Mount Arbel – the Easy Way

Get there with Google MapsGet there with WazeGet there with Moovit
Trail MapHike it with Google EarthTerrain View
Distance: 2kmTime: 1 hourDifficulty: Easy

After many dark rainy days filled with indoor activities, we were ready to be outdoors again. Mount Arbel was going to be our epic hike of the week. 

This Galil area mountain overlooks the Kinneret.  The views from the top were supposed to be unparalleled.  So although we knew the climb would be a bit rough with the kids, we decided to take it slow and give a few piggy back rides to make it through.

But that morning, we heard the unfortunate news – all the trails on Mount Arbel were closed! Since it rained so intensely over the weekend, the paths were slippery and dangerous.  The only trails open were the short lookout walks.

Arbel Mountain.
Climbing to the top.

We knew that it was probably for the best, since two of the kids were feeling a bit under the weather.  So we decided to make the best of it and take a short, kid friendly walk on the top of Mount Arbel.

Picture Perfect Scenery

This trail is part of Mount Arbel National Park.  There’s an entrance booth at the front where visitors pay to get in (or show their National Parks card – definitely worth it!). Since it’s a National Park, there are also facilities and a shop at the foot of the trail.

Arbel Mountain.
At the trailhead.

We took the black trail to walk up towards the lookout points.  The trail passes several cliffs with incredible views of the farms and villages below on the way up to the top.  Bright pink cyclamen grew out of the walls of the cliffs.

A little bit further of a walk and we were at the main lookout area, a perfect place for taking pictures.  Lake Kinneret gleamed blue and bright in the distance, like an endless sea.  The squared off patches of farmland below interspersed with neat red roofed towns were particularly beautiful from our mountaintop vantage point.

Arbel Mountain.
Looking out on toy houses.

Relaxed and Fun

Next we decided to head further out by taking the blue trail (also part of the Israel Trail) to another view point.  It was an easy walk over the top of Mount Arbel.  At this lookout, we used the map to help us identify all the towns around the Kinneret.  We spent some time gazing out into the distance while the kids climbed around. Then we were back on the trail.

Arbel Mountain
The Kinneret Lake view.

The nice thing about this short trail is that the walk itself was also beautiful.  The rocky path made it fun for the kids to hop from place to place. And there’s always something to discover, even on a short trek.  We found a neon red bug that we’d never seen before under a rock along the way.

Arbel Mountain - rock badger.
Someone sees us.

 And a little family of rock badgers right on the edge of a cliff. We approached slowly and quietly, and managed to observe them for a bit. Then they sensed our presence and scurried down the side of the mountain.

Arbel mountain.
A beautiful walk.

An hour or so later and we were back at our car.  This mini hike on Mount Arbel was fun, relaxing, and stunningly beautiful.

Hikers’ Notes:

So if you’re up North looking for an adventure for kids with none of the hassle, take a walk on Arbel Mountain.  You won’t regret it after you catch a glimpse of the incredible view.  And bonus points for this short hike because it will be complaint free!

Next time I head up north, I’ll be sure to scope out one of the longer hikes up Mount Arbel for more adventurous travelers.  For now, this is a great hike for anyone looking for something super easy and kid friendly.

They say it pays to catch the view on a clear day, but when we went it was cloudy and still beautiful.  So don’t worry too much if the sky doesn’t cooperate.

New! Read this guide to how to use the navigation features in this post.

Questions?  Have you walked this walk?  Give me some feedback in the box below!

Arbel mountain cyclamens.
Winter wonderland.


Susannah

Hiking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is each hiker’s responsibility to check it and navigate using a map and compass.

8 thoughts on “Mount Arbel – the Easy Way

  1. Thank you so much for this blog.
    My dream came true, hiking info in English!
    Took my kids(12,7,5,4) this past Sunday to Arbel and we had such a great time. We’re looking forward to exploring some of your other hiking suggestions.

  2. Trying out this hike tomorrow – we are so excited. Thanks so much for the great information. I’ve used your site many many times to take my kids (8, 6, 3, 3) on fun hikes all around Israel!

  3. We just did this hike yesterday. We did it with our baby in a baby carrier. The hike was not to hard to do this way. It took us 1 hour 30 minutes including a 20 minute break over looking the kineret. The views are magnificent and the serenity up there is unmatched.

    1. Also, thank you for your amazing site. It is so clear and easy to use with so many great hikes. Its clear you have worked very hard on it we have been using it as a resource for a long time now. Thanks for getting us out and moving in Israel’s great outdoors.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *