Carmel National Park
Carmel National Park
4.5
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
About
The Hay-Bar on the Carmel is devoted to the raising of endangered and extinct animals of the region and possible re-introduction to the wild. The park maintains breeding cells of Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica), roe deer (capreolus capreolus), as well as various types of vultures and other raptors, which are also part of the re-introduction and re-acclimatization program.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles160 reviews
Excellent
106
Very good
47
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
1

Dan Maarek
Tel Aviv, Israel16,554 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Ideal for a break from the stress from work.
Ideal for the lucky ones who live in Haifa or in this part of Israel.

But in SUMMER make sure to take enough water (1-2 liters/pax), your hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
And of course to plan for how long you wish to walk.

Very easy to get dehydrated.
Written 27 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eduardo O
Haifa, Israel107 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2014 • Family
10 minutes by car away from Haifa city you find the big national park CARMEL FOREST. Ok, it is not as big like the USA parks, or as dense in trees as European forests, but it has a great number of attractions that can be combined in one long day tour. If you are a biker, the tour can be done by bike (rental bike is possible if done in advance). You can start the tour (if by car) at Haifa University, where many lookout points can be found. the landscape is 360 degrees and you can see up to the Lebanese border. Many marked walking routes can be found all over the national park, from easy/family walks up to the fitted for a 8 hours walk. Picnic areas and camping night places can be found as well. A visit to the druze villages is a must. Typical dressing can be seen and authentic food (oriental type) can be tasted. All the time the landscape will escort you during the trip. After tasting the food at the druze villages (Osfyia and Dalyat el Karmel), you continue with the car to reach the Muhraka monastery (closed on Sunday) that belongs to the Carmelite court. From the lookout terrace of the monastery, again a breathtaking landscape will finish our tour.
Written 8 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

YrosCPT
Cape Town Central, South Africa36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Friends
Haifa's Carmel Park is not on the tourists must-visit bucket list for Israel and we nearly missed out on this gem of a place for keen walking enthusiasts.
The park is vast and spreads from Haifa to neighboring cities and villages with many trails on both slopes (called the western and easten "sides"). We opted at first for an entry level walking path directly across from Haifa University. Free parking is plentiful.
The trail is great for walking and cycling, about a 1 hour walk with stunning views of the park and the ocean. We decided to continue down one of the unpaved paths leading west towards another small town (tirat carmel), another 2 hour trek with a bus ride from that city back to haifa (about a 15 minute ride by bus and another 30 back to the university and our starting point).
There are more lush and historical sights treks in wadi Siach and Lotem but we loved walking the Carmel Park trails and highly recommend them, quiet, clean and free.
Great sunset picnic when we arrived back at the start point.
Theres a number of cafes in the university, recommed bringing your own or a picnic.
Written 27 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nechama S
Miami Beach, FL170 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2016
We showed up at the Mount Carmel national park without knowing exactly what is there or what there is to see. We were just in the US in Yellowstone National Park where there are park rangers every 5 feet. If you have 10 minutes of extra time you can find a park ranger and they very enthusiastically and happily give you advice. American Park Rangers are probably the people in the world who are happiest with their jobs. The are passionate about the parks and are thrilled to be able to help people enjoy these beautiful areas. But, back to our story. We find ourselves in the Mount Carmel national park, the largest national park in Israel. It is August and we are a party of 9, the youngest of whom is 5. We arrive at the park, after driving about an hour from Zichron Yaakov. We have no idea where to go or what to see. We pass a guard house, ostensibly for paying an entrance fee. There is no one there. There are no maps. There is NO ONE in sight. There is no one to ask questions to. We drove around a little inside the park. The park is full of trees, was completely devoid of human visitors and is dominated on one side by mount Carmel, the site of an epic battle between Elijah the prophet and the pagan worshippers of the Baal (check it out in Kings 1). There are many caves that you can see embedded in the mountain and this was a very exciting episode in history. But, despite the pizazz of Biblical times, I didn't see very much to do there nowadays. We passed a few places to bbq and a bunch of trailheads. The problem was, we didn't know where the trailheads led to and how long the trails were, so we couldn't embark on any hiking adventures. The drive around there was beautiful, so if you just want to drive through, I'm sure that would be nice. I noticed a memorial to people killed in the big forest fire in that area in 2010. The road is not lit so I would not recommend driving around after dark or walking around there either, for that matter. Bottom line: there probably are interesting trails and nice things to do in the area. BUT, do your research before you go- ask people who have been and had good experiences, ask the concierge at your hotel, buy a book, anything!!! But, don't just show up thinking you'll find something fantastic. You may find out you have no idea where you are or why you are there like we did. Bring water, bring food, have your car fueled up, there is nothing in the area.
Written 4 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Keiko M
Kelowna, Canada498 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2015 • Friends
We were on a private tour with our family and close friends, also we were interested in the historical events of the scriptures and it was on Mount Carmel that happened one of the most exciting passages of the Old Testament. Where Elijah confronted the priests of Baal. But what moved me most was to see beyond the top, the famous Valley of Armageddon, which is described in Ezekiel 38.
Written 22 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Solo
PROS
• Big and vast area
• Lush verdant greenery
• Beautiful scenic mountain views
• Beautiful scenic views of the sea
• Panoramic hiking trails
• Many hiking trails of all endurance
• Many hiking trails of all lengths
• Many hiking trails of all difficulties
• Many picnic areas with abundant tables
• Close to the city
• Adjacent to the university
• Nicknamed “Little Switzerland”
• Several Biblical sites and references
• Exclusive expensive spa

