Hiking routes in western Area of the erosion crater Makhtesh Ramon in the Negev desert in the southern Israel. The previous article provides information about the routes in the eastern and southern part of the Makhtesh Ramon Hiking in Makhtesh Ramon
background
In the area of the erosion crater Makhtesh Ramon A number of hiking tours can be undertaken in the protected area of the same name. Here tours in the east of the Makhtesh Ramon are described, the starting point of which is best about the before Mitzpe Ramon road to the west 171 can be reached by private vehicle.
Thanks to the newly designated Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail the western part of the Makhtesh (as well as the entire crater) can now also be circled on designated hiking trails.
Preparations
The article provides information about the preparations for tours in the Israeli desert Hiking in Israel.
Water / food
- On all tours there must be a sufficient Beverage supply be carried. Purchased still or carbonated water in PET bottles is one option, and tea is another. In addition to the well-known drinking bottles, there are also drinking bags with valves that fold up when you drink empty, insulated drinking vessels and - quite popular in Israel - drinking systems with a water supply in a small backpack with a drinking tube with a valve.
- The tap water has drinking water quality in Israel, often leaves a slightly chlorine aftertaste. In the visitor centers of the INPA (the Israeli National Park Administration) there are practically always drinking water points in the sanitary facilities, partly chilled drinking water dispensers where bottles can be filled.
- it is best to ask the national park ranger about the water requirement, who can also provide information on the difficulty of the intended route, a rule of thumb
- at the cold days or if most of the route is in the shade, you can count on at least 3 liters of water per person per day
- at cool days in autumn, winter and spring, with 4.5 l of water daily
- at warm days (without extreme heat), add 6 liters per person per day Hardcore walks in the hot summer in the desert, the need is even higher; it's best to avoid the midday heat anyway and leave early in the morning.
- For a half-day tour you can get by with around 2 - 3 liters of drinking water. If you lose a lot of fluids through sweating, you should always think about the associated loss of salt, and you should think about an adequate supply of salt (for example in the form of broth or crackers with salt).
- For tours lasting several days, there are water delivery services that bring you to one of the campsites for around 80 shekels 6l of water.
- Catering must also be carried with you, in the sense of "no trace hiking", no waste may be left behind in the desert, which for example attracts wild animals. Fruits, dried fruits, nuts and savory biscuits washed before the start of the tour are good options.
- a little cash is advisable in order to be able to buy an ice cream or a sweet drink at least while waiting for the bus at the end point ...
clothing
- When choosing clothing, find out about the expected temperatures based on the weather forecast.
- Sun protection is a must for all walks in Israel. Visitors with light skin types in particular will - without adequate sun protection - inevitably suffer a severe sunburn, a product with at least one Sun protection factor 30 is recommended.
- in order to avoid a build-up of heat ("heat stroke"), a Sun hat. Models with good coverage of the ears and the neck region, which are available in the shops of the National Park Administration, are particularly popular.
- the Footwear should be selected according to the soil conditions on the planned tour. Will be used for most hikes walking boots recommended, for tours on which bodies of water are crossed or without rocky areas, are recommended Trekking sandals.
further equipment
- high quality Hiking maps are offered in the national park shops or on the Internet, these are only labeled in Hebrew, but are very helpful together with an overview map with the colored route markings.
- The "hiking trails" layer can be switched on on the open street map maps, the color markings of the various routes can be seen here.
- the English speaking hiking map Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail of shvil.net 1: 35,000 is available in the national park shop in Mizpe Ramon or Avdat and is extremely helpful. Here are also marked next to the purple one Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail all other hiking trails are also listed with the corresponding color markings.
