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| Trail Map |  Hike it with Google Earth | Terrain View |
| Distance: 7km | Time: 3 hours | Difficulty: Moderate |
| Ascent: 213m |
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Fall is officially underway. As the temperatures drop, hiking trails in warmer parts of Israel become more appealing. Autumn is a nice time to go on a hike in the Jerusalem area, in Central Israel, or even in the desert on a cool and cloudy day.
This past week, when we were planning out our Friday hike, it felt like there could be no wrong choice. With the perfect hiking weather we’ve been having, we knew that almost any trail we picked would be pleasant and glorious.
Although many trails in Central Israel are close to where we live near Jerusalem, we don’t hike much in this part of the country. Desert and flower filled trails in the South and Jerusalem are our top choices in winter and spring. And in the summer, Central Israel is way too hot. So last week, we turned to the map of Central Israel in search of a fall hike.
We’ve hiked in Ayalon Forest and Park Canada before. But there are many trails in the park, and we certainly haven’t hiked all of them. So, we scoped out a 7 kilometer loop trail through a part of the forest that we hadn’t yet explored. The trail would include some of our favorite sites (Tel Aked, Emek HaMa’ayanot), but it also headed into the more forested part of the park. We were hoping to enjoy a combination of great views and forest wandering.
And we got what we hoped for. Our 7 kilometer loop through Ayalon Forest and Park Canada was a perfect, mid-length hike for fall.
Here’s how we hiked it:
Early Morning Out in the Sun
We pulled into Park Canada early in the morning, joining the many cars in the parking lot, most likely belonging to the cyclists already out for the morning. Friday is a popular mountaikn biking day in Park Canada.
Rather than head straight through Emek HaMa’ayanot towards Tel Aked (our previous route), we decided to begin on a path that we haven’t yet traveled. We passed by the springs and followed the blue trail. This turned out to be a good choice, because this path was exposed and uphill – perfect for warming up on a cool morning.
We walked along, enjoying the breeze and watching packs of cyclists go by. As we ascended, the views out to the surrounding area became more magnificent. It was pleasant and lovely. After a little while of hiking this way, we decided to look for a shady spot to stop for breakfast.
Coffee Outdoors is Always on the Menu
There were several patches of pine trees to the side of the path – we chose one with a flat area underneath, and a view out to the surroundings below.
In the shade of the pine tree on the side of a hill, the morning felt perfect. We spread out our picnic blanket, poured hot coffee, and enjoyed the breeze and sounds of nature. Small purple flowers blossomed between patches of dry brush. The terrain below was surprisingly green for this time of year. I thought about the months ahead, when fall rains would enliven the landscape, causing flowers to bloom and grasses to grow.
We sat and talked on that picnic blanket for way longer than we intended to. Neither one of us was willing to pull away from that perfect spot out in nature.
Into the Forest
But every good picnic must come to an end. After about an hour, we finally packed up and headed back out on the trail.
At this point, the path took us through a beautiful forest, over rocks and pine needles into the shade. Although the sun was now high in the sky, we didn’t feel hot, protected as we were by tree cover. We were free to lose ourselves in the rhythm of walking and talking, while we proceeded along the forested pathway.
One thing that caught our attention was the many olive trees scattered throughout the forest. Most of them were full of plump, ripe fruit. Although we’ve already picked our olives for the year, we kind of wished we had the time and equipment to stop and collect in Ayalon Forest.
Fire Tower and Back into the Forest
After a while, we reached a tall lookout tower in the middle of the forest. According to the sign there, the KKL ranger who sat in this tower watched for forest fires in all of the surrounding parks, from Ben Shemen to Kedoshim and Kfira Forest.
We passed by the watchtower and continued on our way through the beautiful Ayalon Forest. The smell of pine trees was thick in the air, and we enjoyed traveling in the shade on a quiet pathway.
Eventually, we reached the entrance to Tel Aked. As usual, a confusing sign at the entrance announced that the site was closed. But the gate was wide open as it has been for years. We continued along the trail just beneath Tel Aked, enjoying fabulous views.
Soon, we reached a clearing and a wide open pathway. We remembered from our past experiences at Park Canada that we now had to locate a footpath which would lead down towards the springs and aqueducts at Emek HaMa’ayanot. After a bit of searching, we found the unmarked trail.
Emek HaMa’ayanot
We made our way towards the stone paved aqueduct area. On this trip to Emek HaMa’ayanot, we noticed the many olive trees along the path, heavy with ripe fruit. Aside from olives, there were fig trees. Their sweet fragrance filled the air – although most of the figs had already fallen from the trees, some still hung from the branches. We walked along enjoying the classic Israeli scenery on this neat, paved pathway.
After a little while, we reached the main spring pool at Emek HaMa’ayanot. We were just about back where we had started. We traversed the last of the trail towards the parking lot, which was now relatively quiet – the cyclists had all gone home for the day.
Back in the car, we reflected on our morning’s adventure. Our hike had been peaceful, quiet, and beautiful – just what we were hoping for that Friday morning in fall. In Central Israel, this 7 kilometer hike through Ayalon Forest was a perfect choice for a cool autumn morning.
Hikers’ Notes:
Here’s what you need to know to hike this 7 kilometer loop trail in Ayalon Forest:
- This is a circular trail.
- Suitable for dogs.
- This hike is best for cooler days in fall, winter, and spring.
- Wear good hiking shoes and sun protection to hike this trail.
- There are park bathrooms just outside of the Park Canada entrance, in the parking lot across the street.
- This trail is not always easy to follow. The good news is, that even if you wander off trail, you can hop onto another path that will bring you back to the trailhead. I recommend that you use the Google Earth file or Amud Anan to follow this trail.
- Use the trail marker gallery and trail map in the table at the top of the page to help you find your way on the 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.
