Canyoning in the Black Canyon

Hi,
Atzva and I went canyoning in the Black Canyon, which is in the middle part of Zavitan stream that flows down from Golan Heights to the Sea of Galilee.

About A year ago we were hiking down the upper part of Zavitan stream and finished exactly at the point we will start walk the creek today.

Take Care
Gad

Yehudia forest nature reserve gate closed and will be opened at 7:00 (Waze said  hours, but it took us only 1:40 from Ramat Gan to get here! It usually takes us at least 3 hours.... Black Canyon
Yehudia forest nature reserve gate closed and will be opened at 7:00 (Waze said  hours, but it took us only 1:40 from Ramat Gan to get here! It usually takes us at least 3 hours….

Rappelling equipment and the guide from Radius tours - Black Canyon
Rappelling equipment and the guide from Radius tours

Each had to carry its own harness and helmet, and some of the group equipment - Black Canyon
Each had to carry its own harness and helmet, and some of the group equipment

We start by walking about half an hour till we get to creek - Black Canyon
We started by walking about half an hour till we get to creek

Cow fence and men croosing (it remainds me the crossing at Wales) - Black Canyon
Cow fence and men crossing (it reminds me the crossing at Wales). Looking closely you can see that the posts are railway slippers, probably from the Hejaz railway in the Yarmouk

The plateau of Golan Heights - Black Canyon
The plateau of Golan Heights

The remains of Seikh Hussein Syrian village

Atzva shoe sole. We where told to bring shoes that can hold the hike but does not even get to the water. Black Canyon
Atzva shoe sole. We where told to bring shoes that can hold the hike but does not even get to the water.

The trail junction - Black Canyon
The trail junction

Going down to the trail (the one we climbed we ended the upper paet of Zavitan stream) - Black Canyon
Going down to the trail (the one we climbed we ended the upper part of Zavitan stream)

From the trail junction we had to wear helmets - Black Canyon
From the trail junction we had to wear helmets

The entrance to the middle part of zavitan stream, it is fenced with a cable and a sign. Black Canyon
The entrance to the middle part of zavitan stream, it is fenced with a cable and a sign.

A crab in the stream water - Black Canyon
A crab in the stream water

The beautiful view of Zavitan stream - Black Canyon
The beautiful view of Zavitan stream

Israel Nature and Parks Authority inspector - Black Canyon
Israel Nature and Parks Authority inspector

Just a cascade, not yet a waterfall - Black Canyon
Just a cascade, not yet a waterfall

The first waterfall and the pools underneath - Black Canyon
The first waterfall and the pools underneath


The Zavitan stream flows down slowly

 Rappelling down the first waterfall - starting slowly with 6 m high - Black Canyon
Rappelling down the first waterfall – starting slowly with 6 m high


Rappelling in first waterfall Black canyon

Looking up at the first waterfall - Black CanyonLooking up at the first waterfall

Fish in the pool of first waterfall - Black Canyon
Fish in the pool of first waterfall

Crossing the pools to the second waterfall - Black Canyon
Crossing the pools to the second waterfall

The pools of the first waterfall from the other end - Black Canyon
The pools of the first waterfall from the other end


First waterfall pool in the Black canyon

Getting serious - the second waterfall, 20 m high - Black CanyonGetting serious – the second waterfall, 20 m high


Rappelling in second waterfall Black canyon

Looking up the second waterfall

Looking on the second waterfall from the end of the pools

Swimming in the pool - Black Canyon
Swimming in the pool

The Black Canyon
The Black Canyon

A tree growing inside the rock - Black Canyon
A tree growing inside the rock

A cascade we stop at to cool down - Black Canyon
A cascade we stop at to cool down

Another shoe had fallen apart - Black Canyon
Another shoe had fallen apart

At some point the stream disappears and latter on appears again. The stream flows on layers of clay that was burned after each volcanic eruption (that create a layer of Basalt rock) - Black Canyon
At some point the stream disappears and latter on appears again. The stream flows on layers of clay that was burned after each volcanic eruption (that create a layer of Basalt rock)

A tree holding itself on the vertical wall - Black Canyon
A tree holding itself on the vertical wall

You can see how the flaura grows on the layers of clay - Black Canyonbetween the rocks
You can see how the flaura grows on the layers of clay between the rocks

Walking above the empty stream - Black Canyon
Walking above the empty stream


This part allows you to dry a bit

Between the second and third waterfall

The pool on top of the third waterfall - Black Canyon
The pool on top of the third waterfall

Getting down to the pool and in the cold water after you have been dried is an hard task... - Black Canyon
Getting down to the pool and in the cold water after you have been dried is an hard task…

Rappelling down the third waterfall – 20m high with positive slope. On the bottom there is a 50m long pool

The third waterfall from below


Rappelling in third waterfall

Basalt bomb - Black Canyon
Basalt bomb


Climbing up about 400 steps up the creek. This was the way down to lower Zavitan stream.

Another crossing on a cow fence
Another crossing on a cow fence

The line of torn apart shoes (we should have listen to the massage saying bring good shoes, not the kind you think to throw away…)


The canyoning trail (Source: Israelhiking.osm.org.il)

icon-car.png
Middle part of Zvaitan stream, Israel

loading map - please wait...

Middle part of Zvaitan stream, Israel 32.957051, 35.688826