Recreation Sites

Please bring garbage bags with you from home and place your rubbish in firmly closed airtight bags. If at all possible, we recommend taking your rubbish home with you, to prevent wild animals from scattering it all over the forest. If you can’t take it home, please leave it only in an appropriately designated place.

If there is no room in the garbage bins provided at the recreational site, please tie the neck of the bags very tightly before placing them beside the bin. Please do not hang garbage bags from trees.

Lighting fires:
To avoid any risk of forest fires, please do not light fires anywhere in the forest apart from the areas specially provided for the purpose.
Some KKL-JNF recreation areas provide on-site barbeques for the use of visitors; others offer purpose-built flat surfaces where you are invited to set up your own barbeque equipment.

These sites are provided with barrels for your used charcoal; please take advantage of them before you leave.

Nahal Kadesh Park Recreation Area (lower): Situated at the source of the Kadesh River (Nahal Kadesh) at the edge of the Hula Valley, some seven kilometers south of Kiryat Shmona. The park offers picnic tables, playground equipment, a small wooden bridge, an open-air theater and footpaths that are accessible to all, including visitors with limited mobility. The Palmach Trail that leads from the recreation area tells the story of the capture of the Nebi Yusha fort.

Adamit Park Recreation Areas: Adamit Park, situated on a hill to the east of the Western Galilee township of Shlomi, on Route no. 899, is a natural beauty spot with fruit trees and a panoramic view from Rosh HaNikra to the Carmel Ridge. Visitors can enjoy a walk in the spice garden or beneath the shady trees, cooled all the while by the fresh breeze that blows in from the sea. The park offers picnic sites, on-site barbeque equipment, water faucets, “green” toilets, benches to sit on, scenic routes, vehicle accessibility and convenient footpaths accessible to all and adapted for the use of visitors whose mobility is limited. The site provides access to a footpath to the Arch Bridge (Me‘arat HaKeshet).

The Ein Zeitim Recreation Area in Birya Forest: Birya Forest is generously endowed with springs, archeological sites, sacred tombs, tall cedar groves, orchards and picnic spots. In the middle of the forest is Birya Fortress, a remarkable site that symbolizes the Jewish People’s struggle to resettle its homeland. The Ein Zeitim (“Olive Spring”) Recreation Area, which is situated at the edge of the forest, is equipped with a children’s playground, picnic tables, running water, and “green” toilets.

How to get there: It can be accessed from the Akko-Tzfat Highway (Route no. 85), from which we turn northwards on to Route no. 886.

The Dardara Recreation Area: A delightful corner tucked away in the heart of a eucalyptus grove in the Hula Valley where small brooks babble beside a pool surrounded by picnic tables and a wealth of riverbank vegetation.

How to get there: From Rosh Pina we drive towards Kibbutz Gadot and turn northwards on to the Hula Valley road (Route no. 918). We cross the River Jordan by Gesher HaPkak (“The Stopper Bridge”) and continue northwards for another two kilometers or so. A brown sign directs us eastwards to a paved dirt road that, after 400 meters, leads us to the Ashmora (Dardara) Recreation Area. KKL-JNF has developed the venue, adding signposts, pictures of bygone days and a memorial to the three fighters who fell defending the site.

The Forester’s House Recreation Area – Beit Keshet Forest Scenic Route: This scenic gem, which has close links to the history of early agricultural settlement in the Land of Israel, is the perfect spot for a walk, a drive or a cycle ride. For visitors with mobility problems accessible paths lead to picnic tables suitable for all users. A short footpath from the Forester’s House Recreation Area leads to a scenic lookout that provides a wonderful view of the surrounding area.

How to get there: The Scenic Route is accessed from Route no. 77 from the gate of Shimshon military camp, some two kilometers west of Golani Junction (Tzomet Golani). Alternatively we can take Route no. 65 (the Afula-Golani Junction Highway) via Kibbutz Beit Keshet: after a sharp left turn we will see a sign directing us to the Scenic Route.

Sites in Central Israel
Shoham Park: The lively young town of Shoham, which was founded over ten years ago in a swift development surge on the bare hills of Israel’s Coastal Plain, is today one of the country’s best-off communities and a paradise for nature-lovers. Picnic tables and cozy places to sit abound.

How to get there: From Route no. 444 we turn east towards the industrial zone, following the signs that read “Modiin District Industrial Area” (Ezor Ta‘asiya Hevel Modi‘in). We continue eastward along an asphalt road for around a kilometer and a half until we reach Shoham Forest, where we turn right on to a dirt road.

