| Israel National Trail | |
|---|---|
 Route of Israel National Trail as of 2019 | |
| Length | 1,025 kilometres (636.9 mi) |
| Location | Israel |
| Established | 1995 |
| Trailheads | North: Dan, South: Eilat |
| Use | Hiking |
| Season | autumn, winter, spring; with caution and only northern parts also in summer |
| Months | November to May[1] |
| Website | www |
The Israel National Trail (Hebrew: שביל ישראל, Shvil Yisra'el) is a hiking trail that crosses the entire length of Israel,[2] with its northern end at Kibbutz Dan in the far north of the country, extending to Eilat at the southernmost tip of Israel on the Red Sea, with a total length of 1,040 km (650 mi).[3][4] The trail was inaugurated in 1995.
The trail is marked with three stripes (white, blue, and orange), and takes an average of 45–60 days to complete.[5]
The Israel National Trail has been listed in National Geographic's 20 most "epic trails." It is described as a trail that "delves into the grand scale of biblical landscapes as well as the everyday lives of the modern Israeli."[6]
Since January 2016, the Israel National Trail can be explored on Google Street View. Israel National Trail on Google Street View.[7]
The best hiking seasons are either from mid-February to mid-May or from September to December. The summer months (mid-May to the end of August) are considered too hot. Winter is less popular due to rain, low temperatures and, in the southern sections of the trail, potential flash floods.
- ^ Schnitzspahn, Doug. "World's Best Hikes: Epic Trails". National Geographic. Archived from the original on August 1, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Israel National Trail". Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
- ^ National Geographic names Israel National Trail as one of world's best, Haaretz
- ^ Google Street View cameras to bring Israel National Trail alive, Jerusalem Post
- ^ Porcupines, Emperors, and the New Middle East, Eretz Magazine
- ^ Udasin, Sharon (August 13, 2012). "'National Geographic' calls Israel Trail 'epic'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ Leichman, Abigail Klein (2015-05-11). "Israel National Trail gets Google Street View". ISRAEL21c. Retrieved 2023-11-04.