Ariel Sharon Park (Hiriya) – Visitors Guide (Both Compounds)

Ariel Sharon Park stands on top of a former waste dump named Hiriya. Once completed, it will be the biggest park in the Middle East.

Map

Ariel Sharon Park is located near highways #1 and #4. Here is an interactive map with links to the mountain compound.

Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit

Interactive map of the area:

Here is a topographic map of this area:

Note: you can click on the map to enlarge it.

Currently, the park has two complexes with two different entrances.

Name of the compound	Directions	What to enter into Waze	Description	Location on the map above
The mountain compound (Mount Hiriya)	The entrance is from Highway #4 South. And as you get off Highway #4 south, turn right and drive around the industrial complex. After completing a semi-circle, you will see a right turn leading uphill to the mountain parking. Also, you can get there only by car, since no public transport reaches this site.	“Park Ariel Sharon, mountain compound.”	It is the restored waste mountain and the first area to open.	It is located to the right of the map. You can see a big red point.
The northern compound (Shalem Farm)	You must get off Highway #4 and drive on Road #461 in Tel Aviv’s direction. After several minutes, you will see a sign pointing to the left.	“Offices of Ariel Sharon Park” or “Havat Shalem”	This area has restored Shalem Farm, a playground for children, and more.	You can see it in the top right of the map above (marked with a red arrow).

Here is a closeup map of the mountain compound:

Trails

The trail at the top of the mountain is about two km long, but it can easily be made shorter. Since cycling on the hill is forbidden, it is only a hiking path.

Here is an interactive map from israelhiking.osm.org.il:

Cycling

Cycling on top of the hill is forbidden. But there are asphalt trails to the north of the mountain. And many use them for cycling. There is a three-km-long cyclic trail, and you can continue towards Menachem Begin Park. You can see part of this trail in the following photo.

Opening Hours

The mountain compound is open according to the following schedule unless there is a special event (check at the official site):
Sunday – Saturday: 7:30 – 18:00

The opening hours of Shalem Farm are:
Sunday – Saturday: 06:00 – 23:00

Entrance Fee

Free.

Parking

You can park at the mountain compound for free, but parking at Shalem Farm costs 20 NIS daily.

Tours

Today (June 2024), there are only tours for organized groups (no more free tours for the general public). The official site has additional information.

Dogs

You can bring dogs to Ariel Sharon Park, but they should be on a leash.

Also, starting a fire, including a barbeque, is prohibited in both compounds, but you can have a picnic.

Contact Information

Phone: 03-7398999

Shows and Concerts

You can purchase tickets for a concert at the mountain compound here or here.

About Ariel Sharon Park

Ariel Sharon Park stands on a waste dump. Wait. What? Park on a waste dump? Yes, let’s start chronologically.

Hiriya is a former waste dump located southeast of Tel Aviv. It received waste and worked as a landfill from 1952 to 1999. Over time, the size of the mountain reached 450,000 square meters and a height of 70 meters. It is visible as a flat-topped mountain at the intersection of highways #1 and #4.

From the establishment of the State of Israel up until 1998, this site was used as the main waste landfill for the Dan District municipality. For years, Israel’s “Mountain of Waste” was a symbol of an environmental, sanitary, and safety hazard, until the onset of its rehabilitation project in 2000.

The mountain spans approximately 110 acres and stands 230 feet above ground level. The mountain holds approximately 16 million cubes of all sorts of waste!

The mountain’s rehabilitation and transformation into a park was an architectural-engineering initiative based upon the principles of sustainable development with the following objectives:

• Pumping out the methane gas that is emitted by the decomposition of organic waste buried deep inside the mountain. The gas is used to produce green energy.

• Recycling and use of construction waste in the mountain’s rehabilitation process.

• Building underground detention ponds to store rainwater in the winter months for irrigation of plant life in the summer.

On the mountain site, you can enjoy:

• Spectacular observation points overlooking the Dan District region.
• Visitor’s Center with a multimedia presentation that tells the story of the mountain (entrance fee required).
• Self-guided walking tour – “The Way Side Story” – An easily accessible and well-marked walking trail that includes observation points, information, and interesting facts about the rehabilitation process of the landfill mountain.
• Shaded areas and green lawns.
• An ecological lake and a coffee shop.

