Important update: before you venture to Mount Ramon, check that road 171 is open. Due to some flood damages; it was closed to civilian circulation in October 2022 and no date for reopen has been announced as far as I know. But repairs are scheduled.
Like the Albert Promenade and the Sculpture Park, this excursion to Mount Ramon and the Karnei Ramon viewpoint allows you to look down into the immense geological phenomenon which is the Ramon Makhteshm but this time, from the other extremity.
The two panoramas differ quite a bit (the Mitzpe Ramon walk is circled in purple, the Karnei Ramon circled in green) but the particular delight of this walk is the fact that you are in the middle of nowhere and unlikely to see another soul. There are other details that make this walk so very compelling, but before I get into them, a word of warning. Mount Ramon is a mere 1037 m altitude, not even Alpine, but in the middle of the summer there can be a stiff breeze, and in the winter only make this hike in the middle of a warm, sunny day.
From Krivine Guesthouse allow a generous 45 minute to get there. Head for Mitzpe Ramon and about 6 km shy of the town you will see a signpost on your right for road 171 which you take. From here it is a 20 minute drive to your destination along a narrow road which is fraying at the edges so take it easy and enjoy the view without taking your eyes off the road.
This is your sign to make a left.
This is an unpaved road which starts off fairly even but as you progress it gets bumpier and bumpier. If you have a rental you won’t make it all the way to the parking. Go as far as you feel comfortable and stop if you think the car might get scraped and pull over in a manner that allows other cars to pass, and continue to the parking area on foot. You should be able to get to two to three hundred meters from the parking.
Mont Ramon (Har Ramon)
The summit of Mount Ramon is about ten minutes walk. It is the world’s least impressive summit, you will not be planting your national flag, there isn’t even a view. Continue along the black path (the red is slightly longer and arrives at the same terminal but is way harder on the knees). The terminal of these two path is what you came here for.
The landscape gets lovelier and you pass a Bronze Age ritual site (if you took the red path) about which I know nothing but which makes me stop and reflect; my ancestors once approached this place with awe and trepidation; why am I unmoved by it? What is wrong with me? The plaque explaining what you are seeing was written by someone just like me.
If you took the red path, be aware of the not so gentle slope (and take into account that you have to climb again before reaching your destination).
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The black and red path join just before reaching the view point of Karnei Ramon
The Karnei Ramon View Point
The Karnei Ramon viewpoint is the start only of our destination, but this is something that has the ability to move modern homo sapiens. It is dedicated to the seven astronauts who perished on the Columbia space shuttle in 2003, and the reason this American tragedy is commemorated here is because Ilan Ramon was on board and he was one of our own. It has to be noted that the Makhtesh is not named after Ilan Ramon, it was Ramon before he was born. The stone plaque explains everything, but for more about Ilan Ramon check out my post about the Visitor’s Center.
and just beyond the seven standing stones you arrive at the view.
At this point you are at the western extremity of the makhtesh. In front of you, 7 black hills covered with basalt.
Each has been named in memory of one of the occupant of the Columbia shuttle.
This is where the hike really begins. Right behind the memorial, you will see that the red path carries on.
Walk along the Makhtesh, forever
You are walking along a comfortable ledge with the makhtesh below you and to your right, and as you progress and more of the makhtesh opens to view you are drawn to go on, to go to the next look-out, and then the next. Because the trajectory of the walk forms a gentle arc, you are unable to see beyond the next look-out point, you don’t know what awaits you beyond, it is tantalizing to the point of addiction, but you go on in the knowledge that you are moving further and further away from your car. It is a good idea, therefore, to bring a sensible person with you, perhaps a slightly older person who will say, ‘I think we should go back now’.
Let’s say that you did finally turn back and you have now returned to your car, the adventure is not necessarily over. If you have left yourself enough time, the Borot Lotz hike is a mere ten minute drive away, completely different and full of wild flowers if you are there between February and April. When we last drove from Karnei Ramon on 171 we had a close encounter with a herd of wild donkeys which are famously camera-shy and rarely seen. This area is actually your best chance to spot them as this is where they have been reintroduce about 30 years ago. And if it is your good fortune to be on road 171 during a Jewish holiday (Pesah, Sukkot, Hannuka) you can drive to its terminal at a permanent IDF post and be allowed to drive on road 10 which runs parallel with the Egyptian border looking deep into Sinai. And where does road 10 fetch up? Cafe Ezuz of course. If your timing is right, if the visibility is good, if the weather is compliant, this will have been an unforgettable day.
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