After the driest winter we've experienced in years, we were finally blessed with a few good days of rain that filled Israel's dry river- beds. This is a great reason to get out of the house and go for a hike in Israel's lush, green regions. This past week I therefore decided to hike the trail at Nahal Meitzar, in the southern Golan Heights. It's one of the most enjoyable and easiest hikes in the area, and also one of the most popular – especially after a few days of serious rain. Many visitors – young and old – made their way through the muddy trails in search of the spectacular Meitzar Waterfall, which falls from a towering height of nine meters. The trail is not especially long, but it is linear. If you don't have the option of coming with two cars, you can walk to the waterfall and then retrace your steps to reach the parking area. The six-kilometer round-trip can take up to half a day. Nahal Meitzar is a tributary of the Yarmuk River, which eventually spills into the Jordan River. Its name, which means “narrow,” derives from the fact that there is only a tiny area between it and Kibbutz Ein Gev. If you're coming in two cars, you'll pass by the road leading to Hamat Gader/Ramat Magshimim on your way to the parking area between the two rivers, where you should leave your second car. Throughout the hike, all around you will be the blooming spring wildflowers, the Tabor oak trees and the beautiful rocky hills. The trail begins at Kibbutz Meitzar, next to the ruins of the abandoned Syrian village al-Yakutza. After you cross over the cattle gate (don't forget to close it after you pass through), continue along the straightforward path with the blue trail markers for one kilometer, at which point you will begin descending toward Wadi Barbara (which means noisy river in Arabic), which also passes through the nature reserve. You must be careful as you descend since the slope is relatively steep and slippery, especially just following rain. When you've reached the bottom, cross over the stream. In recent years, because of the relatively small amount of rain that has fallen and the large amount of water that's pumped from the river, the water flow at this spot has not been very strong. But even splashing around in a small amount of water can make you feel great. As you get closer to the water, you will notice that the type of fauna changes. If you're planning on stopping at some point for a picnic during your hike, this is definitely the best location. You can spread out your sheet by the side of the water, and enjoy the shade and sounds of the flowing water. And if you hang out there long enough, you might even catch a glimpse of a gazelle or wild boar that live in the area. When you're finished your picnic, continue along the side of the river for another two kilometers, until you feel that the trail is beginning to climb a little towards the road. Now it's time to start getting excited about the high point of the hike – the waterfall. Continue along on the paved road with the trail markers for 500 meters, and then climb over an opening in the fence and walk back down toward the river. In another 500 meters, you will see the waterfall on your left. If you're not freezing cold and you feel like doing something a bit daring, you can walk down to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, which is almost overflowing in the winter months. But as I said before, we didn't have much rain this winter, so the river's flow is not very strong right now. After you've finished relaxing at the waterfall, it's time to climb back up to the road. If you've left a second car at the end of the trail, you'll find the parking area just down the road. If you've come in one car, follow the blue trail markers all the way back to the first parking area. ■ Translated by Hannah Hochner.