- In the sparsely populated desert regions, a GPS hiking navigation device does a good job. The English-language maps of shvil.net are available, for example, as grid maps for the TwoNav navigation devices (with compass and altimeter) and also for the CompeGPS Land software, which is suitable for smartphones with GPS functionality.
landscape
The Makhtesh Ramon is the largest of the Makhtesh erosion craters; it measures around 40 km in length and is 8-10 km wide, the difference in altitude between the level bottom of the crater and the surrounding mountain cliffs is around 500 m. In contrast to the other Makhteshim, two wadis lead out of the crater in the direction of the Arava Depression , the Nahal Nekarot and further to the northeast the Nahal Kamay.
Flora and fauna
In the winter and spring months, various plants bloom in the desert and the (evergreen) bushes and thorn bushes appear in a fresher green than in the summer months (from May) and in autumn. In addition to the desert plants widespread in the wider Negev, some endemic species can be found here.
In November, the blooms in the western Ramon crater Ramon Crocus (Crocus cancellatus subsp., Whs a subspecies of Crocus damascenus); in February / March the endemic desert rhubarb (Desert rhubarb, Rheum palaestinum), but also red and white wild tulips and crown anemones (Anemona coronaria).
Nubian ibex (Ibex) can be seen again and again, in the area of the western Makhtesh Ramon one occasionally encounters the Asian wild ass (Equus hemionus) that has been released back into the wild.
climate
In the arid desert climate, the maximum temperatures at the bottom of the Makhtesh in the winter months are 12-15 degrees, at night 5-7 ° C, in summer a maximum of 30-34 ° C during the day and 18-20 degrees at night, up in the village Mitzpe Ramon it is usually three to five degrees cooler and a little snow can very rarely fall in winter. Rainfall practically only occurs in the winter months, according to the website of the Israel Meteorological Service warnings about the danger of flash floods caused by downpours are published in the canyon-like gorges; if necessary, ask the national park rangers about dangers.
getting there
The main road 
leads from Be'er Sheva in a southerly direction Eilat and crosses the Makhtesh Ramon.
To get to the western end of Makhtesh Ramon, take the one off the road 40 from a little north of Mizpe Ramon road to the west 
.
Fees / permits
Only for visiting the exhibitions in 1 Visitor center An access fee of 28/14 NIS (2019) has to be paid, access to the Makhtesh Ramon is free (and - as the national park area is located - only permitted during the daytime).
mobility
Only the streets with double solid lines on the map can be used by car, those with the solid - dashed line (and signposts 4x4 are partly drivable with a car with a little ground clearance and appropriate caution, the double-dashed lines (signpost 4x4) are only passable partly rocky gravel roads for off-roaders with large ground clearance. In the entire nature reserve, only appropriately marked slopes may be used, it is forbidden to drive over the edges of the slopes marked with boulders into the terrain.
Simple, dashed routes can be hiked on foot; Prohibition signs for bicycles indicate that the route by bike is usually impassable in reality.
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Karne Ramon Lookout, Memorial commemorating the death of the Columbia space shuttle crew, attended by Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon.
Routes
Mount Ramon, 1.7 mi 
The Mount Ramon with its approx. 1037 m above sea level. is on the northern cliff at the western end of Makhtesh Ramon Crater. A short circular path leads to the highest point on the crater cliff, which leads to a lookout point and a monument in memory of the fate of the crew of the space shuttle "Columbia" with the first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon; along the cliff you can continue to change to the northwest.
The 2.5 km long footpath makes hardly any technical demands on the hiker, but the path leads along the cliff, from which there is a risk of falling for small children.
- The starting point is that 1 Mount Ramon Parking Lotthat is on a gravel road from the street 171 can be reached by vehicle.
- after approx. 400 m you can reach the elevation of the 1 , which, however, rises only a little above the plateau on the north slope of the crater.
- a
The red and white marked footpath ("Loop Trail") leads past archaeological relics of a cult site from the Bronze Age. So-called 2 Tumuli, round layered stone structures, probably served as burial places, the meaning of the K line, a stone wall that was drawn straight through the landscape in an east-west direction. - the footpath descends a bit in a depression and then rises again to reach the crater rim after 1.3 km. From the cliff you have a tremendous view down into the western Makhtesh Ramon.
