North · Loop

Izrael with Z

Trek Karkur · Loop

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Mud forecast Built by Boaz Yoffe · mtb.yoffe.net

Distance 111 km

Total climbing 870 m

Highest point 341 m

Lowest point 6 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Easy

Recommended months May–Nov

A loop from the Trek store in Karkur to the Jezreel Valley via Ramat Menashe. Easy trails, fields and springs.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

337 m 7 m

0 km 22 km 44 km 67 km 89 km 111 km

Route story · Izrael with Z

Ramat Menashe, the Jezreel Valley and springs

111 km and about 900 m of climbing in a loop from the Trek store in Karkur. You cross Ramat Menashe to Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley, ride between the fields along the Kishon to HaZorea, and return past a string of springs on Ramat Menashe and in Nahal Taninim. Easy tracks, plenty of water and services never far away.

Loop · Trek Karkur2 daysMay–NovEasy

111km

870m climbing

35.8km, longest stretch without fuel

4fuel stations within 200 m

9water taps along the way

10night campsites near the route

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses one firing zone, about 6 km of 111. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 107 km 21–24, 25–29 Fire-zone ops room 04-6125212

Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date. Some sections are a road that crosses the zone. Either way, check and coordinate before you go. All coordination centers →

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The route at a glance

Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite

01km ⁦0–20⁩

Nahal Ada and Gilad

You leave Karkur along Nahal Mishmarot and Nahal Ada, past Givat Ada and Ein Uri. Then you cross Nahal Taninim and climb gradually, to about 150 m, up to Gilad. By Gilad there is a night campsite right on the route and a few water points.

Along the way

km 5.6Nahal Ada
km 8.5Ein Uri
km 14.7Nahal Taninim
km 15.4Water point
km 18.5Gilad night campsite, on the route
km 18.6HaRakafot picnic site

Resupply · km 0
Cafe Yuvalim, at the start

02km ⁦20–36⁩

Over Ramat Menashe to Megiddo

The high part of the route, up to about 340 m near km 27, by Ein Kfar and Hurvat Saflul. From there you drop to Megiddo, with the remains of the tel's ancient gates and palaces, and to the fuel station on the edge of the Jezreel Valley.

Along the way

km 21.8Hurvat Saflul, 440 m off the route
km 23.2Ein Kfar, 380 m off the route
km 31.1The gates and palaces of Tel Megiddo, 450 m off the route
km 31.9Ein Azzi, 260 m off the route

Resupply · km 31.9
Paz fuel station and Yellow

03km ⁦36–58⁩

The Jezreel Valley and the Kishon

Completely flat, between 60 and 120 m. Ein Adad, then along Nahal Kishon and Nahal Adashim between the valley's fields. By Balfouria you pass the nature reserve, the water buffalo hill and Ein Gideon, a spring deep enough to jump into.

Along the way

km 37.2Ein Adad, a few shallow pools
km 38.6Nahal Kishon
km 53.9Balfouria nature reserve
km 54.1Tel Yifar, the water buffalo hill
km 55.4Ein Gideon

Resupply · km 45.9
A fuel station and Rimonit. Another fuel station at km 42.6

04km ⁦58–76⁩

Along the Kishon to HaZorea

On west across the valley, past the Kfar Baruch reservoir and along Nahal Kishon again, then along Nahal Gahar to HaZorea. At the entrance to HaZorea a 24/7 fuel station is waiting, with a shop and food.

Along the way

km 63.3Nahal Mizra
km 64.7Kfar Baruch reservoir, 450 m off the route
km 66.3Nahal Kishon
km 70.6Nahal Gahar

Resupply · km 75.2
A 24/7 Dor Alon at HaZorea, with a shop and food. The last fuel until the finish

05km ⁦76–92⁩

The springs of Ramat Menashe

From the valley you climb again, about 200 m, onto Ramat Menashe. Here the springs come one after another: Ein Zarik, Ein Sason, Ein Shelef and Ein Dmumit, and Mei Dmumit in the shade of a huge eucalyptus. By Nahal Shelef stands an old flour mill, and at the end of the section comes Ein Mecholelim, a pool in a eucalyptus grove.

Along the way

km 76.8Ein Zarik
km 79.1Nahal HaShofet night campsite, 720 m off the route
km 83.3Okberg lookout
km 85.7Ein Shelef and Ein Dmumit
km 87An old flour mill
km 88.4Ein Mecholelim

Resupply · km 83.1
Water at km 83.1, and more at km 85.1, 87.9 and 89.7

06km ⁦92–111⁩

Nahal Taninim, heading home

You descend along Nahal Taninim, with more pools: Ein Amikam, Ein Aviel, a hidden waterfall among the reeds, and Ein Yardena. From there you ride on past Tel Dudaim and the Netzach Israel spring back to Karkur.

Along the way

km 94.8Ein Amikam, a pool in Nahal Taninim
km 95.9Water near Mey Kedem
km 98.1Ein Aviel
km 98.7Ein Yardena
km 105.6Netzach Israel spring

Resupply · km 98.9
Zman Le Coffee, 190 m off the route. At the finish, km 111: shops and pizza

Where to sleep

The Gilad campsite (km 18.5) is the only one right on the route. In the second half, the Har Gahar campsite in the HaZorea forest (km 77, 780 m off the route) or the Nahal HaShofet campsite (km 79, 720 m off the route).

Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.

km 16.8Free

חניון לילה אלוני גלעד 700 m off the route

km 18Free

חניון לילה אורן זמיר 540 m off the route

km 18Free

חניון לילה אשתר 540 m off the route

km 18.1Free

חניון לילה ווסטרוויל 1,310 m off the route

km 18.5Free

חניון לילה גלעד 10 m off the route

km 76.4Free

חניון החרובים נחל השופט 1,460 m off the route

km 76.8Free

חניון לילה הר גחר יער הזורע 780 m off the route

km 79.1Free

חניון לילה נחל השופט 720 m off the route

km 81.6Free

חניון לילה נחל גחר 1,380 m off the route

km 86.8Free

חניון לילה דליה 1,260 m off the route

Where to refuel

Fuel stations, groceries and food within 200 m of the route. Fuel stations usually have water, toilets and a convenience store.

Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.

km 0

A café or restaurant

km 31.9

Paz, Yellow

km 42.6

Fuel station

km 45.9

Fuel station, Rimonit

km ⁦75.2–76⁩24/7

Dor Alon, Grocery 3 cafés and restaurants

km 98.9

A café or restaurant

km ⁦110.9–111⁩

Politzer, Metaktak Conveniecne Store 2 cafés and restaurants

Distances along the route are calculated from the GPX file; the distance of each place from the route is a straight-line distance. Night campsites come from the site's campsite map, other places from OpenStreetMap. Not checked on the ground: confirm before you go.

Firing zones: OpenStreetMap, IDF data import

Photos from the route

Distance, climbing and recommended months come from the routes table. Highest and lowest points are calculated from the GPX file, and difficulty is an estimate based on climbing per kilometre.