Carmel National Park
Carmel National Park
4.5
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
About
The Hay-Bar on the Carmel is devoted to the raising of endangered and extinct animals of the region and possible re-introduction to the wild. The park maintains breeding cells of Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica), roe deer (capreolus capreolus), as well as various types of vultures and other raptors, which are also part of the re-introduction and re-acclimatization program.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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4.5
160 reviews
Excellent
106
Very good
47
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Dan Maarek
Tel Aviv, Israel16,512 contributions
Oct 2021
Ideal for a break from the stress from work.
Ideal for the lucky ones who live in Haifa or in this part of Israel.
But in SUMMER make sure to take enough water (1-2 liters/pax), your hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
And of course to plan for how long you wish to walk.
Very easy to get dehydrated.
Ideal for the lucky ones who live in Haifa or in this part of Israel.
But in SUMMER make sure to take enough water (1-2 liters/pax), your hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
And of course to plan for how long you wish to walk.
Very easy to get dehydrated.
Written 27 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eduardo O
Haifa, Israel107 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
10 minutes by car away from Haifa city you find the big national park CARMEL FOREST. Ok, it is not as big like the USA parks, or as dense in trees as European forests, but it has a great number of attractions that can be combined in one long day tour. If you are a biker, the tour can be done by bike (rental bike is possible if done in advance). You can start the tour (if by car) at Haifa University, where many lookout points can be found. the landscape is 360 degrees and you can see up to the Lebanese border. Many marked walking routes can be found all over the national park, from easy/family walks up to the fitted for a 8 hours walk. Picnic areas and camping night places can be found as well. A visit to the druze villages is a must. Typical dressing can be seen and authentic food (oriental type) can be tasted. All the time the landscape will escort you during the trip. After tasting the food at the druze villages (Osfyia and Dalyat el Karmel), you continue with the car to reach the Muhraka monastery (closed on Sunday) that belongs to the Carmelite court. From the lookout terrace of the monastery, again a breathtaking landscape will finish our tour.
Written 8 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YrosCPT
Cape Town Central, South Africa36 contributions
Jan 2018 • Friends
Haifa's Carmel Park is not on the tourists must-visit bucket list for Israel and we nearly missed out on this gem of a place for keen walking enthusiasts.
The park is vast and spreads from Haifa to neighboring cities and villages with many trails on both slopes (called the western and easten "sides"). We opted at first for an entry level walking path directly across from Haifa University. Free parking is plentiful.
The trail is great for walking and cycling, about a 1 hour walk with stunning views of the park and the ocean. We decided to continue down one of the unpaved paths leading west towards another small town (tirat carmel), another 2 hour trek with a bus ride from that city back to haifa (about a 15 minute ride by bus and another 30 back to the university and our starting point).
There are more lush and historical sights treks in wadi Siach and Lotem but we loved walking the Carmel Park trails and highly recommend them, quiet, clean and free.
Great sunset picnic when we arrived back at the start point.
Theres a number of cafes in the university, recommed bringing your own or a picnic.
The park is vast and spreads from Haifa to neighboring cities and villages with many trails on both slopes (called the western and easten "sides"). We opted at first for an entry level walking path directly across from Haifa University. Free parking is plentiful.
The trail is great for walking and cycling, about a 1 hour walk with stunning views of the park and the ocean. We decided to continue down one of the unpaved paths leading west towards another small town (tirat carmel), another 2 hour trek with a bus ride from that city back to haifa (about a 15 minute ride by bus and another 30 back to the university and our starting point).
There are more lush and historical sights treks in wadi Siach and Lotem but we loved walking the Carmel Park trails and highly recommend them, quiet, clean and free.
Great sunset picnic when we arrived back at the start point.
Theres a number of cafes in the university, recommed bringing your own or a picnic.
Written 27 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nechama S
Miami Beach, FL170 contributions
Aug 2016
We showed up at the Mount Carmel national park without knowing exactly what is there or what there is to see. We were just in the US in Yellowstone National Park where there are park rangers every 5 feet. If you have 10 minutes of extra time you can find a park ranger and they very enthusiastically and happily give you advice. American Park Rangers are probably the people in the world who are happiest with their jobs. The are passionate about the parks and are thrilled to be able to help people enjoy these beautiful areas. But, back to our story. We find ourselves in the Mount Carmel national park, the largest national park in Israel. It is August and we are a party of 9, the youngest of whom is 5. We arrive at the park, after driving about an hour from Zichron Yaakov. We have no idea where to go or what to see. We pass a guard house, ostensibly for paying an entrance fee. There is no one there. There are no maps. There is NO ONE in sight. There is no one to ask questions to. We drove around a little inside the park. The park is full of trees, was completely devoid of human visitors and is dominated on one side by mount Carmel, the site of an epic battle between Elijah the prophet and the pagan worshippers of the Baal (check it out in Kings 1). There are many caves that you can see embedded in the mountain and this was a very exciting episode in history. But, despite the pizazz of Biblical times, I didn't see very much to do there nowadays. We passed a few places to bbq and a bunch of trailheads. The problem was, we didn't know where the trailheads led to and how long the trails were, so we couldn't embark on any hiking adventures. The drive around there was beautiful, so if you just want to drive through, I'm sure that would be nice. I noticed a memorial to people killed in the big forest fire in that area in 2010. The road is not lit so I would not recommend driving around after dark or walking around there either, for that matter. Bottom line: there probably are interesting trails and nice things to do in the area. BUT, do your research before you go- ask people who have been and had good experiences, ask the concierge at your hotel, buy a book, anything!!! But, don't just show up thinking you'll find something fantastic. You may find out you have no idea where you are or why you are there like we did. Bring water, bring food, have your car fueled up, there is nothing in the area.
