The Red Canyon hiking trail
About 20 km from Eilat is an impressive and very popular hike through the narrow Red Canyon. Described here is a several-kilometer circular family trail.
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Directions: Enter “Red Canyon” into Waze and click on “קניון האדום." This will lead you from Route 12 onto a gravel path leading to the parking area. There are pit restrooms here.
Distance: About 3 km
Time: About 90-120 minutes
Type of hike: Circular
Difficulty: The green trail is relatively easy, but there are short ladders and handholds which some people may find mentally challenging, although they are not difficult. The ascent from the wadi is slightly difficult although there are handholds. The hike should be done in the direction green to black and not the reverse as going up the ladders is harder and causes congestion.
Public transport: There is no close bus stop.
There are a number of hikes in this area. You will be hiking on the Red Canyon Trail.
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From the parking area take the green-marked trail down into the canyon. There is a gentle descent into the narrow slot canyon. Be prepared for ladders and handholds.
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At the eastern end of the canyon at a T-junction turn right onto the Black Trail. This involves some climbing, but there are rails to help you along. This Black Trail loops you back above the canyon.
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At a fork do not take the green trail back to the canyon, but continue climbing. The trail is not color-marked, but the trail is clearly designated, and it will take you back to the beginning of the green trail.
Why are there such beautiful colors in the walls of the canyon?
Much of the walls of the canyon are red, sculpted Nubian Sandstone formed from sand dunes that originated about 500 million years ago. The sand grains came from the breakdown (weathering and erosion) of older rocks in the region, including granitic rocks from the deep crustal basement of the Eilat area. Over time, these ancient sand grains were deposited by wind and water and glued together by minerals into sandstone rock. The red and purple colors are due to coating of iron of the sand grains. Much later, flash floods carved this narrow canyon.
You will also see a conglomerate rock. When water flowed through these ancient desert valleys from rivers or flash flood, it carried with it pebbles, gravel and sand. Over time, these sediments were cemented together into an uneven rock. Contrasting with the red sandstone, there is also limestone forming lighter bands or cliffs in the canyon walls.
The canyon is narrow because rain is rare but intense in the desert. Rushing through a channel, the water has very high energy. It also erodes vertically much faster than horizontally and this creates deep, narrow canyons instead of wide valleys.
How the acacia tree has adapted to the desert
Acacia trees are the most common tree in the desert and sometimes may be the only tree growing in a particular area. It has a number of trunks and the branches spread out like a flat canopy. It has bunches of yellow flowers, which at first glance can appear like a single flower.
How does this tree manage to not only survive but to actually thrive in the extreme heat of the desert? It is able to survive because of a number of adaptations. It is full of thorns and this prevents overgrazing by animals. It has an extremely long root system that burrows into moist soil that may be present in the desert wadis. Roots may be up to three times the height of the tree and may extend to the other side of the wadi. Its small leaves reduce photosynthesis, and the leaves have small pores that face downwards and only open in the early morning and late afternoon and this reduces water loss.
The acacia tree is responsible for a very active ecosystem, and a single tree supports dozens of species in what seems to be an almost lifeless landscape. Birds may feed on its sap and remove insects. Ibex and gazelle feed on its leaves and coiled or ring-shaped pods. Their feces fertilize the soil around and this helps seeds germinate. The shade under a tree significantly reduces ground temperature, retaining moisture longer and permitting grasses, herbs, and insects to survive that would not otherwise be able to in open desert.
The tree fixes nitrogen through bacteria in its roots enriching the otherwise poor desert soil and enabling other plants to grow nearby. Seeds that have passed through the gut of birds have a much higher germination rate, thereby spreading the distribution of the tree.
The acacia tree has much mention in the Torah as it was used in the construction of the Tabernacle and its utensils, such as the ark and the altar. Why this particular tree? It would have been the only large tree around in the Sinai desert.
A solitary accacia tree