Reserve army duty is full of surprises, and this time surplus of recruited soldiers granted my trip partner a week of on the joint staff expense.
In army quickness we replaced the uniform in sun lotion and the Apc in company car and reported in the Yehudia parking on road 87.


After paying entry fee and equipping with Popsicle and soft drinks we head to the green trail that leads to the descent of the lower Zavitan canyon.
The road pass threw oak forest and abandon of wild lives that are visible due to the small number of hikers today.

The trail turns right to the red trail and soon we come to the trail crossing of red and black.


From here there is great view on the angled canton of the Zavitan, which give it its name (in Hebrew Zavitan is angled) we go down on the black trail on comfortable basalt steps to the lower Zavitan polls.


Upon reaching the canyon bottom we continue in dense bushes down stream until a big greenish pool that tempts us to go in for a swim, but we continue on wards to the better pools half a kilometer downstream.
These pools are equipped with build in fish and well-designed basalt waterfalls.


After swimming we continue on the black trail pass the trail crossing red and black (the red trail to the left lead back to the Yehudia parking) we take the right red trail and after half kilometer arrive to Nataf spring.

This spring drips down from the cliff threw silt “beard” and create interesting nature phenomena and cool shower for the hikers.



The trail continue on threw a less toured part of the stream and threw beautiful set of pools and abandon of butterflies and crabs and scent steeply on the right cliff of the canyon to the Plato above.

Easy stroll on the Plato lead us to the descent to Meshoshim stream.
On the way down we can view the impressive landscape of Meshoshim stream and soon we end the descent at a small wooden bridge above Meshoshim stream.
The sign on the bridge warn us to cross one at a time and after short look at the bridge rusting foundations and the strange angle in which it hangs we understand the warning…



The bridge gives observation point on the raging creek of Meshoshim stream and we continue left down hill to the Meshoshim pool, this pool was created by slow cooling lava from ancient volcano creating basalt hexagons and in this the stream carved the pool.


Although the water is freezing we gather our guts and swim to the waterfall at the edge of the pool and go back for lunch on the poolside.


We come back on the trail and turn left to the green trail that leads above the right bank of Meshoshim stream threw the ruins of ancient farm houses and herd of wild boars to the Kineret lake.
From there on the road we hitch hiked back to the Yehudia parking and back to complete the reserve duty by jeep touring on the army expense…



trip summary : from Yehudia parking to lower zavitan and threw Nataf spring to the hexagon pool on to the Kineret and back by hitchiking .

defficulty        : hard especially the ascent from the zavitan canyon.

month of trip  : may

conclusion     : hike in beautifull view spotted with amazing pools and the best pool - the hexagon pool.

links:

key words: Zavitan stream, Lower Zavitan, Nataf spring , Hexagon pool