Solomon’s Pillars, Lake Timna, and the Mushroom – Timna Park

On our way back from a vacation in Eilat, we left relatively early because we wanted to visit Timna Park. We arrived shortly after 1 PM – and quickly realized that it wasn’t nearly enough time to properly experience the place.

Nevertheless, we managed to see quite a lot. We drove across the park, exploring its desert landscapes.  During our wanderings through Timna Park, one of the features that repeatedly caught our attention were the mushrooms – enormous rocks that had been naturally eroded over thousands of years until they took the shape of giant mushrooms. Some stand alone, like ancient sculptures in the heart of the desert, while others appear in groups, as if they had grown together from the ground. Each mushroom formation looks different – with its own texture, unique curves, and sometimes deep grooves created by wind and sand. It’s a stunning combination of power and delicacy: massive rock formations whose bases have been eroded until they stand almost on edge. The children ran between them as if in a playground, while we simply stood in awe – not just of the shape, but of the thought that nature had sculpted them slowly with infinite patience. Of course, I took a panoramic shot there, from a hill I climbed with the children.

While exploring different points in the park, we also stopped at one of the caves with ancient rock art. These are engravings of human figures, animals, and ancient vehicles – carts drawn by donkeys, for instance. We stood before this wall carved with a story from thousands of years ago, trying to imagine the person who stood there and etched into the rock what they saw around them. There’s something very tangible about encountering such drawings – they’re just there, without glass, without a museum, open to the sun and wind just as they were then. A direct connection to the distant past.

We had lunch at the restaurant located at the edge of the park overlooking the lake. Good food, pleasant service, and an open view that enhances the atmosphere.  

The most refreshing attraction on this hot desert day was the lake – Lake Timna. It’s somewhat unexpected to find an artificial lake in the heart of a desolate desert, surrounded by reddish mountains and dusty dunes, but as you approach it, the feeling completely changes. The water is calm, clear, reflecting the mountain lines, the planted palm trees around it, and the sky that was turning deep blue as Sunset approached. We rented a boat and began sailing slowly – there was no need to rush. The shadows lengthened, the breeze over the water was warm but soothing, and the constantly changing light transformed the entire scene into a living painting. When the sun set exactly between two mountains opposite us, it felt like a perfect and moving end to an experience-filled day.  I managed to capture this panorama just as the sun was setting behind the mountains, moments before it disappeared completely.

We reached Solomon’s Pillars in the last minutes of daylight, as evening fell and colors began to fade. Despite this – or perhaps because of it – there was an almost mysterious atmosphere. These massive cliffs, whose shape resembles giant pillars, were painted in shades of purple, red, and dark brown, casting long shadows on the desert ground. The silence was absolute, broken only by the rustle of feet on sand and a distant bird call.

The pillars themselves are a natural rock formation that looks as if built by human hands, something between a temple and palace ruins. It’s hard to believe that natural forces shaped them this way over millions of years – wind, water, heat, and time. We stood there for a moment, just to look up and feel the scale. I walked around them, trying to capture their height and the fading light between them, creating a panorama – the last one of the day. Although the sun had already set, the gentle twilight illumination gave them an almost dramatic presence.

We knew we hadn’t seen them properly in daylight, and precisely because of that – we’ll return. Because this place, with all its beauty and history, simply demands another visit. And it’s better to start in the morning.