North · Loop

The Knafe

Kiryat Ata · Loop

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

Distance 109 km

Total climbing 1,511 m

Highest point 448 m

Lowest point 8 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Apr–Jan

A loop from Kiryat Ata through the Kishon valley, Nahal HaShofet and the springs of the Menashe Heights, up to Muhraqa and the Carmel ridge, and back via Yagur. And of course, a good knafeh on the way.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

442 m 9 m

0 km 22 km 44 km 65 km 87 km 109 km

Route story · The Knafe

Menashe springs and the Carmel ridge

109 km and 1,500 m of climbing on a loop that starts and ends by Usha, on the edge of Kiryat Ata. Through the Kishon valley and Kiryat Haroshet to Nahal HaShofet and the springs of the Menashe Heights, on to Bat Shlomo and Sha'ar HaCarmel, then a climb to Muhraqa, a ride along the Carmel ridge and a descent to Yagur. Plenty of springs, streams and woodland, with services at only a few points.

Loop · Kiryat Ata2 daysApr–JanModerate

109km

1,511m climbing

57.3km, longest stretch without fuel

3fuel stations within 200 m

14water taps along the way

16night campsites near the route

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses one firing zone, about 3 km of 109. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 104 km 53–57, 58–59 Fire-zone ops room 04-9538506

Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date.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 ⁦0–22⁩

Usha and the Kishon valley

You set off by Hirbet Usha and ride along Nahal Zippori, through the Sha'ar HaAmakim reserve, to Nahal Kishon. Elroi has a spring and a restored historic railway station, and Kiryat Haroshet has a café right by the route. Tel Qashish closes the section.

Along the way

km 1.8Hirbet Usha
km 11.7Sha'ar HaAmakim nature reserve
km 17.6Elroi spring
km 18The restored Elroi railway station
km 20.8Tel Qashish

Resupply · km 20
Atnachta, coffee and pastries in Kiryat Haroshet. After it, no food until Bat Shlomo, km 48.5

02km ⁦22–35⁩

Nahal HaShofet

From the Yokneam–Kfar Yehoshua station you climb about 200 m along Nahal HaShofet, past small springs, an ancient flour mill and the Camels cave. The HaHaruvim campsite is right by the route, followed by the Nahal HaShofet reserve, Tel Faror and Ein Sason.

Along the way

km 22.4Yokneam–Kfar Yehoshua station, if you need to bail out
km 29.8Ein Hashrat and the Nahal HaShofet flour mill
km 30.4HaHaruvim campsite, Nahal HaShofet
km 32.4Tel Faror and Ein Faror
km 33.8Ein Sason

Resupply · km 30.4
Water by the HaHaruvim campsite

03km ⁦35–58⁩

The Menashe springs

A string of springs along Nahal Shelef: Ein Shelef, with a stone pool among the bramble, Mei Dmumit and an old flour mill among the cypresses, then Ein Mecholelim, a pool in a eucalyptus grove. From there you drop through the Mount Horshan reserve to Bat Shlomo, with a dairy and an eatery, and continue to Sha'ar HaCarmel.

Along the way

km 38.7Ein Shelef, a stone pool
km 40An old flour mill on Nahal Shelef
km 41.4Ein Mecholelim
km 47.5Mount Horshan nature reserve
km 48.9Bat Shlomo
km 57.7Sha'ar HaCarmel night campsite

Resupply · km 57.3
Sonol and Sogood at Sha'ar HaCarmel, the first fuel and store. Schwartzman dairy and HaChenvania at Bat Shlomo, km 48.5–48.8

04km ⁦58–76⁩

Climbing to Muhraqa

From Nahal Maharal you climb about 200 m to the Carmel ridge, past Bir Abd al-Jani, a huge rock-cut cistern. On the way is the Oren HaSela campsite, and at the top Muhraqa and the Deir al-Muhraqa campsite. Then on along the ridge to the Tayeset HaEmek lookout and the route's highest point, about 450 m.

Along the way

km 59.8Nahal Maharal nature reserve
km 61.2Bir Abd al-Jani, a rock-cut cistern
km 62.4Oren HaSela night campsite, 520 m off the route
km 69Muhraqa and the Deir al-Muhraqa night campsite, 200 m off the route
km 70.9Tayeset HaEmek lookout and picnic site

05km ⁦76–92⁩

From the Carmel to Yagur

A few more kilometres in the Carmel forests, past the Bar-Yehuda lookout, the Beit HaShomer campsite and the Israel Trail library, to the Ya'ar HaYa'aranim campsite, with water and toilets. From there you dive almost 400 m to the foot of the Carmel, with food and fuel at the bottom.

Along the way

km 78.6Bar-Yehuda lookout, above kibbutz Yagur
km 79.3Beit HaShomer night campsite
km 83.1The Israel Trail library
km 84.8Ya'ar HaYa'aranim night campsite, water and toilets

Resupply · km 90.5
Two Sonol stations, with Shipudei HaTzafon and Pizza Bella at km 88.9

06km ⁦92–109⁩

Yagur and Nahal Zippori

At Yagur you pass Pinat Asif and the British police building, cross Nahal Kishon and ride the flats along Nahal Zippori, past Tel Par and the Alil mill. The last kilometres climb a little back to Usha.

Along the way

km 92.2Pinat Asif, water and a rest corner for trail hikers
km 92.8The British police building at Yagur, 190 m off the route
km 98.3Tel Par, 280 m off the route
km 103.7The Alil mill, on Nahal Zippori

Resupply · km 92.4
Balance Music and Café Asif at Yagur. Samuna café at km 104

Where to sleep

To split it over two days, the Sha'ar HaCarmel campsite (km 57.7), by the fuel station and store, or Deir al-Muhraqa (km 69). The Ya'ar HaYa'aranim campsite (km 84.8) has water and toilets.

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 30.4Free

חניון החרובים נחל השופט 10 m off the route

km 31.3Free

חניון לילה הר גחר יער הזורע 500 m off the route

km 31.5Free

חניון לילה נחל השופט 380 m off the route

km 57.3Halfway

חניון לילה שער הכרמל 790 m off the route · Free

km 57.7Halfway

חניון לילה שער הכרמל 20 m off the route · Free

km 62.4Halfway

חניון לילה "אורן הסלע" 520 m off the route · Free

km 69Free

חניון לילה דיר אל מוחרקה 200 m off the route

km 79.3Free

חניון לילה בית השומר 30 m off the route

km 82.8Water and toilets

חניון לילה שביל ישראל 410 m off the route

km 82.8Free

חניון לילה בית היערן 630 m off the route

km 84.7Water and toilets

חניון לילה הרקפות 930 m off the route

km 84.8Water and toilets

חניון לילה יער היערנים 0 m off the route

+4 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 20

A café or restaurant

km ⁦48.5–48.8⁩

2 cafés and restaurants

km 57.3

Sonol, Sogood

km 88.9

2 cafés and restaurants

km 90.5

Sonol ×2

km ⁦92.2–92.4⁩

2 cafés and restaurants

km 104

A café or restaurant

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

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.