- The path leads along the rim of the crater to the lookout point 2 Karne Ramon Lookout. Here a monument was erected in memory of the crashed space shuttle "Columbia", seven stone steles remind of the five crew members. Seven hills of black rock at the bottom of the Makhtesh Ramon were named in honor of the crew members of the "Columbia".
- on the The red and white marked path can be hiked further along the crater rim, then after approx. 2 km one can descend to the bottom of the crater, the blue and white marked path leads further to the northeast at a distance from the crater rim.
- from the monument at Karne Ramon Lookout you can use the shorter one
return to the starting point at the parking lot in approx. 800 m.
The red and white marked footpath ("Loop Trail") leads past archaeological relics of a cult site from the Bronze Age. So-called 
return to the starting point at the parking lot in approx. 800 m.Technically, the hike is not very demanding and suitable for families, only the risk of falling must be taken into account when walking along the edge of the crater (children!), No drinking water points, no shade.
Prism Canyon, 7.5 mi
From the street you can comfortably hike to the crater rim and when descending into the Makhtesh Ramon den "Prism Canyon" wander through bizarre structures made of petrified magma. After a stretch in the valley floor along the Wadi Ramon, you climb back up to the crater rim and hike back to the starting point.
- 2 starting point is the departure of the
green and white marked route from the road 171 to the crater rim. You can also park your car on the side of the road. - The The green and white marked path first climbs gently along a mostly dry wadi with little vegetation, the rocks on the 3 Crater rim invite you to take a rest.
- Now the path descends into the Makhtesh and then turns to the left, towards the next of the peculiar hills of black rock. After a curve to the right / southeast you get to the 4 Prism Canyon. The blackish rock has arisen from angular columns of solidified magma, a short section of the gorge from the peculiar rock is hiked through, the highlight of this tour.
- After a total of 5 km of hiking you reach the black and white marked slope that follows the course of Wadi Ramon. Few evergreen shrubs grow in the wadi, where the water from the sparse rainfall gathers.
- After another 2 km you can turn right 5 turn and on the Leisurely climb up the red and white marked path to the edge of the crater, on the left you will pass a hollow with ocher rock and sand.
- If the 6 Crater rim is reached again, turn to the left; walks along the steep cliff. At the next 7 crossing take the
blue and white marked route and walk down the wadi to the northeast until you get back on the meets the green-white route, on which you reach the starting point again. With a bit of luck, the Asian wild ass can be observed in this section in the morning and evening hours.
green and white marked route from the road 171 to the crater rim. You can also park your car on the side of the road.
blue and white marked route and walk down the wadi to the northeast until you get back on the In November the Ramon crocus, whs, blooms in the western part of Makhtesh Ramon along the rocky, dry streams. an endemic subspecies of Crocus damascenus.
Technically, the hike is not very demanding and suitable for families, only the risk of falling must be taken into account when walking along the edge of the crater (children!), No drinking water points, no shade.
- As an alternative, you can continue on the black and white route in the valley floor of the Nahal Ramon and climb to the edge of the crater on the jeep runway of the Arod-Ascent. On the The blue and white marked piste leads to the crater rim along the edge of the crater 3 Arod Gap Picnic Area. A footpath leads to a stone monument and can look down into the crater (nice resting place). The newly created
The purple-white route of the Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail leads north around a hilltop and then reaches the red and white marked route to Karne Ramon Lookout. From there, continue on the red and white route along the edge of the crater until you reach the 1 crossing with the blue and white marked route, which leads in the direction of the starting point.
The purple-white route of the Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail leads north around a hilltop and then reaches the In the variant described, the trip to the Prism Canyon becomes a day tour, which makes some demands on the physical condition and can only be recommended in the cooler winter months.
