Route type: Circular
Difficulty level: Strenuous
Waze to start point: 32.744445, 35.073284
Notes:
- Start early to beat the heat.
- Not for those with fear of heights. Involves some almost perpendicular descents with handholds.
- I recommend taking the INT trail markings up and then coming down the streambed on the red trail rather than the other way around.
If handholds and sliding down boulders on your bum are your thing, then Nahal Yagur is the streambed for you. It’s an “oldie but goodie” and one I have done many times. It never gets old.
From the parking lot in Kibbutz Yagur, the steep INT-marked trail sharply zigzagged up the mountain. It’s quite a workout and very beautiful.
Most of the ascent is shaded by tree tunnels with an occasional breaks in the foliage that provided expansive views out over the valley on a very gray, hazy day.
The flower season is nearing its end but a few dramatic blossoms remained.
After approximately 3.4 km on the INT, there was a very short break away to the left onto a black trail that brought us up onto a wide, hard packed dirt road where we made a left. On the hill above the road we could see the Druze-majority village of Isfiya.
We followed the wide road which is quite exposed to the sun for approximately 2.4 km until we reached this signpost.
Turning left onto the Ashdot Yagur red trail, we began our descent into more shady tree tunnels. If you like climbing and handholds, here is where the fun begins!
The surprise of this hike is that this narrow gorge seems to be a graveyard for cars and vans and you can’t help but wonder how on earth they got here.
I promised handholds and climbing. It was like an enormous jungle gym for adults. The descent is very technical which I love. It makes you think. “Wait. Left foot here? Right hand there? Or the other way around?”
Eventually we came out into the open and looked back up the ravine the way we had come.
The rest of the descent remained steep but less technical and we were able to pick up our speed a bit. The buildings of Kibbutz Yagur and the parking lot swiftly rose to meet us.
After completing the hike, we headed to the Aroma in Yokneam for a coffee, as is our habit.
