Jerusalem Trail

The Jerusalem Trail (Hebrew שביל ירושלים‎) is a 38-km walking trail through Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Hills. It starts near Ein Handek, passes through Ein Kerem, Yad Vashem, the Old City area, Mount Scopus and Lifta, and ends at Sataf. The trail was inaugurated in 2006 and links urban Jerusalem with the surrounding hills. It is mainly a hike, though several sections can be reached by public transport or car.

The trail combines rural paths, historic valleys, city streets, religious sites, viewpoints and neighbourhoods from different communities. It is marked with blue-gold-blue signs and a lion symbol in the city; outside the city it often follows regular Israeli trail markings. Markings in urban areas may be missing or damaged, so carry a map or offline GPS route.

The hike does not require technical skills, but hikers should be comfortable walking on rough paths, steps, dirt roads and city streets. Most hikers walk it in two or three days, or as separate day hikes.

Wear good walking shoes and carry sun protection, enough water and a map. No general permit is normally needed, but individual sites may have opening hours, entrance fees or security checks. The route is not suitable as a whole for wheelchairs, baby carriages or wheeled luggage.

Food is available in Jerusalem, especially in Ein Kerem, near the Old City, around Mount Scopus and in central areas. Carry food for the rural sections between Ein Handek and Ein Kerem, and between Lifta and Sataf.

Carry plenty of water, especially in warm weather. Do not rely on springs as drinking water unless clearly marked safe. Natural water should be filtered and disinfected before use.

Most hikers sleep in Jerusalem and walk the trail in stages. There are hotels, hostels and guesthouses in the city. There are no huts on the route, and wild camping is not practical in most urban or sensitive areas.

Spring and autumn are best. Summer is hot and dry, so start early and carry extra water. Winter can be cold, rainy and slippery, though the trail is generally usable year-round.

Most hikers reach the trail through Jerusalem. Ein Handek is near Even Sapir and Hadassah Ein Kerem and is easiest by car, taxi or local transport combined with walking. Yad Vashem and Mount Herzl are useful access points by light rail. Sataf has parking and nearby road access, though public transport should be checked in advance.

The trail can be walked in either direction, but the description below follows the usual west-to-east-and-back-to-west order, from Ein Handek to Sataf. In built-up Jerusalem the markings can be harder to follow than in the hills, so carry an offline map or GPX track and allow extra time at road crossings, stairways and detours.

From Ein Handek to Yad Vashem

 4 km

The Jerusalem Trail begins at the parking lot of the 31.76192735.138761 Ein Handek spring, which flows from the foot of Moshav Even Sapir. The spring’s name is in Arabic and means the “canal spring”. The Ein Handek spring has two long, rock-cut tunnels which have flowing water all year round. Due to the contamination of the water it is forbidden to go into the tunnels.

From Ein Handek you’ll follow a trail marked with blue trail markings which leads down a dirt road to a gate with a sign that says “Hadassah Trail”, which is maintained by volunteers from the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. The Hadassah Trail, which is mainly a dirt road, leads through terraces, orchards and wooded slopes toward 31.768635.16092 Ma’ayan Miriam in Ein Kerem.

Ein Kerem is a good first rest stop, with cafés, churches, narrow lanes and bus connections. The route then climbs out of the village toward the Mount of Remembrance area. This is a short stage, but the climb can feel exposed in hot weather.

From Ein Kerem the trail leads to the entrance of 31.77442435.1772483 Yad Vashem . Hikers with time should allow a separate visit for the museum and memorial campus rather than treating it as only a waypoint.

From Yad Vashem to the Valley of Hinnom

 8 km

The route descends from the western slopes of Jerusalem toward the historic valley south of the Old City. At the start of the stage it passes close to 31.77411735.1805674MISSING WIKILINK Mount Herzl, Israel’s national cemetery, and then enters more urban walking.

This is one of the most varied city sections of the trail. It links memorial sites, residential streets, parks and government-area viewpoints before descending toward the Old City basin. Depending on the exact marking and any detours, useful nearby landmarks include 31.77666735.2055565 Knesset building , 31.779235.20366 Wohl Rose Park and the streets around Rehavia and Talbiya.

