North · Loop

Mcdonals Golani

Haifa · Loop

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

Distance 204 km

Total climbing 2,722 m

Highest point 510 m

Lowest point -75 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Oct–Jan

A loop from Haifa to Golani Junction via the Lower Galilee and the Jezreel Valley. Fairly long days, with the traditional stop at the junction.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX GPX for Garmin

Elevation profile

506 m -74 m

0 km 41 km 82 km 122 km 163 km 204 km

Route story · Mcdonals Golani

From Haifa to Golani junction, and back through the valley

204 km in a loop from Haifa. You drop off the Carmel to the Kishon, climb into the Lower Galilee past Ein Afek, Shekhanya cave and Har Turan to Golani junction, continue through Kfar Kama and Nahal Tavor to the Harod valley, the route's lowest point, and return through the Jezreel valley and Yokneam to the Carmel ridge. About 2,700 m of climbing, long days and long stretches without services.

Loop · Haifa2 daysOct–JanModerate

204km

2,722m climbing

81.9km, longest stretch without fuel

9fuel stations within 200 m

8water taps along the way

27night campsites near the route

Between Kiryat Ata (km 19.6) and Kfar Kama (km 100) there is no fuel, shop or marked water. After Kfar Kama there is no resupply until Yokneam (km 172.7), with water only at km 114.6. Leave Kiryat Ata and Kfar Kama with enough water and food.

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The route at a glance

Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite

01km ⁦0–20⁩

From the Carmel to the Kishon

You leave Ramat Almogi, by the Tamar lookout, and drop almost 400 m along Nahal Katia and Nesher park, past Ein Hanan. At the bottom you cross Nahal Kishon and Nahal Zippori and reach Kiryat Ata, with the last fuel stations before the Galilee.

Along the way

km 0.1Tamar lookout
km 4.3Nesher park
km 5.7Ein Hanan, 100 m off the route
km 11.3Nahal Kishon
km 13.3Nahal Zippori

Resupply · km 18.6
A fuel station, and a Sonol at km 19.6. After them no fuel or shop until Kfar Kama, km 100

02km ⁦20–55⁩

Ein Afek and Shekhanya cave

Through the Ein Afek reserve, with its hexagonal spring, and along Nahal Kankan into the Lower Galilee. The route climbs along Nahal Shekhanya, past the Manof winter pool, to Shekhanya cave, a huge cave with stalactites, about 430 m above sea level.

Along the way

km 24.8Ein Afek nature reserve
km 34.5Nahal Kankan
km 39.2Nahal Shekhanya, until km 48
km 45Manof winter pool
km 47.2Shekhanya cave

03km ⁦55–91⁩

Har Turan and Golani junction

You drop to Nahal Yiftahel, past Horvat Ruma and Rumana, then climb more than 400 m to Har Turan, the route's highest point, about 510 m, looking over the Beit Netofa valley. From there down to the Mishkena pool, by Golani junction, and Lavi forest.

Along the way

km 68.8Nahal Yiftahel
km 69.5Horvat Ruma, 150 m off the route
km 81.4Har Turan, a view over the Beit Netofa valley, 160 m off the route
km 87.4The Mishkena pool
km 88.2KKL tables night campsite, Lavi forest, 650 m off the route
km 90.3Ran Shochat night campsite, 580 m off the route

04km ⁦91–120⁩

Kfar Kama and Nahal Tavor

Kfar Kama, after 80 km with no services, has a fuel station, a shop and restaurants. From there you drop to Ma'ayan HaHamisha, with a picnic spot, and to Nahal Tavor, past Horbat Tehavit.

Along the way

km 103Ma'ayan HaHamisha and a picnic spot
km 112.7Nahal Tavor
km 113.1Horbat Tehavit, 170 m off the route
km 114.6Water, the last until km 196

Resupply · km 101.5
Kfar Kama: Sonol, SoGood and a restaurant. No more resupply until Yokneam, km 172.7

05km ⁦120–160⁩

The Harod and Jezreel valleys

You drop into the Harod valley, the route's lowest point, about 75 m below sea level, near Tel Salwim. Then west along Nahal Harod and Nahal Navot, past Ein Jezreel at the foot of the Gilboa, and along the Kishon to Ein Adad, a spring with shallow pools.

