{"id":648894,"date":"2026-10-17T04:22:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T04:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/648894\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T04:22:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T04:22:13","slug":"the-galilee-stream-turning-into-one-of-israels-most-talked-about-swimming-spots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/648894\/","title":{"rendered":"The Galilee stream turning into one of Israel\u2019s most talked-about swimming spots"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fashionably late, after the viral videos had already flooded social media and plenty of hikers had dipped into and posed for photos in the summer\u2019s new swimming spot, veteran spring blogger Chen Yosef set out to see for herself one of the most intriguing additions to Israel\u2019s hiking map: Nahal Tzalmon in the Galilee.<\/p>\n

For years, the streambed was dry except during rare winter floods. Now, Mekorot, Israel\u2019s national water company, is channeling water into it as part of the \u201creverse carrier\u201d project, which sends fresh water flowing toward the Sea of Galilee.<\/p>\n

\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/a>\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/p>\n

Nahal Tzalmon <\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Chen Yosef)<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw that a new stream had opened in Israel,\u201d Chen tells ynet. \u201cPeople laughed at me for saying \u2018opened,\u2019 but I honestly didn\u2019t know what word to use \u2014 established, inaugurated or prepared. And because of the war, I didn\u2019t get a chance to go. But I kept thinking about the place as something I had to do and had to see. Then winter came, and I wanted to save it for a better time \u2014 summer, when the information would actually be useful for hikers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first time Chen visited the revived Nahal Tzalmon, about a month ago, it was during bein hazmanim, the yeshiva vacation period in the ultra-Orthodox community, which begins after Tisha B\u2019Av and continues until the start of the Hebrew month of Elul. During that period, popular springs, streams and nature sites can fill with thousands of visitors.<\/p>\n

Chen also discovered that reaching the new pools was far more complicated than she had expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went through all the bloggers who had published information about the stream and tried getting there from the upper section, and through a point on the map that someone from Ginosar strongly recommended to me, and through the Mekorot site.\u201d<\/p>\n

What she found on the ground was different.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an extremely hot day for walking, and everywhere there were signs saying \u2018No Entry\u2019 and \u2018Private Property.\u2019 Apparently, after all the publicity about the new pools at Nahal Tzalmon, farmers in the area made it clear that those areas were private. And the route that is open involves an hour\u2019s walk, which is a very long time just to reach such a small place. In short, we didn\u2019t know where to enter.\u201d<\/p>\n

The solution came after Chen studied the maps carefully and identified another route through the community of Livnim.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first we were worried it might be problematic because you enter through the community itself, but when we arrived we saw lots of buses, so we figured it was probably a recognized entrance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u05d4\u05d3\u05e8\u05da<\/a>\"\u05d4\u05d3\u05e8\u05da<\/p>\n

Chen on the way to the stream <\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Chen Yosef)<\/p>\n

\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/a>\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t stop at this spot \u2014 keep going <\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Chen Yosef)<\/p>\n

\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/a>\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/p>\n

It will be worth it <\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Chen Yosef)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got really excited about the first pool we saw,\u201d Chen says with a laugh. \u201cWhen you finish the descent and keep going straight, you reach a spot in the stream where you can swim. It\u2019s fun, relatively deep and surrounded by lots of vegetation. That pool was even empty during bein hazmanim.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut when we turned left on the trail to get to the perfect pool by the bridge, we couldn\u2019t see a bridge, we couldn\u2019t see water, we couldn\u2019t see anything \u2014 the place was absolutely packed with people.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the Ottoman period, the \u201ctravertine bridge\u201d was part of an aqueduct that carried water from Nahal Tzalmon to a nearby flour mill.<\/p>\n

The bridge\u2019s unusual appearance was formed by calcium carbonate deposits, also known as travertine, left behind by water dripping from the aqueduct. Over the years, the deposits accumulated and hardened, covering the bridge with porous layers and distinctive formations especially popular with photographers.<\/p>\n

After all the searching and effort, Chen\u2019s first visit to the new pools left her disappointed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were so many people that we couldn\u2019t see anything, but we knew we had to come back. We saw the potential and we had seen how the place looked in photos,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Recently, she returned to the stream in the middle of the week. Spoiler: This time, the experience was entirely different.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuddenly we were there alone,\u201d Chen says with a laugh. \u201cPeople aren\u2019t hiking the way they do in August anymore, and suddenly you can actually see the stunning bridge. I went through a whole journey to get to this place and came back to tell people about it so they wouldn\u2019t have to get tangled up the way I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time, Chen already knew the easiest route to the pools.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuddenly you see this amazing bridge. You don\u2019t even really see it as a bridge \u2014 it looks like a cave with a stream running through it,\u201d she says enthusiastically.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything around it is green, and it has that combination I love \u2014 clear turquoise water, vegetation, rocks and the arch of the bridge above. It\u2019s really crazy. I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