Mount Ido, 22 km (round trip)
A round trip leads from the von Mizpe Ramon Road 171 leading to the west first to a lookout point over the western end of the Ramon crater, then descends on the Arod Ascent into the crater floor and then climbs up to Mount Ido, the way back leads through Wadi Arod up to the crater rim and leads the last Route back on the gravel road to the starting point, the route can be walked in both directions.
- To the 3 The starting point is on the Street 171that is little north of Mizpe Ramon to the west in the direction of the Egyptian border. At the level of the signposted junction to the Loz Cisterns, on the left side of the road, take the gravel road that leads to Arod Gap / Arod Ascent. Off-road vehicles can be used on the 8 Continue on a gravel road for a while, shortening the approach. With off-road vehicles with good ground clearance, you could even continue to Wadi Arod.
- on the gravel road is that blue-white route, first of all - past the branch to the south into Nahal Loz with its terebinths - you come to one 4 Lookout point. Here on Arod Gap Picnic Area, one can enjoy the view over the western end of the Makhtesh Ramon from the stairs. In the crater the hills of brown-blackish rock make an interesting sight, the highest of these dark elevations is that Mount Arod. Depending on the light, there is an impression that clouds are casting shadows.
- the slope continues along the edge of the crater to 9 Arod Gap, where it continues down to the right into Wadi Arod. Here you take that black-and-white marked slope, which as Arod Ascent leads down to the bottom of the crater. It leads a distance along the Wadi Ramon, after 3 km you get to 4 Signpost, which the red and white marked route up to Mount Ido.
- the hiking trail leads up the slope to the right, crosses a flank and after another 3 km reaches one 10 Saddle at the foot of the Mount Ido. On an easily accessible path through some gravel terrain you get up to the 11 Summit (959 m). Numerous "Steinmannli" ("Cairns"), pillars made of stacked stones, make the summit plateau unique. Its origin is still unclear, but the "Cairns" are likely to be ancient. From here there is a beautiful view of Wadi Arod.
- the The red and white marked footpath leads down to the blue and white marked piste, which follows the river valley of Wadi Arod, which is dry in summer; one turns to the right. After a short distance you get to the 1 Mount Ido Campground. This simple gravel place without any infrastructure is the only place along the route where you can stay overnight.
- to the west, back to the starting point, follow the blue-white slope, past the branch to the Wadi Loz (black-and-white); Finally, the slope winds its way up to the Arod Gap at the crater rim. From there you can return to the starting point on the well-known blue and white marked slope.
Technically, the round tour is not very demanding, if you can drive to the vicinity of the Arod Gap in an off-road vehicle, the walking distance is shortened to 10-11 km. The hike on slopes and marked paths is family-friendly, apart from the risk of slipping in the gravel on the ascent to the summit, no technically demanding sections, no drinking water points or food options, practically no shade.
Mount Lotz, 16 km (round trip via Nahal Arod, Nahal Eli'Av)
From the same starting point on the slope, which is from that of Mitzpe Ramon in a westerly direction to the west end of the Makhtesh Ramon leading road 171 to the south, you can embark on an almost 16 km technically less demanding round trip to Mount Lotz. The ideal time is spring in February / March, when the wild tulips and wild almond trees are in bloom.
- In order to save yourself the first few kilometers on the gravel road from road 171, you can carefully bump on the road recommended for 4x4 vehicles with a passenger car with reasonably usable ground clearance. 5 Parking at a parking space before the slope leads down into a wadi, after crossing the stream it will soon only be drivable for off-roaders and there are no turning options here.
- after the passage, which is only drivable for off-roaders, the blue and white marked piste and after approx. 2 km you reach the parking lot at the Arod Gap Picnic Area, from the vantage point there is a great view of the western end of the Makhtesh Ramon. The blue-white slope leads through the Arod Gap down to Wadi Arod or Nahal Arud.
- after 5.25 km you reach the 12 Branch of the with Loz Ascent designated black and white route that leads to Mount Lotz. Shortly after the junction, the green leaves of the desert rhubarb plants fall (Desert rhubarb) that thrive here in the western Negev.
