Makhtesh HaGadol & HaKatan: The Two Other Negev Craters

Israel has five makhteshim — erosion craters unique to the Negev and Sinai, found nowhere else on Earth. Most visitors know only one: Makhtesh Ramon, the world’s largest, overlooked by the town of Mitzpe Ramon. But two other craters lie within an hour of Beer Sheva, geologically as dramatic as Ramon and almost entirely free of tourist crowds: Makhtesh HaGadol (the Big Crater, near Yeruham) and Makhtesh HaKatan (the Small Crater, near Dimona).

This guide covers both.

What is a makhtesh?

Before you visit, it’s worth understanding what you’re looking at — because the Negev makhteshim are routinely misidentified in photos and travel writing as meteor craters or ancient volcanoes.

A makhtesh (מַכְתֵּשׁ in Hebrew; the plural is makhteshim) is a geological formation created by erosion, not by impact or eruption. The process: tectonic forces dome up a layer of hard limestone crust; rivers gradually cut drainage channels at the edges of the dome; over tens to hundreds of millions of years those rivers erode deeper and deeper through the softer sedimentary rock inside, leaving a steep-walled enclosed depression with a flat floor and a seasonal wadi (stream) exiting through a narrow gorge.

The floors of these craters expose sequences of Triassic and Jurassic marine sediment — rock formed when this desert was a shallow arm of the ancient Tethys Sea, 200–250 million years ago. That’s why you find ammonite and belemnite fossils on the crater floors of both HaGadol and HaKatan, and why the layered coloured sands of HaGadol display vivid reds, ochres, yellows, and greens from mineral variation in ancient seafloor sediments.

Makhtesh HaGadol — the Big Crater

The basics

Makhtesh HaGadol measures roughly 14 km long and 6 km wide, making it the second-largest makhtesh in Israel. Despite that scale, it receives perhaps 5–10% of Makhtesh Ramon’s visitor numbers. On a weekday morning in March you may have the northern rim viewpoint entirely to yourself.

The crater lies immediately south of Yeruham, a small development town about 50 km east of Beer Sheva. Yeruham itself is pleasant — it sits beside the artificial Yeruham Lake (built in the 1960s to collect floodwater; a good birdwatching spot) — but the crater is the reason to come.

The rim and the coloured sands

The northern rim viewpoint is 5 km south of Yeruham centre via a signposted dirt road (passable in a standard car in dry conditions; check local conditions after rain). From the car park, a short path leads to the rim edge: the view drops suddenly into a wide, flat-floored depression surrounded by steep walls of stripped sedimentary rock. The walls expose geological strata in almost horizontal bands — you can read the different formations like pages in a book.

The standout visual feature of HaGadol is the coloured sands on the crater floor. Iron-rich sandstone layers produce vivid red and orange exposures; clay-rich layers add yellow and green; white limestone layers provide contrast. From the rim the floor looks like a patchwork of mineral pigments spread across the desert. Walking trails on the crater floor bring you directly to the sand outcrops.

Nahal Tzafit and the crater floor trails

The most rewarding trail at HaGadol begins at the northern rim car park and descends into the Nahal Tzafit canyon — a dry riverbed carved through the crater wall. The lower section of the trail (approximately 4 km return, 2–3 hours) passes through white chalk cliffs, exposed coloured-sand formations, and sections of dry riverbed filled with smooth-worn boulders. After winter rains, seasonal pools form at the base of the canyon walls.

A longer crater crossing trail traverses the floor from north to south (approximately 12 km one-way; requires car shuttle or return). This route is best in spring when temperatures are manageable and the desert floor has patches of yellow and white flowers.

The INPA maintains the trails; carry the Amud Anan app for GPS navigation and current trail condition updates.

Ammonite fossils

The HaGadol crater floor is one of the more accessible fossil sites in Israel. Ammonite fossils (extinct spiral-shelled cephalopods related to nautiluses) appear in loose rock on the crater floor, identifiable by their coiled form. Belemnite fossils (cylindrical internal shells of an extinct squid-like animal) are also common. Do not remove fossils — INPA regulations prohibit taking geological or fossil material from nature reserves.

Makhtesh HaKatan — the Small Crater

The basics

Makhtesh HaKatan is the smallest of Israel’s five makhteshim: roughly 5 km east-west by 7 km north-south. Its location east of Dimona (about 65 km from Beer Sheva) makes it the most isolated and least-visited of the three main craters. That isolation is its greatest asset.

What distinguishes HaKatan visually is the near-perfect symmetry of its walls. The crater is almost oval in plan; from the rim viewpoints the opposing walls line up with geometric precision. Geologists attribute this to the unusually regular doming of the rock layer that was eroded away. The overall effect, particularly in the low-angle light of early morning or late afternoon, is of a vast natural amphitheatre.

