Agamon Hefer – Visitors Guide – Bird Watching Park near Netanya
In 2017, near Alexander River in Hefer Valley, Agamon Hefer was opened. It includes an artificial lake, paved trails, and several lookouts.
Update: my latest visit to Emek Hefer was on 16.10.2022. There were pelicans at Viker Lookout. However, I did not see pelicans at Agamon Hefer.
Table of Contents
Map
Agamon Hefer is near the Alexander River, not far from Ein Hahoresh. The easiest way to get there is by entering “Agamon Hefer” into Waze. Usually, Waze will take you to Hefer junction, and instead of turning to road #5720, you will drive in the opposite direction. After following a dirt road along the Alexander River for 3.5 km, you will reach the place.
Note: on typical days, you can reach this place by any car. But after heavy rains, the dirt roads become muddy, and you can not get there even with off-road vehicles.
Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit
Interactive map of the area:
Offers:
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And here is a map of Agamon Hefer:
Note: see the trail section below for additional details about the path.
Entrance Fee
Free.
Parking
Free parking is available near the entrance.
Opening Hours
Agamon Hefer is located in an open area. There are no gates and no sign with opening hours. Thus, I thought that you could visit this place anytime. But after some research, I saw that the official Facebook page mentions the following opening hours: 08:00 – half an hour before sunset.
Trail
The loop trail at Agamon Hefer goes around two ponds, and its length is about 2 km.
Here is an interactive map from israelhiking.osm.org.il, where the trail is marked:
A big part of the trail is a walkway with deck wood. And the rest is a dirt road. In any case, you can use baby strollers.
Restrooms
There are chemical restrooms near the first viewpoint. You can see them in the following photo:
Cycling
So far, we have talked about hiking. Another popular option for visiting is cycling. You can bring your bicycles or rent them at HaOgen bicycle rental. And then you can cycle to Agamon Hefer or Turtle Bridge at Alexander River.
Contact Information
Email: agamon.hefer@gmail.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AgamonHefer/
When to visit Agamon Hefer?
You can visit this place all year round. But if you want to maximize your visit and see birds, then you should:
- Visit either early in the morning or towards sunset: these are the hours when the birds are most active.
- Visit during the migration season (usually October – November and March – April). To know the exact dates see Pelican Migration At Emek Hefer and check the relevant latest posts on Instagram.
But the mentioned rules do not guarantee success. On several of my visits to Agamon Hefer, I searched for Pelican Migration At Emek Hefer. And though there were many pelicans at Viker Lookout, none were here.
About
Alexander Stream is one of the largest in the Sharon streams. It is about 32 km long. It drains a large area of about 550 square km, and large quantities of water flow in winter. The stream begins in the mountains of Samaria, between Mount Gerizim and Mount Eibel. It enters the Sharon between Kochav Yair and Taibeh and meets the Mediterranean between Mikhmoret and Beit Yanai.
In the past, the narrow stream channel caused the water level to rise, and high groundwater formed large swamps in its vicinity that flooded large areas. The swamp areas were drained in the 1930s, at the beginning of the Hebrew settlement in the valley. In the 1960s, sections of the creek channel were widened to prevent winter floods.
Agmon Hefer is located in an agricultural area of Kibbutz Ein HaHoresh near Nahal Alexander.
At Agamon Hefer
Agamon Hefer was opened in recent years. And it is similar to Agamon Hula. Meaning the muddy ground was turned into shallow pools. And dedicated walking paths were created on the shores of those ponds.
Here are the birds you might find there:
Along the trail, there are several lookouts.
High viewpoint with Hedera power station in the background:
In recent years I visited Agamon Hefer many times. And I never saw pelicans, despite many of them visiting Viker Lookout. There could be several reasons for it. First, this is a new place, and it might take time until birds start staying here. But I guess the main reason is people. At Viker, there is a fence around the pool. Here there is none. And though the signs ask to stay on the trails, many people walked along the water. Some released their dogs, and of course, this scared away all birds.
Note: fewer people walk near the water since the greenery grew.
But, at more distant pools, you will find birds. Moreover, I saw many kingfishers there.
Agamon Hefer is popular, and many people visit it on weekends. Thus, if you are planning a visit, and want to see wildlife, come early.
Agamon Hefer is not a big place. And a typical visit will take 1 – 2 hours.
Additional Birdwatching Places
If you love birds, check out the following places:
- My favorite places to see bird migration:
- Lovely short family hikes to see birds:
- Agamon Poleg – Short Birding Family Trip around Lake Udim
- Agamon Hefer – Visitors Guide – Bird Watching Park near Netanya
- Hod HaSharon Park – Park by Ecological Lake
- Taninim Stream Nature Reserve
- Hula Nature Reserve and Agamon Hula versus Hula Nature Reserve – Which one is Better?
- Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center
- Ein Afek Nature Reserve and Bird Ringing at Ein Afek Nature Reserve
- For people who love parrots:
Additionally, see Zoos and Aquariums in Israel – Full Review (Overview of 30+ places)
Also, nearby you can visit Turtle Bridge at Alexander River.
Summary
I have mixed feelings about Agamon Hefer. On one side, it is a lovely place that makes nature accessible (even with baby strollers). On the other side, I have never seen many birds during my visits to Agamon Hefer. Moreover, I never saw any pelicans. So I guess your impression will depend on your expectations and what you see.
Have you ever visited Agamon Hefer? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!
Stay Tuned!
Additional Resources
Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:- Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
- What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
- Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
- Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
- If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.
