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| Trail Map |  Hike it with Google Earth | Terrain View |
| Distance: 11.8km | Time: 2-3 hours | Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous |
| Ascent: 333m |  Trailhead and Markers Gallery |
Every year at around this time I start to panic.
This is when I realize that desert season will come to a close in just a few months. Flower season has begun, which draws me towards trails in forests and meadows. But I would like to spend as much time as I can in the desert before I miss the opportunity.
So this past week, I was thrilled when my husband suggested a desert trail an hour and half from home. We hike on Fridays (a short day for us as Sabbath observers), so we were going to have to leave at around 5:30 AM. That was just fine with me. I’m always up for an early wake-up in pursuit of a great adventure.
The trail he chose was Nahal Tsafit, a canyon trail not too far from the Great Crater. I wasn’t a hundred percent sure that we hadn’t hiked it before. But if we had, I hadn’t documented it anyway. So did it really matter? A beautiful morning in the desert was just what I needed, whether or not we saw something new and spectacular.
As it turned out, we hadn’t hiked that part of Nahal Tsafit before. The trail turned out to be far more beautiful than I ever expected, and it included a bit of fun climbing and a gorgeous canyon. There was even a beautiful spring pool, a very rare find in the desert.
I was so happy to get another desert hike under my belt for the season.
Here’s how we hiked this beautiful trail in Nahal Tsafit:
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
When heading into the desert, one always expects it to be warm and summer-like. But when we arrived at the trailhead that morning, it was anything but.
The trail began at some sort of ancient structure/archeological dig. And it looked like a really worthwhile place to explore. But I was so chilly, that we decided to start our walk and get the blood pumping, leaving the structure to explore at the end.
We proceeded along the Israel Trail, through a tunnel that took us under the road, and began our fabulous desert hike.
Perfect Time of Day for a Desert Trek
Another nice thing about leaving at 5:30 in the morning is that we got to see the desert lit up by the gentle morning sun. It was so beautiful out there. As we moved away from the road, the scenery became quiet and meditative. The desert hills glowed in shades of gold, under the light of the early morning sun.
We saw a couple of lone trail runners, a desert bird or two, and really nothing else – just mile after mile of tawny rock, sand, and stone.
Since we were working on warming up, we just sort of walked for a while, not paying much attention to the particulars of our pathway. We crossed over one ridge, and through another, and eventually, we found ourselves at a perfect rock perch overlooking the canyon. This sunny spot with a view was chosen as the place for morning coffee.
Breakfast Upgraded
As meals go, I take breakfast pretty seriously. I love good coffee, and I generally make the time to sit down and savor my favorite meal of the day. But nothing elevates breakfast like a perfect spot above a desert canyon.
That morning, we had brought along a special treat: banana sourdough muffins. We nibbled away and sipped our hot coffee, taking in the quiet magnificence of the scenery.
As is typical in the desert, some cute little birds joined us for breakfast. They moved daringly close and snatched up our muffins crumbs before flying to a nearby rock to eat. We watched their little dance as we ate.
The Cool Part
Once we were warmed up and ready to go, we followed the path into a gorgeous canyon. It’s not that it was particularly deep or narrow or anything like that. It was just unexpectedly, classically beautiful.
We passed by stray acacia trees, enjoyed climbing up and down over rocks, and eventually found ourselves at another surprise: a spring pool, Ein Tsafit.
It’s not unusual to find pits of water in the desert, but a spring is a different story. This cool pool was not the result of gathered rainwater. Instead, it emerged from a local source, as evidenced by the tall reeds and wispy plants growing nearby.
Since we had just warmed up, we didn’t even contemplate getting into Ein Tsafit. But we did stare at it for a little while. And we thought that it would make a great swimming spot on a slightly warmer day.
A Meditative Walk Through Nahal Tsafit
From there, we continued on our desert journey, just talking and enjoying the scenery. We saw no one else on the trail after those first two runners. That meant we were able to lose ourself in quiet conversation – no interruptions, no time limits. This was something I had been missing for quite some time.
We passed by an oversized acacia tree, an old built wall, and more desert birds. Eventually, we found ourselves nearing the highway again. We were more than halfway through the loop trail.
The Last Part
The second half of the loop turned out to be a bit more confusing than we had anticipated. We had charted out an unmarked, but solid, trail on the map. But when we arrived at the supposed trail, it was nowhere to be found.
So, instead, we crossed the highway to follow a smaller trail. This trail, too, soon evaporated into thin air. We didn’t mind so much. The scenery on this side of the highway was gorgeous. We stumbled upon a field of black rocks (who even knew that there was such a thing as a rock field?!). And we continued to follow small trail after small trail until we had returned to the main blue trail.
Last but not Least: An Ancient Structure
Eventually, we found ourselves back where we had started that morning, at Meitzad Tamar (Tamar Fortress). Now, the weather was warm and sunny. We were ready to explore the structure before heading home.
This fortress has a fascinating history. The structure that stands there now dates back to Byzantine Times. But the according to archeological evidence discovered at the site, it has been inhabited since Nabatean times. Ancient Greek coins, ceramics, and bits of papyrus were discovered there, demonstrating that this spot had a long history of military use.
Once we were done checking out Meitzad Tamar, we returned to the car and got ready to head home. Our trip through Nahal Tsafit was just what we were hoping for: a quiet journey along a stunning desert trail.
Hikers’ Notes:
Here’s what you need to know to hike this trail at Nahal Tsafit:
- This trail is best suited to cooler days in the fall, winter, and spring.
- Don't forget to wear good hiking shoes, a hat, and sun protection to hike this trail!
- Suitable for dogs.
- There are a few ways to hike this trail. The first half of the loop is the more interesting and important part. When you reach the highway, you can skip the second half of the loop and just walk back to your car. Or you can park a second car at that spot (use point B in the table at the top of the page). The third option is to hike another half loop back through the desert as we did, but if you want to do this, you should use Amud Anan or the Google Earth file in the table at the top of the page to help you find your way.
- Trail colors: Blue trail, black trail.
- As with any desert trail, please check for flash flood warnings before you go.
Don’t forget to read my guide to the navigational features in this post before you hit the trail!
Trail map from Amud Anan.
