Nahal P’raim Desert Loop

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Distance: 7.3kmTime: 3 hoursDifficulty: Moderate-Strenuous
Ascent: 308m

It’s been a long time since we’ve hiked in the desert. And we’ve been missing out.

There’s something about the desert that’s supremely peaceful, simply serene.  The quiet, the absence of life – this setting makes every movement, every color, every change in the scenery more striking. Sunrise is beautiful just about anywhere.   But dawn in the desert is almost otherworldly.

After a long hiatus from desert hiking (mostly due to wartime changes), we decided to finally head back last week for a sunrise hike.  Since it had been such a long time since we’ve done any desert hiking, we were up for just about any desert trail – no perfection required!  It didn’t take long for us to plan out a simple 7.5 kilometer trail through Nahal P’raim near Arad, which was a combination of a few different paths that we had never hiked before.

Nahal P'raim desert hike near Arad in Israel
Sunrise in the desert.

I am so happy that we got to this sunrise desert hike through Nahal P’raim in the Judean Desert.  There were plenty of beautiful things to discover along the way.  And simply experiencing the magic of sunrise on a long desert trail was enough to make the trip down south completely worth it.

Here’s how we hiked this loop trail at Nahal P’raim through the desert near Arad:

The Magic of Sunrise

At this time of year, before the clocks change, sunrise is later than at any other season.  Because of this, it’s possible to wake up at a reasonable hour and still make it to the desert for a sunrise hike.

From our home near Jerusalem, the trails at Arad are just about an hour drive (this is especially true at early morning before the traffic builds up).  So, we found ourselves on the trail in near darkness, as we walked to the Ofer Gorni Lookout for sunrise.

Nahal P'raim desert hike near Arad in Israel
Setting out on the trail.

It was hard to keep trudging along to the lookout without stopping to capture spectacular sunrise pictures along the way.  As we hiked, we saw beautiful desert mountains down below, and the Dead Sea glimmering in the distance.

When we reached the lookout, we paused to contemplate the magic of the sunrise for a few quiet moments.  The desert sands had taken on a golden glow under the pink and orange sky, touched by the magic of the rising sun.

Let’s Get Hiking

After sunrise, we set out on the trail again.  The nice thing about hiking at this time of day is that everything looks absolutely beautiful.  The air was cool, crisp, and bug-free.  We enjoyed hiking along in the silence of the desert, as the traffic noise from Arad faded into the distance.

Nahal P'raim desert hike near Arad in Israel
Pretty pretty.

Eventually, we got far enough into the wilderness for the traffic noise to disappear entirely.  We headed down, deeper and deeper into the desert, noticing the desert shrubbery that had already turned green from the season’s first rains.

It was so good to be back in the quiet of the desert.

Coffee Break

Every good sunrise hike must include a coffee break.  As we hiked along through the shallow canyon, we were on the lookout for the perfect spot, including a flat place to sit and some shade.

Around a bend, I looked up and saw a row of squill flowers blossoming above on a desert ledge.  We had our coffee spot!

Nahal P'raim desert hike near Arad in Israel
Squill flowers.

Up we climbed towards the white squill flowers.  There they were, growing right out of the rock, in a seemingly impossible natural environment. I was pleased to find blossoming squill flowers so late in the season, especially in the desert, where they usually bloom earlier.

We took out our coffee and carrot muffins and got ready to enjoy a magical breakfast with a view in the cool shade of a desert canyon.

Surprises

It was so beautiful there: the blue sky, the layers of desert rock, the white flowers.  With hot coffee in hand, we needed nothing more than that flat patch of rock on that perfect morning.

But as we sat there, we noticed some movement along the hills.  A large caravan of camels was coming through – there was a big white one in front followed by ten or so darker camels, including a baby.  It was almost difficult to make out their shape, camouflaged as they were by identical tones of desert sand.

Israel camels
Camel camouflage.

I had never seen so many camels on a trail at once. And soon enough, along came a man on a donkey, the camel herder himself.  As the donkey approached, I could just begin to make out the shape of its rider. Or riders, to be more precise.  The “camel herder” turned out to be two small children, a boy of about nine and one that was no more than three.

They waved and called hello once or twice, the little one in back holding on tight and following his brother’s instruction to shout, “Hello!”

Back Through the Desert

After a delightful breakfast, we continued along the trail, through the desert in a gentle loop.  It was meditative, and quiet, and peaceful.  We saw animal tracks, variegated rock, and some small caves.  There was nothing particularly noteworthy about this trail, but at the same time, everything seemed so beautiful.

Nahal P'raim desert hike near Arad in Israel
Going up!

Eventually, we reached a massive ascent – this path up a hill would take us towards the Moab Lookout at the end of the trail.  We climbed up slowly, pausing along the way to read rock letters crafted by fellow travelers.

At the top, we reached the Moab Lookout, which we remembered from previous hikes in the area. We continued along the trail until we were back in the city of Arad.

Last Stretch

As a growing city, there are always things changing in Arad.  When we reached the road, we looked for the blue trail, a short path that would take us back to the car through nature.  But it had been taken over by a hotel construction site. So, instead, we followed the road (which was shady and quiet) all the way back to our car. 

It had been a fabulous morning.

This unassuming trail near Arad had given us exactly what we needed that morning.  A beautiful, mid-length hike for sunrise, in the desert, one of Israel’s most spectacular natural landscapes.

Nahal P'raim desert hike near Arad in Israel
Quiet in the desert.

Hikers’ Notes:

Here’s what you need to know to hike this loop trail at Nahal Paraim:

  • This trail is best suited to cooler days in fall, winter, and spring.
  • This is a circular trail.
  • Suitable for dogs.
  • Wear good hiking shoes and sun protection to hike this trail. Bring plenty of water - there are no facilities on the trail.
  • To hike this trail, follow the trail map and the trail marker gallery in the table at the top of the page. The hike starts on the green trail, then takes the red trail, black trail, and then back to the green trail.
  • 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 Nahal P’raim? Let’s hear about it in the comments.

    sunrise israel desert
    Catching the sunrise.
    squill flower hatzav israel
    Ready to burst!

    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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