Hike 2: University Loop - Down through Nachal Galim to Ein Kedem (year round spring), up Nachal Neder back to University.
| Hiking Time | 5 hours |
Blaze | Green, Blue, Black |
Trail # | 4167, 4166, 4168 |
Difficulty | Medium: some easy climbing |
Type of trail | Green and blue trails are mostly single file paths. The first part of the black trail is a 4x4 dirt road until it reaches the spring. After the spring it is a single file, sometimes over grown path. |
Highlights | Views from the top. Beautiful trails on water eroded, flat ledges. Areas where it feels you have left civilization behind. The Ein Kedem year round spring with it’s pool and cave - a dip in the pool on a hot summer day is amazing! |
Problems | Ein Kedem spring is sometimes crowded because of school trips, and/or with people who get close to the spring with vehicles. (They are trying to stop the vehicles by putting up barriers.) Pay attention to the trail marks after Ein Kedem, there are a few areas where the black trail goes south above the wadi and it is easy to miss those detours. The upper part of the black trail is in a narrow and some what claustrophobic ravine right under the neighborhood of Denya. It is not my favorite path. |
Cleaniness | Green and Blue trails – excellent. The black trail leading to the spring and the areas around the spring get heavy use and are some times trashy. Upper black trail – fair with some areas that had quite a bit of trash. |
Dec. 2010 Fire | Black trail unaffected by fire. Parts of the green and blue trails were in the fire. |
Trail Narrative
Walk to the Hi Bar - Little Switzerland - parking area. If you parked at the first parking lot (Carmel National Park) than you have to walk south on the dirt road below the main road for about 10 minutes until you reach this area. Then follow the green trail along a pretty paved path for a few meters until it diverges left onto dirt trail. This trail intersects with a road after about half a km. Follow the green trail sign that says Upper Wadi Galim along the road for about one minute. Then go off the road to the left (south) before you go through the gates to the Hi Bar reserve. The green trail gradually goes down into the Galim Wadi. Enjoy the spectacular views of the Carmel mountains and the sea.
After some climbing down ledges you will be in the forest at the bottom of the wadi, walking on flat slabs of water eroded rock. After about an hour and a half from the start of the hike you will reach the intersection of the green trail with the blue trail. Take the blue trail going down and to your right (northwest).
Follow the blue trail down lower Wadi Galim for about an hour and forty-five minutes until it reaches the black trail with is a dirt road. Follow the dirt road up and to your right (north east). After walking up for about 10 minutes you will arrive at the Kedem year round spring. If you're hot, take a dip in the cool clean water. There are two pools, one at the end of a short cave and the other inside an man made structure.
Now follow the black trail up into Wadi Neder. There are several places where the trail veers to the right (south) and climbs above the wadi so be careful to follow the black blazes and don’t just go straight up the river bed. This part of the trail is not much used and there are areas where it is very overgrown. About 45 minutes after the spring you will notice that the Haifa neighborhood of Denia is directly above the path to your left (north). Soon the path climbs to the south out of the wadi and up the mountain. You will then see the Haifa University tower ahead. After another 15 minutes of walking up hill the black trail ends in the Carmel National Park parking lot.
Getting to the trail and back:
By Bus:
Take Bus 37 to the University. The 37 bus starts down in Bat Galim, goes through Hadar, Central Carmel, Ahuza and ends either at the University or if it is a 37 Aleph goes all the way to the Druze villages. Get off the bus on the Southern Side of the University. From the University walk across the main highway to the Anemone Picnic area where the green trail begins.
By Car:
Drive to Haifa University on Abba Hushi Street. Park either at the Mount Carmel parking lot, which is the first parking lot on the right when you see the University tower on the left. This is where the hike ends (black trail). Or you can park in the Chi Bar parking lot further along, also on the right. This is where the Hike, green trail, begins.
Pictures and video clip
Green Trail in Wadi Galim
Blue trail in Wadi Galim
School trip at year round spring, Ein Kedem
Pool in cave of Ein Kedem
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