TakeMeTour’s private trip takes children from 7; the rafting and zipline days set their own age and weight limits.

What to wear and bring

• Swimwear or quick-dry clothes that you do not mind soaking.
• Bare feet or water shoes. Many people climb barefoot; water shoes or sandals with a good strap protect your soles on the rough crust. Thank Me Later’s day lends water shoes.
• A change of clothes and a towel for the ride back.
• A dry bag for your phone. Thank Me Later lends one; on other trips bring your own.
• A sarong or light scarf to cover your shoulders and knees at Nam Phu Chet Si, the spring above the falls, which is revered as a sacred water source.
• Water and snacks. The national parks department asks visitors not to bring alcohol, single-use plastic or foam boxes into national parks.

With children

Children can climb with an adult close by: keep them on the gentler tiers, off the steepest sections, and out of the pools unless they swim well. If you want a guide watching as well, the small-group and private trips below put one on the rock with you.

Trips with a guide on the rock

Listing prices: GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026. Per person, adult fare.

The half-day transfers have a driver but no guide: you climb on your own.

Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.