The Israel Bike Trail is a national project whose purpose is to create a continuous mountain biking trail that crosses the country from north to south, connecting Mt. Hermon at one end with Eilat at the other.
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority is leading the establishment of this trail, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and The Israel Government Tourism Corporation and with assistance from additional bodies such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Jewish National Fund.
One of the important goals behind the decision to found the trail is to encourage bicycle tourism, both foreign and from within Israel. Therefore, the planning process was carried out with a focus on showcasing the best that Israel has to offer. Whoever rides the entire length of the trail will pass through the most important national sites and cross the country's most magnificent landscapes, while experiencing Israel's diversity of culture and types of communities along the way.
The trail one of the longest demarcated trails in the world suited to, and with appropriate signage for, mountain biking. It overlaps early caravan routes to link some of the most ancient and sacred heritage sites of the three monotheistic religions. It will enable riders to travel from the snow on Mt. Hermon to the southern desert, from the stone ruins where our ancestors lived to the concrete towers of a bustling metropolis, encompassing thousands of years of history and hundreds of million years of geology.
The sections of the trail were planned so that each one should take up to a day (6–8 hours) to complete, ending in a location with sleeping accommodations and water. So far, 300 kilometers of the planned route have been prepared for use, connecting Makhtesh Ramon and Eilat. This section can be completed in eight days of exhilarating riding through spectacular desert landscape.
A community of volunteers has grown who donate their time and energy to clearing and leveling sections of the Israel Bike Trail. We take this opportunity to thank those who have participated for their impressive and heartwarming devotion, and to appeal to new volunteers – come join us!
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This website has also been constructed with the help of volunteers. It is intended to supply all the information necessary to ride the length of the trail. We appreciate any feedback that will help us improve the website as well as the trail.
I believe that there's nothing like getting to know the land of Israel by bicycle. There's no experience more empowering than cycling up to Jerusalem or riding along the edge of the Great Makhtesh or the challenging trail that winds through the breathtaking mountains of Eilat.
So, onward! Mount your bikes and start pedaling!
Hillel Sussman
Project Manager, Israel Bike Trail
