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Jabal Mishrif
680km
20km
Driving MOSTLY PAVED ROADS, SOME MODERATE ROCKY TERRAIN
Best for EXPLORING MANMADE AND NATURAL WONDERS
Recommended for A RELAXING DAY OUT
Covered with sharp black rocks, largely identical in size, the rolling hills of Jabal Mishrif hide a remarkable secret. A short hike up to the mountain’s summit reveals their source – a wall of hexagonal rocks known as basalt columns. Jutting out of the mountain’s surface, the uniformity of the columns makes them appear manmade when in fact, volcanic activity has created this remarkable natural phenomenon.
The start of this route will take you towards several off-road tracks – the mud tower is worth the detour. The tracks leading towards the heritage villages are easy-going rocky paths that wind through the low-lying hills. As you drive further on the main route, you'll notice that the flat planes on either side of the road are utilised by local farmers. Take a quick look at the nearby dam before you head off-road to Jabal Mishrif.
What starts as a dusty track then gets rockier until eventually you will need to abandon the car about 500m from the summit. A short hike will take you to the hexagonal rocks.
Heritage Villages
The old settlements in this area were built using the traditional clay and silt methods of the Asir Region. The clay walls are built in stages, allowing each layer to dry before starting on the next. The walls slope inwards and get thinner as they get higher, limiting the need for materials and reducing pressure on the lower walls. With rainfall anticipated almost every month in this area, protruding slates are cleverly added to ensure the rain cascades away from the vulnerable clay.
COLUMNAR JOINTING
The geological phenomenon that creates these perfect columns relies on a very specific set of circumstances. A huge flow of liquid magma cools, the outer layer turning from orange to black. Like most materials, as it does this, it contracts, causing the surface to crack in the process. But in this case, the cracking isn’t random. The different spots where the cooling starts, called 'centres', are evenly spaced. The forces at each point pull inward towards the middle, creating chunks of rock that are hexagonal. If the material the lava is made from is smooth (here it’s black basalt), the effect is even more dazzling.
Mishrif Rocks
From a distance, the black rocks that cover the surface of Jabal Mishrif make it look like it's teeming with ants. Once you have managed to park your car as close to the summit as possible, be careful as you continue on foot as the sharp rocks are perilous. The wall of uniform hexagonal rocks jutting out of the mountain's summit is a surprising sight. Found in areas where there have been high levels of volcanic activity, they are formed by the cooling and contracting of lava which causes it to crack into long geometric columns.
