Nahal Hawwa is one of the most beautiful sections of the trail. It is section number 35 of the trail. Israel National Trail Nahal Hawwa starts in the Nahal Hawwa camping ground. Please take into account that this day is very long. So you should start it early. The whole day will be along the Israel National Trail. The overnight night camping ground where you start is on the split between the green and black trail. You should go down with the black path to Nahal Hawwa day camp on the jeep trail; and in the day camp, the trail turns northeast (left) and ascends the blue trail. Passes over the gorge of Nahal Hawwa, on the southern (right) side.
After about a kilometer of flat walking, you start descending into the gorge of Nahal Hawwa. When you reach the gorge, there is a split of blue and black trails, which you reach after about 2.5 km from the overnight campground.
Israel National Trail Nahal Hawwa: A Little About Nahal Hawwa
Nahal Hava is a Wadi (A dry riverbed), that serves as the tributaries of Nahal Tzin in the Negev. The canyon landscape combines impressive geological formations and waterfalls that have eroded the rock and created patterns of soft curves. In Nahal Hawwa, the walls of a canyon built of types of limestone that is very rare in the Land of Israel. The small water cisterns that are in a canyon in Nahal Hawwa are under a 25-meter-high waterfall. In addition, their uniqueness is that they do not meet sunlight at all and therefore are cold. Due to the fact that they are in permanent shade, their water evaporation process is very slow which allows the backs to hold water all year round. The water in the cisterns is not drinkable.
Nahal Hawwa creates a deep canyon whose two banks belong to different geological periods: The northern bank of Nahal Hawwa is part of Ramat Avdat so as a result, the rocks that characterize it are chalk and limestone from the Eocene. While the southern bank of the canyon is part of a different ridge and the rocks exposed at this point are mostly limestone and clay. In these rocks, following the many years of erosion; deep and impressive systems of cracks have formed, which are the result of the weathering of the rock; the subsidence of the stream, and the widening of its canyon.
There is about 20 km to Mitzpe Ramon when most of the way is not very beautiful even if not difficult. If you have the option to catch a ride to the city, you should consider it.
