Center · One-way

Yam El Yam

Jerusalem → Tel Aviv

All my rides →

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 124 km

Total climbing 1,667 m

Highest point 678 m

Lowest point 2 m

Days 2 days

Difficulty Moderate

Recommended months Jun–Jan

From Jerusalem to the sea: descend from the Judean hills through forests, springs and the Shfela to the Tel Aviv shore.

How to load the file to your device → Download GPX

Elevation profile

674 m 4 m

0 km 25 km 50 km 74 km 99 km 124 km

Route story · Yam El Yam

From Jerusalem to the sea, one long descent

124 km from Malha train station in Jerusalem to Tel Aviv Port. You lose almost 700 m: past the springs of Nahal Refaim and the Judean Hills, the Burma Road and the Ayalon Valley, Ben Shemen Forest and Crusader forts, then along the Yarkon from its springs to the sea.

One-way · Jerusalem2 daysJun–JanModerate

124km

1,667m climbing

47.9km, longest stretch without fuel

3fuel stations within 200 m

37water taps along the way

28night campsites near the route

Firing zones on the way

The route crosses one firing zone, about 2 km of 124. Entering a firing zone requires advance coordination and approval, and zones can be closed on weekends and holidays too.

Firing zone 203 km 75–76, 82–85 Central Command coordination center 02-5305042

Boundaries from OpenStreetMap (source: IDF) and may be out of date. Some sections are a road that crosses the zone. Either way, check and coordinate before you go. All coordination centers →

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The route at a glance

Fuel stationGrocery or supermarketWater tapNight campsite

01km ⁦0–20⁩

The springs of Nahal Refaim

You set off from Malha train station, pass the Biblical Zoo and enter the Nahal Refaim valley. Ein Haniya flows out of the remains of an ancient church, followed by Ein Itamar, Ein Tish and Ein Naama, with tunnels you can peek into. From there the route continues to the Har Giora reserve.

Along the way

km 1.6The Biblical Zoo
km 4.5Ein Haniya, flowing from an ancient church
km 5.6Ein Itamar and Ein Tish
km 14.3Har Giora nature reserve

Resupply · km 2.8
A grocery near the start. After it there is no shop until Eshtaol, km 32

02km ⁦20–42⁩

The Judean Hills and the Burma Road

The ruins of Tura and Bohen, Har Shimshon and Samson's Cave, then a descent to Eshtaol. Around Eshtaol there are several lookouts, among them The Balcony, a wooden deck with a wide view. Then come the Burma Road serpentines, the Beit Susin springs and the Harel lookout.

Along the way

km 19.9Ein Tura, a small spring in a cave
km 28.1Samson's Cave
km 36.6The Balcony: lookout and night campsite
km 38.9The serpentines and an Israel Trail library
km 41.6Harel lookout

Resupply · km 32.5
Sonol fuel station at Eshtaol, right on the route

03km ⁦42–65⁩

The Ayalon Valley

You drop into the Ayalon Valley, past the Gezer boundary inscriptions, ancient carvings that marked the city's limits, and the Nof Ayalon amphitheatre. Ein Yered is a pretty pool by a reed thicket, and Mishmar Ayalon is the only resupply in this section.

Along the way

km 43Beit HaKshatot
km 48.9Yaar HaMeginim night campsite
km 49The Gezer boundary inscriptions
km 49.9Nof Ayalon amphitheatre
km 55.1Ein Yered

Resupply · km 57.8
Groceries at Mishmar Ayalon, right by the route

04km ⁦65–95⁩

Ben Shemen, Qula and Mazor

Ben Shemen Forest, with picnic sites and a view from Tel Hadid, then Horvat Tinshemet with its mosaic remains. Near Bareqet there is a winter pond and caves, and further on the Crusader fort of Qula and the Mazor mausoleum, a Roman-period building.

Along the way

km 70.9Ben Shemen Forest night campsite
km 73.8Tel Hadid lookout
km 79Horvat Tinshemet
km 85.6Qula Crusader fort, 330 m off the route
km 88.9Mazor Mausoleum national park

Resupply · km 80.4
Paz fuel station, 130 m off the route

05km ⁦95–124⁩

Along the Yarkon to the sea

Tel Afek with the Antipatris fortress, and the Yarkon springs: the water-lily pool, the al-Mir mill and the Concrete House. From there you ride along the stream almost all the way, past the old Yarkon mills and through Yarkon Park, until the river meets the sea by Tel Aviv Port.

Along the way

km 96.6Tel Afek and the Antipatris fortress
km 98.1Tel Afek night campsite
km 98.8The water-lily pool
km 105Abu Rabah watermill
km 119.9Seven Mills

Resupply · km 123.2
Super Baba near the finish, and Paz at km 121.7

Where to sleep

To split it over two days: Yaar HaMeginim (km 49) or Ben Shemen Forest (km 71). For a shorter first day, sleep at one of the campsites around Eshtaol (km 35–40).

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 9.2Free

חניון לילה חורבת סעדים 410 m off the route

km 32.5Free

חניון לילה רולי וז'ק 500 m off the route

km 34.6Free

חניון לילה הזיתים אשתאול 0 m off the route

km 35.5Free

חניון לילה נח ורוזה פורמן 10 m off the route

km 36.7Free

חניון לילה המרפסת 20 m off the route

km 37.5Free

חניון הדק 0 m off the route

km 39.3Free

חניון לילה דרך בורמה2 270 m off the route

km 39.4Free

חניון לילה התאנים 10 m off the route

km 48.9Free

חניון לילה יער המגינים 80 m off the route

km 57.3Halfway

אנדרטת חללי הלח"י 510 m off the route · Free

km 70.9Halfway

חניון לילה יער בן שמן 100 m off the route · Free

km 99.5Paid

חניון לילה מקורות הירקון 230 m off the route

+16 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 ⁦1.8–2.8⁩

Grocery 2 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦32.4–32.5⁩

Sonol A café or restaurant

km 41.6

A café or restaurant

km 57.8

Grocery

km 80.4

Paz

km 81.7

A café or restaurant

km 97.4

Grocery

km 99.5

Grocery

km ⁦115.1–116.1⁩

14 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦118–118.5⁩

3 cafés and restaurants

km ⁦120–120.9⁩

2 cafés and restaurants

km 121.7

Paz A café or restaurant

km ⁦123.1–124⁩

Super Baba, Big Super Baba, Grocery 15 cafés and restaurants

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.

Firing zones: OpenStreetMap, IDF data import

Photos from the route

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.