Routes and Rates
In the backyard of the city of Haifa flows the Kishon Stream, and the ongoing efforts in recent years to restore it are beginning to bear fruit. On our hike, we will reach the “Appendix” – a branch of the Kishon into the land that allows us a glimpse into another, unfamiliar world of Israeli nature – the Kishon Marsh.
After we carefully parked at the edge of the road at the southern end of the bridge on Julius Simon Road (marked on the map with the letter P), we will identify a dirt path leading west – this is the walking trail we will follow along the southern bank of the Kishon Stream, a distance of about 800 meters in each direction (marked on the map in orange).
At first, we will pass through a grove of tamarisk trees and shortly find ourselves next to a very large widening of the Kishon: the stream reaches here an impressive width of about 150 meters and suddenly for a moment will remind us of real rivers from foreign lands, as the buildings of the city of Haifa rise on the Carmel ridge opposite us and add to the unique atmosphere of the place.
We will continue west and discover that we are no longer walking along the Kishon itself but along a side branch of the stream, which has been nicknamed “the appendix” (appendix in English – an annex). This channel is actually a remnant of the Kishon’s ancient bed, as reflected in historical maps before the development of Haifa Bay.
In this channel and its banks survives a unique habitat known as a marsh. This is a terrestrial area that is saltier than the surrounding environment (in this case due to the intrusion of seawater into the stream’s bed) and is often muddy or flooded with seawater depending on the fluctuations in the tides of the nearby sea. Marshes are usually poor in plant and animal diversity, but the species that manage to survive in this environment are often exclusive to the habitat. The Kishon Marsh is the second most important marsh on the coastal plain after the Naaman River estuary marsh, and in recent years, significant efforts have been invested in preserving the site in light of urban development demands in the area.
The landscape that greets us upon our arrival at the Kishon Marsh is unique and allows us to become acquainted with a rare natural habitat that almost does not exist in the country. It is also quite a photogenic landscape for photography, giving a sense of a “remote place” even though we are only five minutes from Haifa and the main roads. It is recommended to come equipped with a camera. Among the plants growing here, members of the saltwort family stand out, with names such as the common glasswort (a gray plant common on the banks of the Kishon) and the perennial sea lavender (a rare species relatively common in the appendix channel). Two ancient date palms towering above this landscape add to the unique appearance of the place. The marsh is rich in a variety of invertebrates relative to the Kishon stream itself and attracts many waterfowl that feed on them, despite the pollution of the Kishon waters over many years.
The return is made the same way. When we drive back on Julius Simon Road towards Moshe Dayan Road, we can notice on the right side of the road three towers built of white bricks. These towers are called “smoke towers” and were erected during World War II when Haifa and the surrounding area were exposed to aerial bombardments (the city was even bombed by Italian military planes). The idea was to conceal the oil refineries by heavy smoke screening, but the towers were never operated and are now designated as historical preservation structures.
Walking duration – about an hour.
Difficulty level – easy, suitable for the whole family, but the walk is on a dirt path and this should be taken into account if going out with baby strollers.
Directions:
We will exit from the Carmel Tunnels towards the Krayot. At the Yadin interchange, we will turn according to the signs towards Kiryat Haim, and at the first traffic light after the interchange, we will turn left towards the Shavit Marina and the technical school. We will pass by the technical school (at its entrance is a plane that serves as an attraction for children) and about 200 meters after the animal welfare junction, we will reach the intersection of Moshe Dayan Road and Julius Simon Road.
Here we will actually turn left onto a dead-end road, where we will drive about 600 meters until we reach a pair of bridges over the Kishon – “Bailey Bridge” in the west and a regular bridge in the east. It is better to drive on the regular bridge and not on the Bailey Bridge. (The route is marked on the map with a blue line).
For those coming from the north, use the bypass road of the Krayot, exit at the Yadin interchange and continue according to the signs.