Haruvit Forest Loop

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Trail MapHike it with Google EarthTerrain View
Distance: 5.2kmTime: 2 hoursDifficulty: Easy-Moderate
Ascent: 114mTrailhead and Markers Gallery

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Friday again! Time for a deep dive into a new and exciting part of Israel’s wilderness.  For last week’s journey, we were looking for something not too far away (a frequent requirement), that we hadn’t hiked before.  We also really wanted to experience some glorious spring flowers.  Plus, since it was a hot day, we were hoping for some shade.

I guess that at this point we’ve hiked enough trails to have a general sense of the country.  Stack up a few requirements, and our brains start to work like a search engine.  At practically the same moment, my husband and I both thought of going back to Haruvit Forest, not too far from Park Britannia.

We had hiked in this forest before.  Once, we traveled the handicapped accessible trail with the kids during the wintertime.  There, a red flower explosion takes over, making it an absolutely glorious place to experience winter beauty. We had also hiked a bit further into the park at Tel Tzafit, which some experts identify as ancient Gat. 

Spring gathering at Haruvit.

Both of these short hikes were wonderful, and my husband and I remembered that there had been a lot more ground to cover in Haruvit.  So, we planned out a 5 kilometer loop trail on the other side of the forest, in the part that we hadn’t yet explored.

And what a great idea that was! Haruvit Forest was an absolutely perfect choice for that morning.  The scenery was quiet and wild, wildflowers were blossoming in abundance, and the thick trees gave us shelter.  It turned out that the day was somewhat overcast anyway, which made the entire experience even more beautiful.  We had a really great morning.

Here’s how we hiked this 5K loop trail at Haruvit Forest:

Hey Good Lookin’

We pulled up to the trailhead at the far end of the park and were pleasantly surprised with the neat and orderly picnic area.  There was a little playground, lots of wooden picnic benches, and more, all ensconced in a gorgeous forest full of trees.  The only teeny tiny problem was that the official green trail started a bit further into the forest – we would have to scope out a dirt path through the trees to reach it.

Loving this place already.

Luckily for us, the online map didn’t correspond to reality.  With a bit of searching, we uncovered a “dirt path” that was actually marked with green trail markers, connecting it to the main pathway further in.  We followed it through.

I loved this path – mostly because I was completely absorbed in picking the plentiful wild asparagus that grew here.  My husband was a bit disgusted with the inevitable garbage and refuse he saw along the way.  But soon enough, we had reached the more well tended green trail.

A Historic Structure

We hiked through the trees, marveling at the quiet bird song, the white wild garlic flowers, the clusters of pink clover.  Soon, we reached a “Historic Structure”, which we couldn’t find any online information about.

Storybook cottage.

 Still, it was like a little storybook cottage, crumbling and beautiful and covered in reams of dark green ivy.  If it hadn’t been filled with spiky purple flowers, I probably would have spread a picnic blanket right inside for our morning coffee.

Instead, we explored around, taking a peek at the big well around back and picking more wild asparagus that grew around the walls of the structure.

Get into the Groove

After that, we just walked for a while.  The trail was easy to follow, winding its way along through the thickest part of the forest.  It was so peaceful and quiet – we were really happy we had chosen this trail this morning.

So much to see.

There were new and different flowers growing that day in Haruvit.  I stopped to look closely, taking a few close up pictures.  The spring display was magnificent.

Always Breakfast Time

Then, we decided to stop for breakfast.  There was no shortage of perfect spots to spread our picnic blanket.  So we made our way off the path into the trees and settled in amongst the wildflowers and grasses.

Overnight oats for the win!

It’s not like there was anything particularly special about that spot – there were no epic views, no hidden springs.  But just sitting in the middle of a really quiet forest in springtime was a treat all on its own.  The only noise we heard was the buzzing of the bees, chirping of the birds, and wind blowing through the trees.

On we Go!

After breakfast, we continued our hike through Haruvit.  At a certain point, we realized that it was late in the morning, and it was time to close up our loop.  What’s nice about this trail is that there are so many crossover points – you can really make loops of all sizes.  We chose a nearby red trail and crossed through the forest to the return green trail.

More pretty stuff.

On our way back, we saw many more flowers, and a few cyclists – this green marked single trail through Haruvit is a favorite for mountain bikers. It’s relatively flat and easy to follow.

We took in the scenery at it transitioned between sunny patches, filled with ripening stalks of grain, and shady clusters of trees.  And after a good while, we made our way back through the forest towards the picnic area at the trailhead.

Quiet. Gorgeous. Worth it.

Our hike at Haruvit that morning had been exactly what we were looking for – a quiet loop trail with beautiful spring wildflowers in a thick forest.  Considering the frequency with which we hike, it’s actually quite incredible that there are still fabulous trails in Israel we have yet to discover.  I’m happy we discovered this gorgeous trail at Haruvit Forest.

Last leg of the journey.

Hikers’ Notes:

Here’s what you need to know to hike this trail in Haruvit Forest:

  • This can be an all season trail as there is plenty of shade. But it's most beautiful in winter and spring!
  • Good for kids.
  • Suitable for dogs.
  • Wear good walking shoes and bring plenty of water to hike this trail. Although this park is quite organized, there are no bathrooms.
  • To follow the trail, use the Google Earth file, trail marker gallery, and trail map in the table at the top of the page.
  • Trail colors are green on the way out until you reach the red trail. Make a left there to reach the green trail and go back in the other direction.

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 hiked this trail at Haruvit Forest? Let’s hear about it in the comments!

Wildly beautiful.

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.

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