Ein Avdat, Canyon and national park in Southern District, Israel

Ein Avdat is a canyon in the Negev with limestone cliffs and several natural springs that flow into deep pools and create waterfalls. The area spans hundreds of hectares and displays impressive geological formations.

The canyon was an important stop on ancient trade routes between Egypt and India during Nabataean times. The region was used and settled by different cultures over many centuries.

The name combines Ein, Arabic and Hebrew for spring, with Avdat, the nearby Nabataean city named for King Obodas I. Monks of the Byzantine period lived in caves beside the springs, carving closets, shelves, benches and stairs into the rock and painting crosses and prayers on the walls. A square watchtower above Ein Ma'arif overlooked their farm plots.

Visitors can walk on marked hiking paths throughout the area, and visitor centers provide information about the natural formations. The best time to visit is during cooler months, since Negev heat can be intense.

The canyon lies in Nahal Zin, the largest dry riverbed in the Negev, which runs about 120 km from the northwestern tip of Makhtesh Ramon before turning sharply east. Ein Avdat itself was cut by erosion where the streambed leaves the Avdat plateau. Near the park entrance stands a single large Mount Atlas mastic tree.