The last part of the stage drops toward the 31.76857935.2255567 Valley of Hinnom. The valley gives wide views toward the Old City walls, Mount Zion and the slopes below Abu Tor. Near the valley rim is the Jerusalem Cinematheque , a useful landmark above the descent. This section has many road crossings and steps, so do not expect a continuous rural footpath.

From the Valley of Hinnom to the Hebrew University

 7 km

This section climbs from the ancient valley area toward Mount Scopus and the university campus.

From the Valley of Hinnom the trail skirts the historic basin south and east of the Old City. The walking here mixes archaeology, viewpoints and politically sensitive urban areas, so stay on the marked route and avoid wandering into side alleys unless you know the area.

The route passes near the 31.77303735.2348118 City of David , then continues toward the 31.77697235.2389729 Kidron Valley below the eastern side of the Old City. There are views toward the Mount of Olives and, with a short detour, the area of 31.77941935.23942510 Garden of Gethsemane .

The climb northward is steady and can be hot, especially on exposed stone and paved sections. Before reaching Mount Scopus, the trail passes the open slopes of 31.78944435.24333311 Emek Tzurim National Park , then arrives at Hebrew University, Mount Scopus campus, where there are bus connections and services nearby.

From the Hebrew University to Lifta

 8 km

The trail leaves Mount Scopus and crosses northern Jerusalem toward the abandoned village of Lifta.

This stage is mostly urban and suburban, with a mix of sidewalks, paths, stairways and short open sections. It is less scenic than the valleys and springs, but it gives a useful cross-section of northern Jerusalem and connects the eastern side of the city with the western exit toward the hills.

Navigation is the main challenge. Trail signs may be missing, faded or hidden by parked cars and construction, so check junctions carefully. Carry enough water before leaving Mount Scopus, since services are not always directly on the marked route.

The stage ends at 31.79444435.19666712 Lifta , the remains of a depopulated village at the western entrance to Jerusalem. The stone houses, terraces and spring are atmospheric, but many structures are unstable; do not enter ruins or climb on damaged roofs.

From Lifta to Sataf

 11 km

This final stretch heads west out of the city, passing into the green hills around Sataf.

From Lifta the trail leaves the urban edge and gradually returns to the Jerusalem Hills. The walking becomes more rural, with woodland, terraces, side valleys and views back toward the city. This is the longest stage in the itinerary, and in warm weather it should be started early.

The route uses a combination of dirt roads and footpaths through the western hills. It can feel surprisingly remote despite being close to Jerusalem, and there are fewer reliable services than in the city sections. Carry food and water from Lifta or from the last convenient stop in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Trail ends at 31.769135.127313 Sataf , a restored agricultural-terrace area with springs, picnic areas and connections to other marked trails in the Jerusalem Hills. From here, hikers can return to Jerusalem by car, taxi or checked public transport, or continue on nearby trails toward the Israel National Trail.

• Parts of the trail, especially those within the streets of the city of Jerusalem might not have trail marking signs. Often the signposts within the city area might get lost or corrupted as a result of vandalism, and that might of course make it difficult to follow the route of the trail (therefore, bringing along a map, just in case, might be helpful). The parts of the trail that are located in an open area are also marked with regular trail marking and are maintained by the Israel Trail Commission.
• Part of the trail passes through East Jerusalem. This is a sensitive area from the security aspects throughout the year, and the sensitivity intensifies on Fridays when special prayers are held in the mosques, during the month of Ramadan, and during Palestinian memorial days.
• Some of the sites along the Jerusalem trail aren't open to the public, and some of them have specific visit hours (it is therefore recommended to check that up in advance). Entrance to some of the sites involves an entrance fee.

From Sataf, return to Jerusalem by car, taxi or local transport, or continue exploring the Jerusalem Hills on nearby marked trails. Hikers who want a longer route can connect with the Israel National Trail or plan other walks described in Hiking and backpacking in Israel.

For more sightseeing, spend time in Jerusalem’s Old City, Ein Kerem, Mount Herzl or central Jerusalem. From Jerusalem, onward travel is possible to Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Masada, Bethlehem and other destinations, depending on current transport and access conditions.