Timna Park

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dchr1

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Trail stats

Distance: 5.96 mi
Elevation gain: 558 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 564 ft
Max elevation: 1,280 ft
TrailRank: 44
Min elevation: 732 ft
Trail type: One Way

Time: 3 hours 44 minutes
Coordinates: 886
Uploaded: March 20, 2019
Recorded: March 2019

2 Claps

near Elifaz, Southern District (Israel)

Viewed 695 times, downloaded 37 times

Trail photos

Itinerary description

A hiking roundtrip in Timna Park, start/end point being the parking lot of the "mushroom rock".
For someone used to hiking mostly in Central Europe, hiking in Israel in general, and especially in Timna Park, is a very special experience. Almost like walking on an alien planet...

Waypoints

Rock Formation

The typical Rock Formation in thr Park: The upper half is sea sediment of limestone and clay (turned stone), the lower half is older sandstone.

Salomon's columns

This a natural rock formation created by erosion, but you can walk up some stairs and reach an acient Egyptian temple or shrine. However, because of hundreds of tourists carried there by buses and queueing at the stairs in line, I chose not to go there.

Fort

There is no sign indicating who build this little fortress and why - was it the ancient Egyptians or the IDF?

Wild Goats

These Wild Goats appeared from nowhere and seemed not afraid of humans at all. I did not approach them but stayed on the hiking trail and watched them. They noticed me, but continued eating from the few dry bushes. To see such wild animals, you do have to walk far away from the roads used by buses and cars. In the more remote and quiet spots you will feel the magic of the desert.

Wadi

These dried riverbeds are good to move ahead, as they have fewer rocks in them than the surrounding aread. Supposedly water can come surprisingly and devastating, so one should never put up a tent or otherwise choose to spend the night in such a place.

Tree and Cave

Trees grow mostly where there is a source of underground water nearby. Erosion has created numerous cave within the rock formations.

Trail

Another part of the trail though dry riverbed. In Timna Park, one should always stay on official hiking trails which are indicated by numerous colored markings, as seen on this photo - both to protect wildlife and to avoid getting into some really dangerous places, of which there are a few.

Canyon

The (officially marked!) trail goes through many places like this one, where some improvised climbing is required to move on.

Block

In several places, the way through the canyon was blocked like this. It took some climbing actions (and torn pants) to get over all such obstacles on this trail...

Dome

Narrow Pass

Another amazing place this trail leads through, like a natural tunnel.

Orange Canyon

Not to be confused with the so-called red canyon, which is in a totally different place, this passage shows an amazing formation of brown and orange-colored rock. Not knowing its official name, I call it the orange canyon :-)

Rock Creature

This rock formation looks like a huge ancient monster turned to stone. When arriving there, after walking through the hot desert for several hours, you may get the impression of this creature slowly turning its giant head towards you...

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