CONS
• Need a car
• Much car & truck traffic on park roads

MY EXPERIENCE
I hiked in “Little Switzerland” with a large group of Israeli religious high school girls: it was not the quiet pleasant experience of my hopes (to say the least). The scenery was nice, though (see my few photos).
Written 24 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MauricioBromfman
Rio de Janeiro, RJ103 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018
rare wood vegetation for this area abundance of trails and picnic rest areas ease of access and Parking
Written 28 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jake23
New Jersey6,845 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2018 • Couples
It really depends on what you would like to see whether or not you stop. If you are looking for hiking and views this is your spot. We did not have time to stop but wish we had.
Written 24 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joseph L
Queens, NY12 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2016 • Solo
Upon arrival, as stated in an earlier review, there are no park rangers and no trail maps.

I got here around 9:30 AM on a Thursday. I was the only living soul in sight. The only car in the parking lot, which happened to have a bunch of garbage strewn around it.

Then I had an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Thankfully the good people of the Israeli Park system DID open the doors AND there was toilet paper in two of the stalls.

The bathroom was badly in need of a cleaning as there was toilet paper and garbage everywhere BUT it didn't smell like a horrible disaster. I was super thankful that it was bearable.

I wandered upon 3 backpacker/camper dudes who pointed me to a trailhead that they said was only 20 minutes and led to a cave. The hike was stairs at first and then some semi-challenging scrambling up some boulders/pathway but manageable. At the end there was indeed a big ol' cave. I explored this by myself which was kind of scary but kind of cool as well.

When I came down a random herd of goats was wandering through the place. It was kind of magical?

It was definitely different than the typical US national park experience. Yes, national parks in the US have rangers and trail maps/gift shops/concession stands, etc. but they also ARE SUPER CROWDED. It was kind of nice to walk the trail without dodging people every step of the way and to be able to take pictures without random dudes in cargo shorts in the background.

Anyways I left after about two hours to catch the English tour at Baha'i Gardens but definitely do not regret coming here. So feel free to visit but maybe bring some toilet paper in case you're not as lucky as me!
Written 24 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

A-Pechkovsky
Haifa, Israel16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2016 • Solo
Beautiful national park with a lot of bike and pedestrians routes, with astonish view to the Mediterranean. The best time to visit is January-March, when anemones, irises and other beauty is on blossom. There are a very interesting geology and biology to see
Written 18 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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CARMEL NATIONAL PARK - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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