Center · Loop

Jerusalem Post

Latrun · Loop

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Recent rain? Check the mud forecast before you go. Download the route’s GPX and upload it to ‘HaSingletor’ – you’ll get the chance of mud from the nearest rain station and the soil type.

Mud forecast Built by Boaz Yoffe · mtb.yoffe.net

Distance 100 km

Total climbing 1,844 m

Highest point 820 m

Lowest point 147 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Hard

Recommended months Oct–May

A loop from Latrun up into the Jerusalem hills and back: 100 km and 1,844 m of climbing on dirt roads, forest and trails of the Jerusalem corridor. The route of The Longest Day ride.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

820 m 148 m

0 km 20 km 40 km 60 km 80 km 100 km

Route story · Jerusalem Post

From Latrun to the Jaffa Gate, and back

100 km that climb from Latrun up the Jerusalem corridor, cross the city to the walls of the Old City, run down the springs of Nahal Refaim, on to Har Yaala and the Stalactite Cave, and return through Sha'ar HaGai to Latrun. The route of The Longest Day ride.

Loop · Latrun2 daysOct–MayHard

100km

1,844m climbing

18.9km, longest stretch without fuel

14fuel stations within 200 m

29water taps along the way

24night campsites near the route

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The route at a glance

Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite

01km ⁦0–15⁩

Up the Roman road

From Latrun the route climbs almost 500 m in fifteen kilometres. On the way you pass Bir el-Kasab, Roman milestones that marked the ancient road to Jerusalem, Horvat Matzad, a Roman roadside fort, and the Lucki lookout. The first fuel station waits at Yad HaShmona.

Along the way

km 3.9Bir el-Kasab
km 8.1Roman milestones
km 10.1Horvat Matzad, a Roman fort
km 11.5Lucki lookout
km 12.8Portzei HaDerech night campsite, 270 m off the route

Resupply · km 14.5
Fuel station and kiosk, Yad HaShmona

02km ⁦15–33⁩

Abu Gosh, the Castel and Motza

Kiryat Yearim and Abu Gosh, with groceries right by the route, then Ein HaMesaya'at and the climb to the Castel. After Motza and its old synagogue comes a string of springs: Ein Maklef, Einot Telem, Dodo Spring and Ein Nefto'ah at Lifta. The Snail Bridge takes you into the city.

Along the way

km 19.2Ein HaMesaya'at
km 22Castel national site
km 27.5Einot Telem springs
km 32.1Ein Nefto'ah, Lifta
km 32.6The Snail Bridge

Resupply · km 22.2
By the Castel: Paz, Sonol, Rami Levy and Victory

03km ⁦33–42⁩

Through the city

Nine kilometres inside Jerusalem: from Yitzhak Navon station, through the Mahane Yehuda and Nahlaot area and the city centre, to the New Gate and the Jaffa Gate. From there you drop to Mitchell Garden, the Yemin Moshe windmill and Liberty Bell Park, and leave along the Railway Park. Bakeries, groceries and water taps at every corner.

Along the way

km 33.5Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon train station
km 36.6The Jaffa Gate
km 37.7The windmill, Yemin Moshe
km 38Liberty Bell Park
km 38.7The Railway Park

Resupply · km 35
Dozens of bakeries and groceries in the city centre, and the 24/7 Mamilla supermarket

04km ⁦42–60⁩

Nahal Refaim and Ein Kobi

From Malha station and the Biblical Zoo you head into the Nahal Refaim valley: Ein Haniya, Ein Itamar, Ein Tish and Ein Naama. The route drops to about 510 m, then climbs to Ein Kobi, a spring with a rock-cut tunnel and a campsite beside it, and on to Tzur Hadassa.

