Israel National Trail gets 2 new sections connecting Eilat to Hermon

The Israel National Trail now reaches Mount Hermon in two new sections that were added to it, the Nature Protection Society announced on Sunday.

The two new sections, which were recently fully marked, now take the trail all the way across the country from Eilat to Mount Hermon.

The marking was completed with the assistance of local municipalities, the Nature and Parks Authority, the IDF, and Schusterman Philanthropies. 

The new section passes through natural landscapes, heritage sites, and the settlements of the area and includes unique panoramic views of the area and its surroundings, including the Ramim Cliffs, the Hula Valley, the Golan Heights, and the Hermon.

Maps of the new route will be available for purchase on the website of the Nature Protection Society.

"The Israel National Trail was inaugurated by the Nature Protection Society in 1995," said the society's director-general Dan Alon. "Since it was inaugurated, it underwent many changes - adjustments to a developing country, responses to security issues in the areas it passes through, and the addition of new areas, interesting sites, or overlooks. This summer, the trail received an important and refreshing change. Twenty-eight years after the trail was inaugurated, we are proud to say that Hermon and the Golan Heights entered the trail's route. Do not say from Dan to Eilat, from now on say from Hermon to Eilat.”

Itzik Ben Dov, the trail marking coordinator at the Nature Protection Society, explained that until two years ago, the northern end of the Israel Trail was in Kibbutz Dan, however, this route faced two issues: A safety difficulty in the route of the trail between Tel Hai and Ma'ayan Baruch, which led the hikers of the trail along the edge of a narrow road without curbs, and the second is hikers' desire to start or end the trail at the northernmost point of the country. 

The Nature Protection Society added that now, the first section from the north begins at the Hermon site ticket offices and descends to the Hula Valley and Tel Hai, where the new route meets the continuation of the trail, to the south.

The Israel National Trail is divided into 56 sections, which can be walked in sequence as a long trek or a different section each time.

Kiryat Shmona gets its own part of the trail

"Kiryat Shmona is proud and happy to introduce the most beautiful and important trail in the country - the Israel Trail - to its territory," said Kiryat Shmona municipality. "The Israel National Trail is expected to pass through Nahal Ein Zahav, KKL-Junk Park, and other important urban natural gems, and showcase them to the Israeli traveling public."