Rating: Easy to Intermediate.
All Vehicles.
Family Walking.
Starting Point: Club Ramon Spa Hotel, Mizpe Ramon.
The trail starts in Yeruham, reachable on Road 204 from Dimona or Sde Boker. From the roundabout at the entrance to the town cross Yeruham on Main Street toward the industrial zone and the Large Makhtesh, also known as Mahktesh Hatira. Just before the descent into the Crater, turn left following the sign to Har (Mt.) Avnon. Park in the parking lot and walk to the Observation Point, for an extraordinary view of the Crater, known also to geologists worldwide by its Hebrew name – Makhtesh. The limestone steps leading to the Observation Point are decorated with protected fossilized shells. Please – do not touch! Return to your vehicle and descend into the Crater; stop on the right of the road, next to the “fossilized trees“ road-sign. Walk to the “forest” of fossilized trees – fossilized tree-trunks which are more than 135 million years-old. Returning to your vehicle, drive another 5.5 Km to the “colored stones” road-sign. Park at the Eucalyptus parking lot and take bottles or jars with you, which you can fill up with varied sands. War paint? Just wet a finger, rub the colored stone, apply to your face and start the Native American war dance.
After the bottles and the dancing, return to the vehicle and drive to Oron junction on Road 206. Turn right and after 1 Km turn left at the “Ein Yorke’am” road-sign. Park and follow the blue trail. After a short walk, descend the rock-hewn steps to a large waterhole in the shade of the overhanging cliff. This water-hole is full almost year-round.
The outing can be concluded with a family picnic at the edge of the Yeruham Reservoir. Back in your vehicle, drive to Yeruham and cross town again. At the roundabout on Road 204 continue to the Reservoir, which was created in 1953 by the farmers of Kibbutz Mash’abe Sade to collect floodwaters for irrigation.
Return to rest at the Club Ramon Spa Hotel.
Organized By Ramon Extreme.
For additional information call +972 (0)8 658 6107.