Along the way

km 134.5Nahal Harod, until km 147
km 135.5Tel Salwim
km 140.3Ma'ayan Harod night campsite, paid, 670 m off the route
km 142.9Ein Jezreel
km 152.8Nahal Kishon
km 158.1Ein Adad

06km ⁦160–181⁩

Mishmar HaEmek and Yokneam

Past Mishmar HaEmek, Nahal Gahar and Ein Zarik to Yokneam, the route's biggest service hub, with fuel stations, a supermarket and a row of restaurants. From there the climb to the Carmel begins, past Tel Yokneam and Rakefet cave.

Along the way

km 163.8Nahal Midrach
km 170.7Nahal Gahar
km 171.8Ein Zarik
km 175.7Tel Yokneam, 190 m off the route
km 180Rakefet cave, 180 m off the route

Resupply · km 176.6
Yokneam: a 24/7 Paz, restaurants and cafés along km 173–177, and a supermarket at km 177

07km ⁦181–204⁩

Home along the Carmel ridge

You climb to Muhraqa, about 470 m, and continue along the ridge, past Nahal Oren, Har Shokef and Ein Alon. Then down to Nahal Kelah, with the Tzinari HaCarmel cliffs and Kelah cave, and between the Carmel campsites, Little Switzerland and Horshat HaArbaim, back to Haifa.

Along the way

km 183.2Muhraqa and the Deir al-Muhraqa night campsite, 200 m off the route
km 191.6Har Shokef national park
km 196.4Pitulim night campsite, water and toilets
km 198.1Tzinari HaCarmel and the Cliff lookout
km 198.8Little Switzerland night campsite, with water
km 200.1Horshat HaArbaim night campsite, water and toilets

Resupply · km 184.8
Restaurants past Muhraqa, km 185. Aroma at km 201 and SoGood at km 203

Where to sleep

To split it over two days, Lavi forest (km 88) or the Ran Shochat campsite (km 90), about 600 m off the route, near Golani junction. Over three days, Lavi forest and then Ma'ayan Harod (km 140, paid).

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 183.2Free

חניון לילה דיר אל מוחרקה 200 m off the route

km 194.9Paid

חניון לילה חוות משמר הכרמל 460 m off the route

km 196.4Water and toilets

חניון לילה פיתולים 10 m off the route

km 198.8Free

חניון לילה שוויצריה הקטנה 30 m off the route

km 199.1Free

חניון לילה הצוק 100 m off the route

km 199.4Free

חניון לילה המבצר האחרון 30 m off the route

km 199.5Free

חניון לילה נוף המפרץ 190 m off the route

km 200.1Water and toilets

חניון לילה חורשת הארבעים 20 m off the route

km 200.5Water and toilets

חניון לילה כלניות 340 m off the route

km 201.4Free

חניון לילה אורנים 400 m off the route

km 202.1Water and toilets

חניון לילה טללים 450 m off the route

km 202.1Free

חניון לילה אורנים 2 480 m off the route

+15 more on the map

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 ⁦1–1.7⁩24/7

Sonol, Shufersal 3 cafés and restaurants

km 5.3

Grocery

km 8.8

2 cafés and restaurants

km 10.3

Sonol ×2

km ⁦18.6–19.6⁩

Fuel station, Sonol

km ⁦100.1–100.7⁩

Grocery 2 cafés and restaurants

km 101.5

Sonol, SoGood A café or restaurant

km ⁦172.7–173⁩

2 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦174.1–174.9⁩

Delek 2 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦176–177⁩24/7

Dor Alon, Paz, Grocery +1 16 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦184.8–185.2⁩

6 cafés and restaurants

km 196.1

A café or restaurant

km ⁦200.8–201.4⁩

Markol Zol 2 cafés and restaurants

km 203

SoGood

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.

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.