Parks, trails & springs in Efrat & Gush Etzion

Dagan central park and Aqueduct Trail start

Parks, trails & springs · Dagan

Accessible playground and lawns at the entrance to Dagan. The "Aqueduct trail" walking route starts here, and there are children's shows in summer.

Efrat dog parks

Parks, trails & springs · Efrat

Three fenced dog runs: by the grocery in Zayit, by HaShibolim HaLochashot on the Te'ena slopes, and in Rimon opposite the multi-purpose shul. Dogs must have a valid rabies vaccination.

Ein Tzurim pools

Parks, trails & springs · Rosh Tzurim

Two shallow wading pools (40 and 60 cm) in nature with seating, a swing and plenty of shade; good for families.

HaAsor Park

Parks, trails & springs · Gefen

Park linking Gefen and Dekel, used for community ceremonies and activities. Park at the MAHAR car park.

HaPazit grove

Parks, trails & springs · Zayit

Grove opposite Orot Etzion girls' school with picnic benches, play equipment and a view of Herodion and Jerusalem.

HaShibolim HaLochashot grove and Mitzpor Yuval

Parks, trails & springs · Te'ena

Wooded grove on the slopes of Te'ena. It has a sculpture park of stone slides and hiding places, and picnic corners. There is a dog park at the entrance from Sderot David HaMelech, and the Yuval lookout faces Elazar and Neve Daniel.

Photo: Smadar Shiftan, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Herodion National Park

Parks, trails & springs · Across the Gush

Desert hilltop fortress, palace and tomb of King Herod run by the Nature and Parks Authority; includes a film on Herod. Adult 31 NIS, child 16 NIS. Stairs - not stroller-accessible.

Photo: Jan Helebrant, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC0 1.0 (opens in a new tab)

Mevo Yitzhar promenade

Parks, trails & springs · Zayit

400 m walking and cycling promenade cut along the hillside between Pitum HaKetoret St and HaMenora St in Zayit. It has a changing photo gallery and views of Wadi Pirim, Dagan and Tamar.

Nahal HaPirim trail (Bi'ar aqueduct)

Parks, trails & springs · Dagan

3.5 km black-marked trail (about 2.5 hours) along Second Temple-era aqueducts that still carry water in places, with a section you can walk through underground.

Nahal Pirim and the Byzantine monastery (Deir al-Banat) trail

Parks, trails & springs · Dagan

Trail down the wadi between Zayit and Dagan, with small waterfalls after rain and the remains of a Byzantine monastery. It is stroller-friendly as far as the parking area; the goat paths below need proper shoes. The gate is open 07:00-17:00.

Oz VeGaon nature reserve

Parks, trails & springs · Gush Etzion Junction

Grove by the junction with pergolas, picnic tables, a playground, toilets, a splash area and ball courts, a trail to a lookout, and summer camping (40 NIS adult / 15 NIS child per night).

Park Tzvika (three-level lookout playground)

Parks, trails & springs · Zayit

Playground on three levels for different ages. It doubles as a lookout over Tamar, Dagan and Jerusalem.

Pirim view trail to the Roman dam

Parks, trails & springs · Dagan

Short family trail, about 30 minutes, not suitable for strollers and marked white-black-white. It starts at the park at the entrance to Dagan and passes an orchard and the shafts of the ancient aqueduct on the way to the Roman dam. The gate is open around the clock, and the whole route is inside the eruv.

Tamar central park

Parks, trails & springs · Tamar

About 4 dunams of playground next to the school in Tamar. In summer it hosts shows and events for families.

The Lone Oak (HaAlon HaBoded)

Parks, trails & springs · Alon Shvut

Centuries-old oak that is the symbol of Gush Etzion, with a 3D model of the Gush, children's play equipment, public toilets and an audio story station.

Photo: Yair Aronshtam from Israel, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

Zayit central park

Parks, trails & springs · Zayit

12,000 m2 park between upper Zayit Shemen and Matityahu HaKohen, with play equipment and seating.