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Danielle Berkowitz Dov Greenblat DAY HIKES DAY of stretches many daunting, seem may Trail National Israel hiking the entire While the half of the northern along hikes Day sections. in smaller can be hiked the trail Committee Trails Israel The chooses. a hiker as challenging or easy can be as trail SPNI, from sale for available the trail, of hiking maps 19 detailed produces and other numbers emergency as such the trail, about information include which resources. a variety SPNI is offering 20th anniversary, Trail's National the Israel of In honor hiking take will trips Day holiday. the Passover during the trail along trips day of near Hof trips including the trail, of all sections to lovers and nature enthusiasts everyone, for something With Hills. and the Judean area Aviv the Tel HaCarmel, families for walks and easy the trail, on rides and bike hikes challenging are there small children. with Clockwise from left: HaYarkon River, River, left: HaYarkon from Clockwise HaYarkon, Park Crater, Ramon in bloom terebinth Dov Greenblat Tali Ne'eman - - - - The trail then heads inland, pass ar through the forested Passing Galilee to the Carmel region, passing through the Druze vil eas east of Kiryat Gat toward Rahat, eas east of Kiryat Gat toward Arad toward east travel then hikers before continuing south into Israel's lage of Daliat el-Carmel on Mounton el-Carmel Daliat of lage thesouth along Heading Carmel. explore Mediterranean coast, hikers the beautiful beaches at Caesarea, and Herzliya, before head Netanya in northern Park ing into HaYarkon Aviv. Tel ing along Modi'in to Jerusalem. the Jerusalem can explore Hikers of Beitwinding south Hills, Valley, Elah through the Shemesh before continuing south through the Beit Guvrin-Maresha National datinghistory rich its with Park, back to the periods of the First and Second Temple. - From the Sea of Galilee, the trail border at Kibbutz Dan’s Beit Dan’s border at Kibbutz Ussishkin Museum – a quaint but where nature museum fascinating local nature, can learn about hikers hiking maps of the trail, gain buy Passport up an INT and pick tips which grants discounted access to along the way. parks and reserves The trail soon ascends to its high From Kibbutz Dan to Eilat Kibbutz Dan to From est summit, Mount Meron, which is From sea level. 1,200 meters above there it descends through the Upper ofSea the toward region Galilee theon point lowest The Galilee. trail is along the Sea of Galilee at Migdal, 195 meters below Moshav sea level. makes its way past the Yardenit Yardenit past the its way makes Baptismal site on the Jordan River, west through theand then veers - - - Jay Shofet Jay
the Although the trail can be hiked was first conceived by Israeli jour conceived first was in either direction, it officially starts in either direction, it officially in the north near the Lebanese ing with The Jewish National The Jewish ing with Fund, the Israel Nature and Parks Tourism, the Ministry of Authority, the Ministry of Education, the Youth the Center, Israel Survey the IsraelAssociation and Hostels to link exist Authority Antiquities ing trails and establish a continuous Israel is the trail across the country. with trailsonly country in the world marking the entire country. nalist Avraham Tamir in 1980 when1980 in Tamir Avraham nalist Appalachian hiking the he was Trails The Israel in the U.S. Trail Committee, under the auspices Protectionthe for Society The of yearsof Nature in Israel, took 15 tourto collect ideas from hikers, guides and park rangers, work - - - -
anniversary this season during Passover of 1995, the Israel the Israel of 1995, during Passover
National Trail is celebrating its 20th its 20th is celebrating Trail National First inaugurated by the Society for the Society for by First inaugurated the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) (SPNI) in Israel of Nature the Protection
ters long, stretchingters Dan in from Kibbutz the north to SPNI's Eilat Field School in the south, nearly the en he Israel National Trail Trail he Israel National 1,095 kilome is now
ON
The Israel National Trail (INT) Trail The Israel National The trail was designed to show designed The trail was case Israel's varied terrains and case Israel's varied winding through environments, along region Galilee verdant the the Mediterranean coast, through and Aviv Tel urban areas around Jerusalem, and into the starkness of The iconic white, desert. the Negev striped symbolblue and orange the entire trail. along guides hikers cluded the Israel National Trail in Trail National Israel the cluded 20 Epic Hikes.” its list of “Top tire length of Israel. Recognized as Since best hikes, one of the world’s 2012 National Geographic has in