Written 4 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keiko M
Kelowna, Canada498 contributions
Jul 2015 • Friends
We were on a private tour with our family and close friends, also we were interested in the historical events of the scriptures and it was on Mount Carmel that happened one of the most exciting passages of the Old Testament. Where Elijah confronted the priests of Baal. But what moved me most was to see beyond the top, the famous Valley of Armageddon, which is described in Ezekiel 38.
Written 22 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I visited this place🇬🇧🇳🇱🇺🇸🇫🇷🇨🇭
Israel36,065 contributions
Mar 2022 • Solo
PROS
• Big and vast area
• Lush verdant greenery
• Beautiful scenic mountain views
• Beautiful scenic views of the sea
• Panoramic hiking trails
• Many hiking trails of all endurance
• Many hiking trails of all lengths
• Many hiking trails of all difficulties
• Many picnic areas with abundant tables
• Close to the city
• Adjacent to the university
• Nicknamed “Little Switzerland”
• Several Biblical sites and references
• Exclusive expensive spa
CONS
• Need a car
• Much car & truck traffic on park roads
MY EXPERIENCE
I hiked in “Little Switzerland” with a large group of Israeli religious high school girls: it was not the quiet pleasant experience of my hopes (to say the least). The scenery was nice, though (see my few photos).
• Big and vast area
• Lush verdant greenery
• Beautiful scenic mountain views
• Beautiful scenic views of the sea
• Panoramic hiking trails
• Many hiking trails of all endurance
• Many hiking trails of all lengths
• Many hiking trails of all difficulties
• Many picnic areas with abundant tables
• Close to the city
• Adjacent to the university
• Nicknamed “Little Switzerland”
• Several Biblical sites and references
• Exclusive expensive spa
CONS
• Need a car
• Much car & truck traffic on park roads
MY EXPERIENCE
I hiked in “Little Switzerland” with a large group of Israeli religious high school girls: it was not the quiet pleasant experience of my hopes (to say the least). The scenery was nice, though (see my few photos).
Written 24 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MauricioBromfman
Rio de Janeiro, RJ103 contributions
May 2018
rare wood vegetation for this area abundance of trails and picnic rest areas ease of access and Parking
Written 28 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jake23
New Jersey6,839 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
It really depends on what you would like to see whether or not you stop. If you are looking for hiking and views this is your spot. We did not have time to stop but wish we had.
Written 24 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joseph L
Queens, NY12 contributions
Nov 2016 • Solo
Upon arrival, as stated in an earlier review, there are no park rangers and no trail maps.
I got here around 9:30 AM on a Thursday. I was the only living soul in sight. The only car in the parking lot, which happened to have a bunch of garbage strewn around it.
Then I had an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Thankfully the good people of the Israeli Park system DID open the doors AND there was toilet paper in two of the stalls.
The bathroom was badly in need of a cleaning as there was toilet paper and garbage everywhere BUT it didn't smell like a horrible disaster. I was super thankful that it was bearable.
I wandered upon 3 backpacker/camper dudes who pointed me to a trailhead that they said was only 20 minutes and led to a cave. The hike was stairs at first and then some semi-challenging scrambling up some boulders/pathway but manageable. At the end there was indeed a big ol' cave. I explored this by myself which was kind of scary but kind of cool as well.
When I came down a random herd of goats was wandering through the place. It was kind of magical?
It was definitely different than the typical US national park experience. Yes, national parks in the US have rangers and trail maps/gift shops/concession stands, etc. but they also ARE SUPER CROWDED. It was kind of nice to walk the trail without dodging people every step of the way and to be able to take pictures without random dudes in cargo shorts in the background.
Anyways I left after about two hours to catch the English tour at Baha'i Gardens but definitely do not regret coming here. So feel free to visit but maybe bring some toilet paper in case you're not as lucky as me!
I got here around 9:30 AM on a Thursday. I was the only living soul in sight. The only car in the parking lot, which happened to have a bunch of garbage strewn around it.
Then I had an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Thankfully the good people of the Israeli Park system DID open the doors AND there was toilet paper in two of the stalls.