The President's Forest - Tzora Forest: This forest is the site of events in the lives of the Biblical Patriarchs, and, in a more modern vein, it contains thirty-seven environmental sculptures made from iron and local stone. These works can be touched and walked round, and between them we can catch glimpses of the hills of Judea and the Coastal Plain stretching to the horizon. The Sculpture Trail also offers recreation areas and relaxation spots.

The Sophie Recreation Area: A small intimate spot with fig trees, picnic tables and on-site barbeque facilities.

How to get there: Accessed from Route no. 44, which links Nahshon Junction to Shimshon Junction. We turn towards Moshav Tarom, but instead of driving into the community we turn right immediately. This is one of the entrances to the forest, and if we turn left from here we reach the recreation area.

The Tel Aviv Municipality Pensioners’ Recreation Area: Drive along Route no. 38 from Shimshon Junction in the direction of Beit Shemesh and turn right towards Kibbutz Tzora. After passing the entrance to the kibbutz continue for half a kilometer before turning right on to the signposted forest road. At the first fork we can turn right on to the Tzora Scenic Route, which is marked in red, and there we find the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality Pensioners’ Recreation Area, which is equipped with picnic tables and on-site barbeque equipment. Alternatively, we can choose to take the green-marked Sculpture Trail at the fork and ascend to the top of the ridge, where the Henion HaSoher site offers picnic tables, playground equipment, ancient agricultural artifacts and a magnificent view in the direction of Nahal Sorek. Note: This route is not suitable for vehicles with low clearance.

Eshtaol Forest Recreation Area: As we enter the forest the sound of traffic from the road fades, and a pleasant westerly wind blows among the tall ranks of pine trees. The Neveh Shalom-Eshtaol road in Yitzhak Rabin Park offers a large number of recreation areas complete with tables, a wide variety of children’s play equipment and restful spots where visitors can enjoy a picnic in natural surroundings.

How to get there: The Neveh Shalom-Eshtaol road can be accessed from Route no. 3 (the Latrun-Nahshon Junction Interchange). At the Nahshon-Neveh Shalom Interchange we drive in the direction of the Jewish-Arab community of Neveh Shalom. Alternatively we can reach the recreation area from the Shimshon-Nahshon Junction (Route no. 44), approximately 0.7 kilometers northwest of Shimshon Junction; turn in at the entrance to the KKL-JNF plant nursery.

The Re‘im Recreation Area in Beeri Forest: A dirt road marked in blue leads for some three kilometers from the Re‘im Recreation Area to a concrete road. Along the way facilities for the supply, collection and use of water can be seen, all dating back to different periods in the history of the region. Their sources were rain, groundwater, nearby Nahal Grar and, for some, areas further afield. The recreation area is provided with tables, play equipment and on-site barbeque equipment.

How to get there: Four kilometers south of Kibbutz Beeri turn west off Route no. 232.

The Yad Mordechai Forest Recreation Areas - the Jujube Trail: In the shade of eucalyptus, mastic, jujube and ancient sycamore fig trees we find the Jujube Trail (Derekh HaShezaf) through Yad Mordechai Forest in Israel’s Southern Coastal Plain. The dirt road leads us along an avenue of sycamore fig and jujube trees (Ziziphus spina-christi) to the Nabih Mari Recreation Area and, later, the Yoram Vanunu Recreation Area. Explanatory botanical signs at these sites provide details of the date palms and the sycamore fig, olive and jujube trees. The area is provided with tables, on-site barbeque equipment and water faucets.

How to get there: Turn right off Route no. 4 towards Carmia and Zikim. Several hundred meters along the internal road a green signpost on the right indicates the way to the Jujube Trail (Derekh HaShezaf). The exit back on to Route no. 4 is at the end of the trail.

Yatir Forest – The Cistern (Bor) Recreation Area: Yatir Forest is accessed from a road that branches off northwards from the Shoket-Arad Highway (Route no. 31; turn north some five kilometers from Shoket Junction in the direction of Arad, i.e., left when coming from Shoket Junction and right when coming from the direction of Arad. Continue along the main Yatir Forest road past the Foresters’ House (Beit HaYa’aranim), turn right towards Shani (Livne) past Horvat Anim on the right then past a small bridge, then turn right to the reservoir road, which is marked in blue. A short distance before the cistern the route descends to the right, leading to the Agricultural Artifacts Trail, which continues for 600 meters. A wine press, water cisterns, oil-press beams, livestock enclosures and caves can be seen along the way, with the ancient Anim Synagogue at the end of the route. The recreation area offers tables, on-site barbeques, water faucets and playground equipment for children.