- the black and white marked hiking trail initially runs along the wadi, the summit is reached after approx. 3.5 km. After just under one and a half kilometers you can reach a small plateau 13 Make out ruins of structures, the wadi is becoming increasingly narrow. After a narrow point where the gnarled 14 Atlantic pistachios defy the desert climate, the path climbs in a southerly direction.
- during the 15 As you climb, watch out for the white wild tulips blooming on the slopes near the path in February / March (Tulipa biflora).
- the path to the summit plateau becomes increasingly flatter, it remains clearly visible between the boulders. This is from the north 16 summit of Mount Lotz (955 m) can be reached without any problems, it represents only the highest elevation of a flat plateau, which, however, drops steeply to the south. At the summit, in the middle of a pile of stones, there is a sign that marks the intersection with the green and white route.
- for the way back you take the Green and white marked route to the right in a westerly direction, which first leads over the plateau (here look for wild tulips and the white-bluish Iris regis uzziae) and then in Wadi Eli'Av again in a northerly direction.
- in the course of the wadi one arrives at 17 wild almond trees, which are in full bloom at the end of February.
- at the next 18 Crossing you take the black and white marked route, which initially leads along a valley floor. Crown anemones bloom here in March.
- the path leads along the gently sloping valley and over a flat saddle, by 19 You can descend again through the white flowering wild tulips at the end of February / beginning of March Tulipa biflora to encounter.
- after a short distance on the The red and white marked piste takes you back to the blue-white slope on which you started the tour and which leads back to the starting point or leading to the parking lot.
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shop
- in Mitzpe Ramon there is a little one 1 Supermarket
- in the shop of Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center drinks, snacks and ice cream as well as sun protection hats, drinking bottles and topographic maps are available.
kitchen
accommodation
- 2 Har HaNegev Field School. Tel.: 972 8658 8615, 972 3638 8688 (Reservations). has guest rooms, reservations via the central reservation number.
- in Mitzpe Ramon there is hotel accommodation in different price ranges
security
With regard to crime, the security situation is completely harmless, thefts and vehicle break-ins hardly ever occur in the hiking areas in the national park area (at most in the parking lots with a high number of visitors, if valuables are clearly presented in the car ...); At night you are only allowed to stay in the designated campground areas.
There is more danger from natural threats in the desert: above all there is danger from the glowing heat of the sun on summer days with only minimal supply of shade (heat stroke, lack of drinking water), storm surges as a result of very rare but occasionally massive rains in the desert, which the rivulets in the Being able to swell wadis into rapid brooks - consult weather forecasts and rain radar if the forecast is appropriate (winter months).
The routes marked in color on the map are well marked in the terrain. The waypoints are consequently always at most within sight of each other. Should you lose the route, you have to go back to the last waymark and look again for the next mark. Signposts mark the most important hiking destinations, but under no circumstances should you set off without a map on which the routes are marked with their colors.
On the marked hiking trails, some of which are secured with iron steps, ladders or railings in difficult places, the risk of falling is low, but in many places you can suddenly stand on a cliff over an abyss - small children are definitely not allowed to frolic unsupervised.
If in doubt, an intended tour should always be discussed with the park rangers in the Mitzpe Ramon Visitors Center, who always advise caution in critical situations.
trips
- The tours in the eastern and southern sections of Makhtesh Ramon can be found in the main article Hiking in Makhtesh Ramon
- The park area of the Lotz cisterns, where there are further hiking opportunities.
- There are also great opportunities for hikes in the desert area in the large and small Makhtesh, around Sde Boker and on the slopes to the Dead Sea.
Literature / maps
- Makhtesh Ramon Circular Trail Map, 1: 35,000, Shvil.net, approx. 30 NIS
- Prospectus / overview plan of the national park administration, approx. 10 NIS
