Ein Avdat is a spectacular narrow canyon in the Negev, south of Sdeh Boker kibbutz. At the opening of the canyon the water of numerous springs descends into two deep pools in a series of waterfalls.
The Ein Avdat Canyon is part of Nahal Tzin - the largest wadi that begins in the Negev. The wadi bed of Nahal Tzin suddenly becomes active amidst and following torrential rainfall and drains into what once was the southern end of the Dead Sea (the sea slowly dries up on its southern end). The trail through the park was designed so as not to damage the landscape. It has a grove of Euphrates poplars, trees often seen in oases and known for their various-shaped leaves. The complete trail leads from the lower entrance along the river to the upper entrance. On one stretch of the trail, hikers must climb up iron rungs hammered into the rock. A less ambitious option is to walk from the lower entrance to the Ein Marof pools at the foot of the waterfall, return along the same path, and then drive to the upper parking lot.
Ein Avdat National Park is on Route 40 (Beersheva-Mizpe Ramon). The lower entrance is near the National Park at Ben-Gurion's Grave and Sde Boker College; the upper entrance about 5 kilometers to the south.
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