Ramon Crater is the world's biggest karst crater, located at the peak of Mount Negev , in the heart of Israel's Negev Desert, some 85 kilometers south of the city of Beer-Sheva. The Ramon Crater is 40 kilometers long and 2 to 10 kilometers wide, shaped like an elongated heart. It is part of the Ramon Nature reserve that includes the surrounding area's mountains. The only settlement in the area is the small town of Mitzpe Ramon (In Hebrew: מצפה רמון - Ramon Observation Point) located on the northern edge of the crater. The name Ramon comes from the arabic word "Ruman" meaning "Romans", and is probably linked to an ancient trading route once used by the Roman Empire.
The crater's formation began hundreds of millions years ago when the ocean that covered the Negev Desert began to recede northward. First, there was a hump-shaped hill; water and other climatic forces slowly and steadily flattened the curve on top. Much later (only some 5 million years ago), the Arava Rift Valley formed and rivers changed their course. As they did so, they carved out the inside of the crater.
In the desert, the main effect of water is the erosion it causes, rather than the rainfall itself, which quickly runs off. The crater bottom deepens fast while the walls retain their vertical angle, gradually increasing in height. As the crater deepened, lower and more ancient rock strata were exposed; at the bottom of Ramon Crater some rocks are as old as 200 million years.
The crater is 500 m. deep, and encompasses a diversity of rocks with fantastic colors and forms. Impressive mountains rise at the borders of the crater - Har Ramon (Mt. Ramon) in the southern end, Har Ardon (Mt. Ardon) in the northeastern end, and two beautiful table mountains - Har Marpek (Mt. Marpek), and Har Katom (Mt. Katom) are along the southern wall.
Some clay hills have striking yellow and red colors. Several hillsides in the northeastern corner of the crater were once entirely covered by spiral ammonite fossils, from the size of snails to the size of tractor wheels. However, too many tourists picked fossil souvenirs, and today only a few small ones remain.
Ein Saharonim (Saharonim Spring), to the north of ha-Minsara, is the lowest spot in the crater and contains its only natural water source. On a hill on the other side of Ein Saharonim stand the ruins of a large prehistoric stone structure, Khan (hospice) Saharonim. The crater lay along the ancient Spice Trail, a trade route used by the Nabateans 2,000 years ago. Traders and their camels spent the night at the inn before continuing on to Gaza port.
The water springs are visited by Asiatic wild asses (also called Onagers) and by Ibex (mountain goats). Ibex often climb from the crater to the nearby town of Mitzpe Ramon and walk along the bordering streets, paying no attention to people.
