Flash floods close Ein Gedi, Negev trails to hikers

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority announced Wednesday a sweeping closure of hiking trails and nature sites across southern Israel following powerful flash floods that struck the region over the past day. All trails in the Eilat Mountains, southern Arava, Har HaNegev, central Arava and the Judean Desert will remain closed to visitors until safety inspections are completed and damage repaired.

The severe weather system that hit the south in recent days brought intense flows through wadis and significant flash floods that caused extensive damage to hiking routes. The heavy rains, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and hail, inundated large areas and left major traffic arteries in the Negev and Arava blocked.

Major sites closed

Among the sites now closed to hikers are several major destinations: the Yotvata Hai-Bar wildlife reserve, including the site itself and its overnight parking area; the Beerot overnight parking area; Ein Avdat National Park; all trails in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve; and the Judean Desert–Ein Bokek Nature Reserve. The closures will remain in effect until Nature and Parks Authority teams complete safety inspections and repair the damage.

The Authority is urging visitors to avoid these areas until further notice. Updates on the reopening of national parks and nature reserves following inspections will be posted on the Nature and Parks Authority website.

Nahal Hatira (Photo: Yitzhak Cohen, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel)

Life-threatening danger in wadis

The Nature and Parks Authority stresses that entry into flowing wadi channels is strictly forbidden, as is approaching the edge of a wadi due to the risk of bank collapse. Hikers are asked to follow safety instructions and view flows only from designated, safe locations.

The Meteorological Service has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms and lightning, noting that during the weather event injuries up to and including life-threatening danger may occur from lightning strikes while in open areas. Authorities are calling on the public to avoid open areas or the vicinity of tall objects during thunderstorms, and to exercise particular caution against entering wadis and flood zones.

Further updates on the reopening of sites and trails will be published on the Nature and Parks Authority website: https://www.parks.org.il/