Ayun Stream Nature Reserve

Major Centers of Interest

• Day camping area for picnics in the northern area of the stream.
• The gorge of Nahal Iyon and its waterfalls: Ayun Falls, the Mill Falls, the Cascades, and the Tanur Waterfall.
• Pump at En Sukhra
• Seasonal flowering of the Maritime Squill (Drimia Maritina)
• The Tanur Lookout Point (Gafni) – observation point towards the Tanur Waterfall and downstream
• Southern day-camping/parking area for picnics, and three paddling pools
• Wheelchair-accessible path, for disabled persons and for children’s strollers, from the day camping area up to the area of the Tanur Waterfall.

Particulars (Major Centers of Interest):

• Day camping/parking area for picnics in the northern area of the stream – the camping area is located at the edge of the Moshava Metula, and is the northern entry gate into the nature reserve. There is a well-established eucalyptus grove here, suitable for picnics and barbeques. There are toilets in the camping area for the use of visitors, and it is permitted to light fires in the area.
• The Nahal Iyon gorge and its waterfalls – a walking route for hiking buffs. It is recommended to walk down the stream, from the northern camping area close to Metula, down to the southern camping area. The route is not circular, and you will need to leave a car at the termination point in the southern camping area. The major attraction in the gorge is the waterfalls – the Ayun waterfall, the Mill waterfall, the Cascades and the Tanur waterfall. These waterfalls flow all year round, and along the channel there is an abundance of water vegetation. Two of the waterfalls are considered especially beautiful and impressive: The Mill Waterfall – relatively broad, 21 meters high, alongside which are the remains of a flour mill that, in the past, was the only flour mill in the country under Jewish ownership; and the Tanur Waterfall, 30 m. high, one of the highest perennial streams in Israel.
• The pump at En Sukhra – along the channel of Nahal Iyon there are a number of small springs and pools that contain water all year round. Fish live in these pools even when the rest of the stream runs completely dry. En Sukhra, located south of the Mill Waterfall, is one of the most prominent of these springs. The waters of the spring were utilized to water the land of neighboring Metula up to 1957, and the remains of the irrigation pump have been left in place.
• Seasonal flowering of the Maritime Squill (Drimia maritima) – on the slopes west of the gorge, in the vicinity of the Metula Cemetery, blooms a spectacular field of maritime squill.
• The Tanur Lookout Point (Gafni) – an impressive observation point, from which the Tanur Falls can be seen, with a view of the Hills of Naftali and the Hula Valley. The lookout point is reached by a steep path with many stairs.
• Day camping/parking site for picnics with three paddling pools – the southern camping site is the main camping/parking area in the nature reserve, serving both hikers on the long route and those visiting the Tanur Waterfall only. There is a stand of trees at the campsite with picnic tables, and it is permitted to light fires there. There are also toilets, a kiosk selling snacks and three new paddling pools, enabling visitors to enjoy the abundance of water in the stream.
• Trail for disabled persons and for children’s strollers – the last part of the walking route in the nature reserve, from the Tanur Waterfall down to the southern camping site has been made accessible for people who have difficulty walking.