Ein Yorke'am

The story

Ein Yorke'am is a seasonal spring that issues in the upper part of Nahal Hatira, east of Makhtesh Yeruham. It issues mainly in the winter, when the level of the groundwater rises above the surface of the ground; the rainwater and the floodwaters then fill a rock pool to a depth of up to five meters. Towards the end of the summer the upper part of the pool dries out, but the groundwater remains relatively high and the animals reach it by a light digging in the sand. Around the spring is vegetation of reed and tamarisk. The waterfalls and the gorge here developed at the point where the channel passes from chalk and flint rock of the Senonian age to a layer of hard limestone of the Turonian age. A series of chute-like waterfalls, whose height is about ten meters, created at the head of the gorge a high and round hall. At the bottom a cauldron of rocks was formed, and from the cauldron a short and deep cleft continues, and at its bottom a large mortar-shaped hollow that holds floodwater. In the wall of the northern bank of the stream ancient steps are hewn, which by estimate served to bring camels down to drink from the pool. Close to the spring is Metzad Yorke'am from the Byzantine period, which was a security point. The Israel National Trail passes through Ein Yorke'am. One descends to it from a small parking area adjoining road 206, on a trail marked in green, about five hundred meters. According to the directives of the Nature and Parks Authority overnight stay at the site is forbidden, so that the animals can reach the water in the hours of darkness.

• Water and wells
• Desert
• Yeruham