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| Distance: 6km | Time: 2 hours | Difficulty: Easy |
| Ascent: 10m |  Trailhead and Markers Gallery |
On our quest to find trails in EVERY part of the country, this week’s hike took us to an unusual trail near Rishon Letzion. Tucked away behind the shadow of the Ferris Wheel at Superland sits Park Agamim, an expanse of nature with trail walks and pretty lakes.
We weren’t sure what a hike in this neck of the woods would look like. Park Agamim isn’t a nature reserve. It’s not a KKL forest. It’s more like an attempt to turn country space into a place where people can enjoy outdoor beauty.
What we discovered is that there are some really nice things about the trail through Park Agamim: the path is mostly shaded, it’s relatively quiet, and the lakes are actually very cool.
There are a few things that are important to know before venturing out to Park Agamim in search of natural wonders. Here’s the scoop on this walk through nature near the city:
An Auspicious Beginning
We drove past Superland to get there. Past the still and silent roller coaster. And then past the giant parking lot and towering Ferris Wheel.
We pulled into a lot at the trailhead, then wandered down through the trees, following “No Swimming” signs towards the lake down below.
And what do you know? Down in the shadows, under the trees was a large and beautiful lake. It looked very clean for a no swimming lake. And we noticed a fisherman reeling in his morning catch from the depths.
That was the beginning of the trail. But once we found the walking path and ventured forth, the path became less picturesque. It wasn’t the fault of the lake, or the beautiful tall eucalyptus trees all around.
The problem was the litter on the trail.
Luckily for us, the trash problem was mostly restricted to the area right around each strategically placed garbage can (the irony!) So, we were able to find plenty of clean places to approach the water.
Observing with Our Eyes
We followed our border collie down to the lake. He had already made the decision to ignore the “No Swimming” sign and jump on in.
The lake stretched out in each direction, like a river with no outlet. The banks were lined with tall shade trees. In random spots on the beach, we could see men with their fishing poles and tackle boxes. It seemed to be an idyllic scene.
Then, we heard the LOUD noise of someone testing a microphone. Which was followed by the music of a bass beat, someone singing, jamming down on a guitar. There was going to be music in Superland that day, and we were getting the pre-show down here on the water.
We tried to ignore the steady beat, completely at odds with our escape into nature. With our eyes, we tried to imagine how this lake would feel without the background noise. After a few minutes of watching our border collie splash, we got up and continued on our way, hoping to put distance between us and the sound of music.
Trail Talks
From here on in, the trail was peaceful, shady, and much quieter. We walked and walked down a shaded, sandy pathway. There wasn’t anything spectacular or unusual about this part of the trail – which made it well suited to losing ourselves in conversation as we hiked.
We continued on this way for at least twenty minutes. Then, a new sound got our attention.
Little toy airplanes zoomed overhead, with a funny buzzing noise. They were followed by real airplanes, not making much noise, but still a spectacular distraction up above. We walked on, curious to see where all of these airborne vehicles were coming from.
Further along the trail, we saw it: a helicopter landing pad that was part of a flight school and training runway. We stuck around for a few minutes to watch the next helicopter lift off into the sky.
Breakfast in a Eucalyptus Forest
So far, we hadn’t found a place to stop and eat. The lake had been really pretty, but a rock concert just wasn’t the breakfast vibe we were going for. So, we were still looking for our own little outdoor café in nature.
We picked up our pace as we followed the sandy pathway – this part of the trail was exposed to the hot sun. We wanted to find a place to eat that was shady, but still quiet.
Up ahead, we saw a large cluster of Eucalyptus trees. We veered off the trail into the trees and finally broke out our thermos of iced coffee. It doesn’t take much more than coffee and a muffin on a hot day to restore order to a chaotic world.
It’s Quiet Now
After cooling down in the shade for a while, we picked ourselves up to continue. As we walked, we encountered motor bikers, one of whom we helped out of a sandy ditch. Colorful airplanes flew overhead at intervals.
And then we were back at the lake, the trees thick overhead again. At this point in the morning, the music makers had set aside their instruments. We enjoyed the peace and quiet as we retraced our steps along the lake to the trailhead.
Back at the car, we reflected on our day. A beautiful lake, an impromptu musical performance, a Eucalyptus grove, and a flight school. It was most definitely different than our usual hikes…
But when all is said and done, it’s a quiet, six kilometer trail through nature, close to the city. On a cool day in Central Israel, Park Agamim could be a great escape from city scenery towards the peace of the outdoors.
Hikers’ Notes:
I wouldn’t drive cross country for this trail, but if you live in Central Israel (or you’re planning a trip to Ikea!), it is a pretty cool place to take a nature walk in fall, winter, or spring. And while a flight school isn’t exactly what you expect to see on a hike, watching those colorful planes as we walked was exciting.
I thought the lake might be interesting for kids, but unless you’re a fisherman, there’s not much to do there.
The trail is not marked like usual hikes. There are trail markers, but they aren’t always there when you need them. It’s okay, though, because there really aren’t a lot of ways to get lost. You just follow the path along the lake and then past it to the end. Here, you make a right to complete the circle.
Make sure to check the table up top for all the navigational features you need to hike this trail.
Trail map from Amud Anan.
Questions? Have you been to Park Agamim? Let’s hear about it in the comments!