Along the way

km 44.7The Biblical Zoo
km 48.2Ein Haniya
km 49.4Ein Itamar and Ein Tish
km 57.8Ein Kobi, a spring and a night campsite

Resupply · km 60
Fuel station and Menta, Tzur Hadassa. After km 46 there is no shop until here

05km ⁦60–82⁩

Har Yaala and the Stalactite Cave

Bar Giora and Nes Harim, then the Har Yaala lookout and the Operation HaHar viewpoint. From here a long descent of more than 500 m, past the Stalactite Cave, down to the Soreq Valley, Eshtaol and Sha'ar HaGai.

Along the way

km 62.1Begin Park and Bar Giora night campsites
km 68Har Yaala lookout
km 71.5The Stalactite Cave (Soreq Cave)
km 81.5Ein Mesilla
km 82.4Sha'ar HaGai lookout

Resupply · km 77.2
Sonol, and Paz at km 81.2

06km ⁦82–100⁩

Back to Latrun

The last section passes Mevo Horon, the Mevo Horon spring and the Kramim lookout, looking down on the railway and Road 1 below. Latrun waits at the end, with a fuel station right at the finish.

Along the way

km 87.6Beit HaKshatot
km 90.6Mevo Horon spring
km 92.4Kramim lookout
km 96.5Lookout over the railway and Road 1

Resupply · km 99.9
Dor Alon at Latrun, at the finish

Where to sleep

To split it over two days, Ein Kobi (km 58) or Bar Giora and Begin Park (km 62–64) sit just past the halfway point.

Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.

km 12.8Free

חניון לילה פורצי הדרך 270 m off the route

km 18.1Free

חניון לילה עין חמד 520 m off the route

km 22.1Paid

חניון לילה הקסטל 240 m off the route

km 52.9Halfway

חניון לילה חורבת סעדים 400 m off the route · Free

km 57.8Halfway

חניון לילה עין קובי 30 m off the route · Free

km 62.1Free

חניון לילה פארק בגין 140 m off the route

km 63.9Free

חניון לילה נשות הדסה 170 m off the route

km 64.2Free

חניון לילה בר גיורא 230 m off the route

km 64.5Free

חניון לילה נס הרים 270 m off the route

km 77.4Free

חניון לילה רולי וז'ק 260 m off the route

km 81.3Free

חניון לילה מח"ל 140 m off the route

km 81.5Free

חניון לילה עין מסילה 520 m off the route

+12 more on the map

Where to refuel

Fuel stations, groceries and food within 200 m of the route. Fuel stations usually have water, toilets and a convenience store.

Straight-line distanceDistances from the route are straight-line distances, not riding distances. Before you set out, check on a map that a trail or road actually reaches the place.

km ⁦14.2–14.5⁩

Delek, Grocery, Kiosk A café or restaurant

km ⁦17.5–17.9⁩

Grocery ×2 3 cafés and restaurants

km 18.6

2 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦21.6–22.4⁩

Paz, Sonol, Grocery +2

km 25.2

A café or restaurant

km 26.3

Grocery

km ⁦32.2–32.9⁩

Sonol ×2, Paz, Makolet Tzion

km ⁦33.4–34.4⁩

Grocery ×2, Super Cheap 11 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦34.5–35.5⁩24/7

Teller Backery, Market cheap, Zol Uvegadol ×2 +8 79 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦35.6–36.6⁩24/7

The supermarket, La Patteserie Abu Seir, Maria's Groceries 43 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦36.8–37.8⁩

6 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦38–39⁩24/7

Sonol, Paz, Superdeal +2 8 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦39.1–39.8⁩

Oranim, Neeman Bakery, Grocery 5 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦40.7–41.2⁩

Fuel station, Grocery 2 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦45–46⁩

Grocery 3 cafés and restaurants

km 60

דלק

km 77.2

Sonol A café or restaurant

km 81.2

Paz

km 99.9

Dor Alon A café or restaurant

Distances along the route are calculated from the GPX file; the distance of each place from the route is a straight-line distance. Night campsites come from the site's campsite map, other places from OpenStreetMap. Not checked on the ground: confirm before you go.

Distance, climbing and recommended months come from the routes table. Highest and lowest points are calculated from the GPX file, and difficulty is an estimate based on climbing per kilometre.