Flash flood danger
Do not enter the canyon when rain is forecast in the area or upstream, even under clear skies. Check the forecast on the morning of the trip.
Nahal Ligion, a dry channel south of Masada, with three main drops, the highest about thirty-eight metres, and many low steps, on a loop.
Also known as: Nahal Legion
Information as of 24 Oct 2026
At a glance
- Trail length
- 6.5 km
- Total descent
- 270 m
- Tallest waterfall
- 38 m
- Number of waterfalls
- 12
- Shuttle
- Not needed
- Circular route:
- Yes
- Flash flood risk:
- High
- Reserve:
- No
Field reports
How much water there was and how it went, from people who were here. Every report is reviewed before it is published.
No reports from this place yet
Were you here lately? Tell us how much water there was and how it went. It helps the next group plan.
Meeting point (parking)
Nahal Rahaf campsite
The meeting point is the parking spot. You continue on foot from here.
Coordinates: 31.28331, 35.36962
About
Nahal Ligion is a small stream draining the desert plateau below the northern part of the Zohar-Kidod dome and joining the lower part of Nahal Rahaf. It is named after the Roman legion camps around Masada. The route is a loop of about six and a half kilometres that starts and ends at the Nahal Rahaf night campsite. The stream is dry most of the year with no real pools, and it is not inside a nature reserve.
The book counts three main drops on it, the highest about thirty-eight metres, alongside many low steps. From the campsite climb the green Ma'ale Rahaf trail, along the south bank of Nahal Rahaf, to the top of the escarpment. At the top turn south-west, and after about a kilometre go down north on the black trail to the Rahaf bed, cross it and climb the north bank. From there a green-marked dirt road leads north for about a kilometre to the Ligion bed.
About four hundred metres east you reach a low drop with a bypass that brings you back to the bed right above a drop of about twenty metres. After it comes a pair of drops with a shared bypass on the right, and then the highest drop. From here on there is a series of smaller drops, all with bypasses except one.
Below the last step the bed is gentle and lined with acacias, and about four hundred metres later Ligion joins Nahal Rahaf. A little west of the confluence a marked trail climbs from the bed to the south bank and joins Ma'ale Rahaf, which goes down east towards Route 90 and takes you back to the campsite. Another way in starts at the Masada bus parking and climbs to the plateau on Ma'ale Ben Yair.
Access notes
From the Nahal Rahaf night campsite climb the green Ma'ale Rahaf trail to the top of the escarpment, turn south-west for about a kilometre to the black trail, take it down to the Rahaf bed and climb the north bank. From there the green dirt road leads north about a kilometre to the Ligion bed. From the Nahal Rahaf confluence a marked trail joins Ma'ale Rahaf and returns to the campsite. Another way in: from the Masada bus parking via Ma'ale Ben Yair.
Parking
The Nahal Rahaf night campsite, where the loop starts and ends.
Difficulty and suitability
- Hiking distance
- 6.5 km
- Water activity
- No
- Route type
- Dry
Descent profile
Scroll sideways for details
Waterfalls(12)
| # | Name | Height | Obstacle | Profile | Landing | Anchor | Bolts and stations | Rope | From previous | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Height: 4 m | Downclimb | – | – | – | – | – | 400 m | |
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| 2 | א | Height: 20 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 3 | בBypass on the right | Height: 5 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 4 | גBypass on the right | Height: 13 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 5 | ד | Height: 38 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 6 | הBypass on the right | Height: 2+10(12 m) | Waterfall / rappel | Stepped | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 7 | ו | Height: 4 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 8 | זBypass on the right | Height: 5 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 9 | חBypass on the right | Height: 5 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 10 | טBypass on the right | Height: 4 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 11 | יBypass on the left | Height: 2 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 12 | יאBypass on the left | Height: 8 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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| 13 | יבBypass on the left | Height: 5 m | Waterfall / rappel | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
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Points on the map
- ParkingPrimaryNahal Rahaf campsite
31.28331, 35.36962
Safety
The stream is dry most of the year, so carry plenty of water. All the drops after the highest one have bypasses except one, which has none. No entry when there is flash flood risk.
Recommendations
A short route, suited to teams with rappelling experience. Carry plenty of water.
Equipment
Full rappelling gear, a helmet, plenty of water, and a rope long enough for the highest drop.
Data sources
The information on this page was collected from these sources.
- openstreetmap.org© OpenStreetMap contributors, License: ODbL
- Based on the Hebrew guidebook "Judean Desert Canyons" by Ronen Kalimi (2023)
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