Ashdot Adventure Trips - The Black Canyon-Yehudiya

The Black Canyon-Yehudiya
Important Note: all trails and maps are shown only as illustrations and should not be depended on or used for navigation.
Trails change, some pass through military areas or close to mine fields.
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Snapling/ Rappelling Locations in Israel

Hanakik HaShachor Hiking and rappelling through water inside an extraordinary canyon formed of volcanic rock. Contains two 20-meter waterfalls for rappelling or, optionally, for a zip-line from the second waterfall.
click on map to enlarge

Location: Golan Heights, Yehudiyah Reserve (Not Nachal Yehudiyah)
Length: 6 Kilometers
Time: 7–9 Hours
Level of difficulty: 4 (out of 5) (young children that are athletic can also come along)
Come Dressed: Good hiking shoes, small knapsack with 3 liters of water per person and food. Keep in mind that everything you bring will get wet, so anything that shouldn't get wet should be wrapped carefully in plastic or left behind.
Involves: Hiking, Swimming, Repelling
You must coordinate with the local park services before entering. Experienced repelling guide required. Summertime only.

The Black Canyon is considered to be the best repelling course in Israel. Its name derives from the fact that the canyon is covered in volcanic rock from eruptions that occurred in ancient times. Included in your 7–9 hour journey, you repel through stunning waterfalls, jump into refreshing pools of natural water from anywhere between 3 and 6 meters (10–20 feet) high, hike up and down the canyon and repel down cliffs that even someone without repelling experience can enjoy. All along the way you experience the beauty of the land and one the finest outdoor hikes that Israel has to offer.
Before entering make sure you speak to local park services to get permission. An experienced instructor is needed and they can usually provide one for you. Because the trail is long and narrow in certain areas, no more than 100 people a day are allowed. During the summer season it may be hard to arrange a day so book early. Although the quota may be inconvenient it does provide a clean and enjoyable hike.

You start at the Yehudiya Reserve; some people mistake this for Nachal Yehudiya, another popular hike nearby which does not require ropes. There is a required entrance fee at the Reserve. The fee differs according to age and size of group, on average it's about 14 NIS. Make sure you do not show up after 9:30 AM or you may be denied entrance. After the main gate, you drive to another site nearby called “Sheik Hussein”.

The first half hour of the hike is flat; it is then followed by a short drop down into the bottom of the canyon. Once at the bottom, you walk through some thick bushes and maneuver your way around some large boulders until you reach the first cliff. About 3.5 meters down, you will find a refreshing pool which many jump into; you swim across (10 meters) and then jump down into another short pool. (If you are not interested in jumping, repelling is also available throughout the hike). Once you leave the water you will find a cliff about 20 meters high. Once your ropes are tied, you can jump off the edge and repel next to the waterfall until you reach the pool of water below. (You can also arrange to repel from the other side of waterfall which is only 10 meters tall and then jump into the pool). You hike for about another 45 minutes through the canyon until you reach the second repelling point. This cliff is also 20 meters high but different from the first one in regard to the way it is formed. Rather than a straight vertical cliff, it resembles several big steps giving it the name “Hamapal Hamedurag” (The steps waterfall). When you go down you are in the waterfall which varies in current depending on the previous winter season. Once you reach the bottom you will find yourself in another pool, the biggest and deepest in the canyon (40 meters long). After swimming across you have another hour long hike and then start to walk uphill for about 15 strenuous minutes until you're out of the canyon. After a quick breather you can take a look back and appreciate the entire canyon that you just hiked through, starting from the top and seeing as far as the Kinneret. You have another hour or so of flat land to walk back to the reserve (by the front gate).

The Black Canyon is a must for anyone who is serious about hikes and enjoys nature and the outdoors. Even during the hottest days of the summer, the canyon provides plenty of shade and the water provides plenty of refreshing enjoyment. The one of a kind waterfalls and fun repels make it a trip that should not be overlooked.

This article was written by Itamar Dardik, owner of Ashdot Adventures, leading groups into the canyons of Israel since 1991.