The bathroom was badly in need of a cleaning as there was toilet paper and garbage everywhere BUT it didn't smell like a horrible disaster. I was super thankful that it was bearable.
I wandered upon 3 backpacker/camper dudes who pointed me to a trailhead that they said was only 20 minutes and led to a cave. The hike was stairs at first and then some semi-challenging scrambling up some boulders/pathway but manageable. At the end there was indeed a big ol' cave. I explored this by myself which was kind of scary but kind of cool as well.
When I came down a random herd of goats was wandering through the place. It was kind of magical?
It was definitely different than the typical US national park experience. Yes, national parks in the US have rangers and trail maps/gift shops/concession stands, etc. but they also ARE SUPER CROWDED. It was kind of nice to walk the trail without dodging people every step of the way and to be able to take pictures without random dudes in cargo shorts in the background.
Anyways I left after about two hours to catch the English tour at Baha'i Gardens but definitely do not regret coming here. So feel free to visit but maybe bring some toilet paper in case you're not as lucky as me!
Written 24 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A-Pechkovsky
Haifa, Israel16 contributions
Feb 2016 • Solo
Beautiful national park with a lot of bike and pedestrians routes, with astonish view to the Mediterranean. The best time to visit is January-March, when anemones, irises and other beauty is on blossom. There are a very interesting geology and biology to see
Written 18 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do you have a suggestion for a scenic few hour easy-to-moderate (hopefully panoramic Mountain View’s) loop hike for tomorrow, given that it might rain today but not tomorrow?
Written 21 February 2022
This trip is about 4k and is not difficult It begins at the "Carmel Gate" parking lot next to Road 672, which connects the Elyakim Interchange to Daliyat al-Carmel. In the parking lot, there are picnic tables, toilets and water . Park the car in the parking lot and continue on foot into the forest on a wide dirt road marked in green. After about 600 meters, you reach a path junction and turn right following the green marking, and at the next junction, after about 150 meters, turn left. A further 100-meter walk will meet us with a sign pointing to the right to the "cave path" שביל המערות marked along its entire length in red.
The path leads to a large rock-hewn plaza, and five caves Probably the tomb of a wealthy family living in the area in the late Roman or Byzantine period. The path curves between stone picnic tables , and later a forest mixed with grove trees. Follow the red trail markings all the way and do not accidentally turn to other trails. There are beautiful flower in the area at this time of year
After the rocky area, the path connects to several wooden steps that lead to two benches overlooking the landscape - the jezreel valley and mount Tabor
The continuation of the "cave path" marked in red after the lookout descends into a forest whose land is covered with rocks and passes by another complex of burial caves.
The path enters an orchard with old olive trees - and immediately afterwards meets the starting point of the "Cave Trail". Here turn left onto the wide dirt road marked in green, which leads back to the car park where you started the hike.
For shorter hikes and other ideas contact me directly since I cannot post html links
eyb145 at google
Written 21 February 2022
My friends and I are looking for a challenging hike near Akko, perhaps in the Carmel Forest. How long does it take to do this hike?
Thank you
Written 29 November 2017
In the Carmel Forest there are hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails - some moderatrely difficult, but the most challenging section of the forest is the upper half of Nahal Kelah. Get Trail Map # 4 found in most book stores. It's in Hebrew. Next best thing to do is to google "Nahal Kelah" and read up on it! Good luck!
Written 29 November 2017
KristineWhite
Paso Robles, California
How do you get there? What are the directions and does it cost?
Written 11 May 2016
Hi- There are few simple ways to get there but it depends what you like to see as mount Carmel is huge
if you just want to get to the open national parks for hiking and to the ridge (once you get to Haifa University - you can cross the road to "Little Switherland" and start hike into Beit=Oren ' jjust few miles away
1 - There are public buses which go to the Haifa University
2 - There are public buses which are going to the Drusian vilages Dalia-El-Carmel and Usefia where you can dine' and have open local bazar
3- There are service cabs from Haifa down-town to the Drusian vilages and Haifa University
if you want to get to the open zoo Hai-Bar ' get to the university and cross the road (ther eis a small entry charge - less than 10 $)
If you can be more specific on what hours' or days and i can find you public Taxy phone numbers or EGED bus numbers ' depend if you get to Haifa by Train ' Bus or by Local flight - Leor for you
There are trails for MBK (biking) ' walking ' and off course my favorite offroads trails for 4x4 ' and near by at Beit-Oren junction there are Horses and more to rent
Written 11 May 2016
Hi, if we want to do interesting hikes, where is the best place to start? What University are you referring to? And we will likely be staying over in Zichron Yaacov. Any suggestions are welcome
Thank you
Written 30 March 2016
You can take Little Switzerland hike starting at parking lot (GPS coordinates 32.7454305 35.0246551)
Try to find "Little Switzerland – Kelach & Galim streams" in Google.
Web site "Tiuli" has English description and maps.
Written 31 March 2016
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