The rim trail

A marked loop trail circles a section of the northern and eastern rim (approximately 5 km, 2 hours, relatively easy). The path follows the crater edge with near-constant views into the depression below. Several points along the rim offer descent routes to the crater floor — these involve some scrambling on loose rock and are best attempted with hiking poles and solid footwear.

The Nahal Shaharut wadi cuts through the southern wall of HaKatan and provides the main descent route for floor crossings. Hikers who want to do a crater-floor traverse rather than a rim loop should allow 4–5 hours for the round trip.

Practical access

The turnoff to Makhtesh HaKatan is signposted from Route 25 east of Dimona. A dirt track (7 km; passable in a standard car in dry conditions) leads to the northern rim car park. There are no facilities at the crater — no water, no toilets, no shade. Arrive with sufficient water and food for your planned activity.

Combining both craters

Makhtesh HaGadol and Makhtesh HaKatan are 35 km apart by road (via Route 25). A single day trip — starting at HaGadol in the morning and reaching HaKatan by early afternoon — is entirely feasible. A suggested circuit from Beer Sheva:

Allow 7–8 hours for the full circuit at a relaxed pace. Add Yeruham Lake (15 minutes, free) at the start for birdwatching, or extend south to Mitzpe Ramon (45 km from HaGadol) to complete all three major Negev craters in a long day.

Getting there

By car (the only practical option): Both craters require a car. There are no public transport routes to either crater rim.

• From Beer Sheva: HaGadol via Route 25 east (~50 km, ~40 min); HaKatan via Route 25 east to Dimona then east (~65 km, ~50 min).
• From Tel Aviv: Drive south on Route 6 (toll) to Beer Sheva, then as above. Total to HaGadol: ~175 km, ~1 h 45 min.
• From Mitzpe Ramon: HaGadol via Route 40 north then Route 25 west (~45 km, ~40 min).

The access tracks to both crater rims are unpaved but compact gravel, manageable in a standard saloon car in dry conditions. After heavy rain, verify conditions locally before driving the tracks.

Nearest fuel: Yeruham (for HaGadol); Dimona (for HaKatan). Fill up before leaving the towns — there are no fuel stations at the craters.

When to visit

Avoid visiting in the immediate aftermath of winter rainstorms — the unpaved access tracks can become temporarily impassable and flash flood risk in the canyon sections is real. The Amud Anan trail app publishes current access alerts.

What to bring

• Water: minimum 2 litres per person for a rim walk; 3 litres minimum for a crater-floor trail; 4+ litres in summer. No water sources at either crater.
• Sun protection: Hat, sunscreen, and UV-protective clothing are essential — the crater walls reflect heat and there is no shade on rim trails.
• Navigation: Download the Amud Anan app with offline Negev maps before leaving phone coverage.
• Footwear: Trail runners or hiking boots with ankle support for rim trails; both are recommended over sandals for crater-floor descents.
• Snacks: No food available at either crater.

Where to stay

Yeruham (adjacent to Makhtesh HaGadol) has a small selection of guesthouses and B&Bs — useful if you want to be at the rim at sunrise.

Dimona (nearest town to HaKatan) has budget hotels; it is a working-class industrial town without the heritage interest of Yeruham.

Mitzpe Ramon is the most comfortable and atmospheric base for exploring all three Negev craters. From there, HaGadol is 45 km north and HaKatan is 55 km north — both reachable as day outings from the same base. The town has a full range of accommodation from the crater-rim Beresheet Hotel to Selina Ramon glamping tents and budget guesthouses. See the Mitzpe Ramon guide for the full hotel and activity breakdown.

The three Negev craters at a glance

Cross-links

For the full Negev picture:

• Mitzpe Ramon & Makhtesh Ramon guide — the largest crater, crater-floor jeep tours, stargazing, and the Beresheet Hotel.
• Sde Boker & Ein Avdat guide — Ben-Gurion’s grave and the white-chalk canyon, 35 km north of Mitzpe Ramon on Route 40.
• 3 Days in the Negev itinerary — suggested road-trip circuit covering all the major Negev sites.
• Israel National Parks Pass guide — the annual INPA pass covers Ein Avdat, Avdat, Masada, and Timna (check current inclusions).
• Hiring a car in Israel — car hire options, driving tips, and what type of vehicle you need for Negev dirt tracks.
• Negev tours compared — comparison of Ramon Crater day trips from Tel Aviv, Bedouin overnight camps, jeep safaris and self-drive options, with honest price ranges and who each format suits.