T HOT
NATURE TRAIL ESSENCE SPRING 2015 24 Tali Ne'eman -
Whether you spend a whole THE ISRAEL NATIONAL THE ISRAEL TRAIL TAKES HIKERS THROUGH A VARIETY FROM OF HABITATS, FORESTS TO COASTAL PLAINS TO DESERT, ENABLING THEM VIEW AND TO EXPERIENCE ISRAEL'S OF RICH ARRAY AND FAUNA FLORA modations and have professional modations and have the area. with guides familiar month on the trail or just an hour, this season is the perfect time to get the Israelout into nature and enjoy National Trail. of the Partnerships and Jay Shofet is Director Development Department of The Society for in Israel. of Nature the Protection information about SPNI, For more www.natureisrael.org/events or call 053-2003030. Mt. Meron, the Alon Tabor Field Tabor Alon Mt. Meron, the the Har Tabor, School at Mount Field School at Mitzpeh HaNegev Ramon and the Eilat Field School All of the field where the trail ends. accom overnight schools provide Left: Israel National Left: Israel National in Jerusalem Trail Below: Alon Tabor Dov Greenblat - - The Israel Trails Committee is Trails The Israel may spot otters and badgers along wild boars be the Jordan River, ence and fall in love with Israel's in love ence and fall natural landscapes and assets, and is just one part of SPNI's work protecting nature. SPNI has four one attrail: schools along the field tween the shrub oaks and terebinthand oaks shrub the tween Nubianand a Galilee, of the trees and Rock Hyrax in the Negev. Ibex Leading through protected areas, beaches and to keep the trail strives other beautiful landscapes open to for futurethe public and preserved generations. to encourage part of SPNI's efforts to experi Israelis and tourists alike - - - - - While the trail makes its way While the trail makes HIKING AVSHALOM WITH Institute, Avshalom venerable The and in courses specializes which offers Israel, of the Land about lectures program Trail National an Israel from the trail walk participants where period. year a five over south north to year per 15 sections walk Participants km – hiking is 12-15 section – each in the north to the Dan River from led by are hikes The in the south. Eilat and guides Trail National Israel expert learn to way and fun a wonderful are the country. about Included among this are interpre through thousands of years of his peo Israel's diverse meeting tory, their heritage,ples and exploring it also touches a range of environ The Israel ments and eco-systems. through hikers takes Trail National of habitats, from forests a variety enablingdesert, to plains coastal to Israel's and experience them to view Hikers rich array of flora and fauna. tations of what the white, blue and Although orange stripes mean. no original intention be there was hind the INT symbol that marks to objects other and trees rocks, on track, a common trekkers keep is that the white representslegend of the Hermon, the blue the snow the orangethe Mediterranean and The striped trail desert. the Negev blazes are painted on objects facing in both directions. - - - - - Many accounts of hiking the trailMany The culture of the trail has also Perhaps the most unique fea Perhaps A whole culture has developed A whole culture has developed reflect on the special camaraderie Angels and lo Trail among hikers, and again Time cals along the trail. surprised and recount being hikers by the friendship and overwhelmed they that people the of generosity meet along the way. unique mythology. its own built tality to hikers, providing showers, showers, providing tality to hikers, and a place to sleep.meals, water ture about the culture of the trailthe culture of about ture good-hearted Angels,” is its “Trail on or close to the trail Israelis living a special type of hospi who offer ally takes six to eight weeks. Others six to eight ally takes its full covering sections, it in hike the course of years. length over Camaraderie among hikers Camaraderie drier regions and crossing the en and crossing the drier regions will be surprised Hikers tire Negev. of landscapes in this at the variety desert, including natural springs Valley, in the Zin Akev such as Ein a unique and the Ramon Crater, geological formation created by The southernmost section erosion. Timna of the INT passes through at the southern before arriving Park Eilat terminus of the trail, SPNI’s Field School. around hiking the Israel National the challenge enjoy Many Trail. of hiking the trail in its entirety, usu which once, at all sometimes
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