Kerem Carmel Forest

All information about Kerem Carmel Forest Kerem Carmel Forest—routes and information in this article: Get to know Kerem Carmel Forest Kerem Carmel Forest—routes Kerem Carmel Forest—attractions Get to know Kerem Carmel Forest: Not without reason did the "Green Mountain," that is, Mount Carmel, become a sought-after area for hiking and leisure in nature. Among the many routes, parking lots, and attractions is Kerem Carmel Forest, located in the south-eastern part of Carmel, offering walking tours and picnic spots. It has seasonal blooming, burial caves, a famous monastery, organized parking lots with accessible picnic tables placed by KKL, viewpoints and observation points. Kerem Carmel Forest covers the area between the Mukhraka Monastery, the town of Yoqne'am, and the Alikim interchange, on the south-eastern slopes of the mountain. Kerem Carmel Forest—Routes Cave Trail Hiking on a circular route of about 2.5 km, suitable for experienced hikers because of a short and steep incline at the end of the route. Setting out: From the parking lot, retrace your steps westward, along the road you arrived on, until you see a direction sign for the Cave Trail, marked in red. After about 100 m, you will reach a large open area carved in the rock. Here you will see six caves whose entrances are decorated with quarrying in the shape of an arch. These are the burial caves of Khurbat Harmesh, containing small halls with burial niches and platforms for placing corpses. According to one theory, the site served an affluent Jewish family from the end of the Roman period or the Byzantine period as a burial estate. Burial cave at Khurbat Harmesh | Photo: Guy Asiag / KKL Photo Archive. From the burial caves, continue with the winding trail between stone picnic tables, a cypress plot, and a plot of Aleppo pine trees. North of the burial trail you can see, in the months of November–December, the blooming of narcissus. The trail climbs into the thickness of the forest. In the winter months and spring you can see narcissus, cyclamen, and squill around you. Continue to a broad path marked in green and from there to the junction. Continue walking straight with the trail marked in red. You reach a dirt road; you climb through the steep forest until you reach a few wooden steps and two benches facing the view—Kerem Carmel Lookout (Mukhraka). After a viewpoint stop and rest, continue with the signage instructing you to the continuation of the Cave Trail. This time you descend through the forest until you reach additional burial caves, only some of whose openings are exposed. It is forbidden to enter these caves! From here the trail continues downhill to the dirt road, where you turn right until you reach a wooden post that turns left. The continuation will lead you among terraces, orchard trees, and waves of stones—the former village of al-Zarusi Umm- al-Zinat, meaning "mother of the beauties." This is a place to enjoy seasonal blooming: in autumn—Sternbergia, crocuses, and narcissus; at the beginning of winter—cyclamen and squill; and later, blooming of a variety of types of flowers and plants. Cyclamen and squill in Kerem Carmel Forest | Photo: Kalan Edar / KKL Photo Archive. A moment before you return to the start of the route, you will pass by an olive tree vineyard with a bench inviting you to stop and enjoy the view. At the beginning of the route or at its end, you can enjoy a picnic at the Sha'ar Carmel parking lot under conifer trees, beside picnic tables, some of which are accessible. The site also has restrooms, water taps, and an accessible trail. Start and end point: Khurbat Harmesh parking lot How do you get to the start point? From the Alikim interchange, drive north toward Route 672—Dalit al-Karmel. After about 600 m, turn right to the Sha'ar Carmel parking lot. Continue driving to the eastern end of the Sha'ar Carmel parking lot to a green-marked bedrock road, between the forest trees. After about 600 m, near the olive tree vineyard and "Tzabar" (cluster/cacti), turn right; and after about 130 m, turn left into a large open area with a KKL sign on it. Continue driving another ~100 m to the Khurbat Harmesh parking lot. On the Cave Trail in Kerem Carmel Forest | Photo: Yaakov Shkolnik / KKL Photo Archive KKL Kerem Carmel Forest—attractions Khurbat Harmesh parking lot and the "Pine Cone Corner": The parking lot offers picnic tables, including accessible tables, pathways for people with disabilities, a group seating corner beside a round table suitable for 15 people, and a haven corner that was given the nickname "the Pine Cone Corner." Under the shade of three giant stone pine trees, there are three picnic tables that have become a special point of interest in the landscape of the parking lot. The Pine Cone parking lot in Kerem Carmel Forest | Photo: Yaakov Shkolnik / KKL Photo Archive KKL