For now, the route Chen recommends to the new pools goes through the community of Livnim.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the yellow gate, you reach a traffic circle, turn right, then right again and continue along a dirt road to the parking area.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stresses, however, that there are no signs at the site and the access roads have not yet been formally arranged.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the simplest explanation I found. It\u2019s a new site and they\u2019re still working on making the access easier,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the ultimate goal is for people not to enter through the community itself, and it\u2019s possible that the community may eventually want to close the gate too. As long as that hasn\u2019t happened, this is the most accessible and convenient route I know.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really hope they arrange proper access so it will be pleasant both for residents and for visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n

As is often the case in Israel in 2026, there is little coordination between the various authorities, and the public pays the price.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey opened a new stream, but still haven\u2019t sorted out how people are supposed to get there, so we\u2019re all waiting,\u201d Chen says with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be the first to publish an organized route once there is one,\u201d she promises.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor all those years, the place was closed and dry and no water was being channeled there. Suddenly they decided to make it accessible to the public.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe access still hasn\u2019t been completed, but how great is it to have a new place that\u2019s so beautiful?<\/p>\n

\u201cThat said, it\u2019s important to point out that the entire section beneath the bridge is very deep water. We couldn\u2019t stand there. People jump into the water, but good luck to them \u2014 God forbid, I certainly don\u2019t recommend it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The depth of the water and the pool\u2019s small size make it, in her view, better suited to couples, solo hikers and small groups, and less appropriate for families with children.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t recommend coming here with children,\u201d she says frankly. \u201cThe water is extremely deep and the place is also very small.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I were going out with a large group, I wouldn\u2019t come here. This is a place for couples, people who feel like taking a solo trip or a very small group, preferably in the middle of the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea what happens there on Saturdays. Midweek is always perfect \u2014 that\u2019s my tip.\u201d<\/p>\n

As someone who spends much of her time at wild springs and natural water sources, Chen also pays attention to water quality.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe because I\u2019m sensitive to water, there was something slightly different in the smell and a tiny bit of salinity that I noticed,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may not feel completely like a natural spring, but the place already has all the characteristics of one \u2014 there are fish, vegetation and everything around it looks natural, even if the water itself doesn\u2019t feel entirely like natural spring water.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also important to say that the water flow is regulated, so the strength of the current and the way the place looks may not be exactly the same every time you come.\u201d<\/p>\n

And now for Chen\u2019s tip for getting the place\u2019s signature Instagram shot \u2014 the one showing swimmers in the water with the bridge\u2019s impressive arch and surrounding vegetation creating the appearance of a cave.<\/p>\n

\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/a>\"\u05e0\u05d7\u05dc<\/p>\n

Chen swims at the perfect spot <\/p>\n

(Photo: Courtesy of Chen Yosef)<\/p>\n

\u201cTo reach the best photo spot, you go down the trail beneath an abandoned structure,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the best angle \u2014 under the bridge. It sounds like a long explanation because there\u2019s no proper Waze destination, but in reality it\u2019s just a few steps to the place\u2019s Instagram shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

To wrap up, Chen has a few more recommendations for a successful visit to the new pools.<\/p>\n

Because of the rocks, she recommends wearing sandals. Anyone who finds the pool crowded can combine the visit with other sites around the Sea of Galilee.<\/p>\n

But for her, the simple fact that water has returned to the stream is reason enough for excitement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a small country and everyone already knows everything. So a new stream is genuinely an unusual event.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay there be many more like it, and may all of Israel\u2019s flowing streams be restored. I hope much more funding is invested and more options are opened up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nature here is stunning, it\u2019s fun to be in it and it\u2019s worth investing in.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to get there: Drive along Route 90 beside the Sea of Galilee, pass Kibbutz Ginosar and turn left onto Route 8077. Pass Nahal Amud and the sign for \u201cNahal Tzalmon \u2014 Livnim Parking.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can also enter \u201cMoshav Livnim\u201d into Waze and enter the community through the yellow gate. Immediately afterward, you reach a traffic circle and turn right. At the next turn, turn right again, continue to the end of the paved road and take the dirt road leading to the parking area. From there, a short trail descends to the stream.<\/p>\n

It is important to remember that there are no signs at the site, the access routes are not formally arranged and the possibility of entering through the community may change.<\/p>\n

Warning: Swimming in Nahal Tzalmon is dangerous and the water in the new pool is deep. There are no lifeguard services at the site, and anyone entering the water does so at their own risk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fashionably late, after the viral videos had already flooded social media and plenty of hikers had dipped into…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":648895,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[85,46,43],"class_list":["post-648894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/648894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=648894"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/648894\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/648895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=648894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=648894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=648894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}