A forest in the center of the country that is full of surprises.
A trip to the centrally located Rosh Ha'ayin Forest will take you out of the city to clear your head for two hours of pure enjoyment.
A short one-kilometer long trail will bring you to experience fantastic wildflowers bloom. In December, Crocus and Virgin's Bowers. In January masses of white Anemones.
Every time you come here, something else is blooming. Plus archeology, and other surprises.
The forest is young and contains plenty of planted and natural wild trees, shrubs and rare wildflowers in relatively small areas. The area is under the bird migration route which occurs during the fall and spring seasons.
Between 1976 and 1980, the JNF planted 1,050 acres of trees, containing hiking trails, picnic areas, field running and navigation courses. Also inside the forest are the archeological sites of the biblical town Even Ezer, and the remains Hirbat Dike associated with the Byzantine period.
We chose to drive on the blue-white marked road and proceeded on foot on the red-marked "Wildflowers Bloom path".
It is clear that this is a community forest in which the residents of the bordering neighborhoods help maintain it. Although it attracts many visitors, the forest is free of litter! And that's another good reason to visit. (Well done - the residents of Rosh HaAyin !!!!)
A short hike in the Forest does not require much logistics. A camera and water bottle will do, and birdwatchers are also recommended to add binoculars during the migration season.
How to get there?
From the Kesem Interchange (Route 6, Route 444, Route 5), drive east on the Trans-Samaria Road (Route 5) towards Ariel. At the Rosh HaAyin East interchange, opposite the Afek Industrial Park, turn right (south) on Kibbutz Galuyot street and drive 1.3 km until Nahal Rabah Street. On Nahal Rabah Street, turn right. The entrance to the forest is on the left, due to the "There is no turn left" sign, you have to drive on Nahal Rabah Street to the roundabout, make a U-turn and return until the entrance to the forest, which will now be a right turn. For those coming from Rosh Haayin, drive on Nahal Rabah Street and at the end continue straight ahead into the forest. GPS: Waze.
Enter the forest and head east. After about 400 m you reach a junction. Take the right lane, arriving after about 100 m to the "Eucalyptus" picnic area and parking lot, which is located under the shade of Eucalyptus trees. About 200 m away, after crossing Wadi Rabah, turn left and reach another parking lot (accessible to the disabled). A green barrier blocks the road and does not allow the passage of vehicles (only pedestrians and cyclists).
Park the car and continue on foot about 400 meters until you reach the marking indicating the beginning of the "Wildflowers Bloom Trail".
Because I went out with a nature addict and very knowledgeable friend, we were already delayed on the path leading to the entrance of the "Wildflowers Bloom trail", for acquaintance, photography, and documentation of two species of Rhus tripartita bushes.
The female bush flowered and began to give fruit, the male bush also full of greenish blossoms. This bush with its unique rounded spiny shape is monoecious: a separate bush for male flowers bearing only stamens, and a separate shrub for female flowers bearing the ovarian flowers and only this bush will grow fruits.
A second purpose for our visit was to take pictures and get acquainted with the Tamus orientalis bushes, which gently climb on trees and other shrubs. They also have separate male and female flowers.
Next, our eyes were caught by a relatively rare wild bush, Bush Jasmine
whose yellow flowers were in full bloom (probably due to the heat that struck us two weeks ago).
We did not greet them farewell without an impressive photo album.
After a short walk on foot, the "Wildflowers Bloom trail" signposting leads to the one-kilometer long red-marked path that climbs to the hill-top, where the Byzantine Dyer Ruin stands.
From the summit, there are excellent views on the coastal plain and the Tel-Aviv area.
During the bird migration seasons, you can also watch flocks of birds passing by. The downhill path will lead us back to the starting point.
Among the young trees along the path, The Aharon's Rod was blooming like a top model, a variety of white Anemones (hundreds), and also a few reds ones. Besides them, Persian Cyclamen were blooming (Not yet at the height of their bloom), Tuberous Hawkbit, Southern Daisy, Tamus bushes climbing the pine trees, Carob and Cypress trees. At the lookout area, the Virgin's Bower was blooming in white bells as she cast all her weight on the medical Birch trees.
Masses of large Common Asphodel flowers are just before blooming, which will come in about two months, along with the Orchids blossom, and a Hyacinth Squill
that will blossom here in royal azure on March, and in a shape that resembles the Sea squil.
The "Wildflowers Bloom trail" is full of surprises and wildflowers - the rocks here create interesting landscape formations and contain compounds and lumps that archaeologists may be able to explain.
During Fabuary to April , various of wildflowers that will bloom here are.
The most special and royal of them are : Tulips and many Persian Fritillary
Surely this is not the last time I am going to come here.
