Pretty Places: Nimrod Spring

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Trail Map	Hike it with Google Earth	Terrain View
Distance: Round trip: 1.2km	Time: <1 hour	Difficulty: Easy
Ascent: 100 mm	Trailhead and Markers Gallery

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Here at Hiking the Holyland, the focus is always on Israel’s nature.  Usually, that means hiking trails: short and long walks through areas of natural beauty.  But every once in a while, I like to give a shout out to a pretty place to drive to in Israel’s great outdoors that deserves a mention.

Up north in the Golan Heights, there are dozens of gorgeous freshwater springs to enjoy.  But most of these gems are no secret.  This is fine if you’re looking for a place to take a dip in early spring.  But once summer rolls around, most of the Golan’s springs and rivers enjoy a steady stream of visitors.  And with visitors comes noise and general commotion.  A quiet place to relax and dip in the water is hard to come by.

That’s why we are always thrilled to discover beautiful springs that are off the beaten track, in places that aren’t exactly well-known.  Ein Nimrod (Nimrod Spring) is one of those springs.

We visited Nimrod Spring on a hiking vacation in the Golan a few weeks back.  I had high hopes for this spring in the middle of nowhere near the small town of Nimrod.  And it completely met my expectations.  It was clean, quiet, and absolutely gorgeous.

Here’s how we journeyed to Ein Nimrod, a pretty freshwater spring in the Golan Heights:

Treasure Map

The morning began near Nimrod, a small Yishuv in the Golan.  We pulled our car off to the side of the road and began to descend along an impossible path into the hills (ie: don’t wear flip flops).  Our instructions said that we should follow this path for a while until we saw a cluster of cypress trees.

Sometimes when I follow instructions towards a hidden gem, I feel like I’m following a map to a secret treasure.  Except there’s no map.  And the treasure isn’t mine to take home.

We walked along the dirt trail, past beautiful blossoming wildflowers.  Eventually, our destination became clear.  Just up ahead stood a large cluster of dark green cypress trees.  We followed the “trail” into the trees, in search of Ein Nimrod.

The spring wasn’t in the trees, but it was just past them, on the left-hand side.  We noticed the glimmering pool reflecting the rays of the early morning sun and followed the glow.

Truly Beautiful

There are all types of springs in Israel.  Some are nothing more than a small hole in the ground, with a murky pool of water that accumulate during the wintertime.  Others are bit more sophisticated, with deep water for swimming in the summer and lots of natural beauty.

Ein Nimrod was a manmade pool, formed out of poured cement.  The water inside was cool, clear, and deep.  And the scenery that surrounded the spring was out of this world.

Rolling mountains formed the backdrop for the still, blue pool of water.  It felt more like an infinity pool at the back of some boutique hotel in the European countryside than a spring in Israel.

Till the Cows Come Home

Before we could get too cozy all by ourselves at Nimrod Spring, the sound of cow-bells drifted in from the distance.  Just over the hill we saw a brown and white spotted cow approaching the spring.  And right on its heels came the rest of the herd.

These guys weren’t at all shy.  They were quite content to snuggle up at the spring along with us to get a drink of water.  They all piled in and guzzled away at Ein Nimrod.

Most of them drank to their hearts’ content and then wandered back the way they came.  But a mama cow and her little calf stayed a bit longer than the rest, a picture-perfect pair against the blue water of Ein Nimrod and the green rolling hills.

Forests and Flowers

Once the cattle were on their way, we stayed for just a bit longer at the spring, enjoying the majestic scenery and cool breeze in the air.  After enjoying the place for as long as we could, we reluctantly set out on our way, off to other hiking adventures.

We passed by the small cypress forest (a great place for a shady picnic near the spring!), then continued along the trail, marveling at the beautiful spring blossoms as we made our way back to the car.  Up the hill and we were right where we started, on the highway just outside of Nimrod.

If you’re looking for a spot to hang out, swim, and relax in peace, Ein Nimrod in the Golan Heights is a wonderful choice.  This beautiful freshwater spring is one of those pretty places that’s worth knowing about.

Hikers’ Notes:

Here’s what you need to know to visit Ein Nimrod in the Golan Heights:

• This trail is suitable for all seasons.
• Great for families.
• Suitable for dogs.
• The trail to get down off the highway is a little bit steep, but not too difficult.
• To get to the spring, follow the Google Earth file or use the trail marker gallery. From the parking lot, find an opening in the fence and head downhill on a small unmarked path. Soon, you will reach a cluster of cypress trees. The spring is just past the trees on the left hand side.

Don’t forget to read my guide to the navigational features in this post before you hit the trail!

Trail map from Amud Anan.

Questions? Have you visited Nimrod Spring? Let’s hear about it in the comments!