Source: sign

And now, let’s visit the mountain compound.

Mountain Compound – Mount Hiriya

Near the parking, you can find restrooms and explanation signs.

Ecological Lake

From viewpoint #8 (on the map of the mountain compound), you can see the ecological lake (#11 on the map), visitors center, cafe, and parking.

There are picnic tables, and some of them have shade. But as you can see in the rules above, starting a fire, including a gas fire kit, barbeque, and bonfire, is prohibited in Ariel Sharon Park.

I was afraid there would be some smell, but I did not feel any smell throughout my visits to the park.

Currently, the cafe in the park is operated by Ivry Dairy. You may remember them from an earlier post when we visited them in Moshav Azarya. And since they produce various cheeses in the cafe, you can purchase cheese plates, salads, pizzas, and other baked goods with cheese.

One downside of this park is that all the trees are very young and small, and few are there. Thus, there is hardly any shade. As a result, I would not recommend visiting on hot days.

Recycled Concrete

We will continue to the viewpoints from the ecological lake. Near point #2 (on the mountain map), you can see the story of the stones by the road.

To moderated the angles of the mountain’s inner slopes, the planning team chose to use broken fragments of concrete recycled from construction waster. This use of construction waste mirrors the ecological principles for sustainable development implemented in the mountain plans.

Source: sign

Near point #3, you will find additional restrooms and a concert complex.

Viewpoints

We will continue our walk in the anti-clockwise direction and head towards viewpoint #4.

And here are several photos from the northern observation point (#4 on the map):

Let’s head to Caroline and Joseph Gruss Terrace (#6 on the map).

From there, you can see Tel Aviv and its surroundings. I took several photos from this terrace.

The following photo shows two churches: the Russian Orthodox Church in Abu Kabir and Saint Anthony’s Church in Old Jaffa.

I wanted to mention that you can find water taps in various places in the park.

“Trash People”

While visiting, we saw this guy:

It is one of the “Trash People.” In 2014, Ariel Sharon Park hosted the international exhibition “Trash People” by the German artist HA Schult. The show presented 500 life-sized statues on the mountaintop. All the figures were made from crushed cans, electronic waste, and other types of garbage. This exhibition was created in 1996 as a criticism of consumer culture.

Like the rehabilitated mountain of waste, human-like statues remind him of humankind’s power to ruin and destroy the environment and his ability to restore and repair it.

This specific statue was a gift to the Minister of Environment Protection.

Why was the Hiriya waste dump closed?

When you visit this park, you will see many planes.

Ben Gurion airport is not far away, and aircraft fly over the park after they have already started to decrease their altitude.

Though the official site does not mention why Hiriya was closed, some say it is because of the combination of planes and birds. Each waste dump attracts many birds. As the waste dump became higher and higher, the birds above it flew closer to the landing planes, which could lead to a disaster.

Shalem Farm – The Northern Compound

And now, let’s visit the northern compound.

As you enter the park, you will see a big pergola. Its length is 250 meters, and its height is 12 meters. The intention is to hold events and exhibitions in this area.

You can find restrooms near the pergola, and a little further, you can see Shalem Farm.

Shalem Farm

The Shalem Farm complex is an important milestone in the timeline of the early days of the State of Israel. Shalem Farm was established in 1953 by the “Hazerah” Communal Agricultural Association, which was involved in growing and cultivating seeds for farming. The background to the farm’s establishment was the economic boycott declared on the country’s Jewish economy and the increasing need for the supply of agricultural products for the growing population of the village.

The activities of the Association in the field of agricultural research and development contributed to the shaping of the State of Israel as a leader and trailblazer in the world in terms of modem agriculture and the cultivation of unique varieties. The location of the farm, in the open plains surrounding the Ayalon River, gives the place a unique character. The flat agricultural landscape was planted with decorative and fruit trees, and the connection of the farm to its surroundings created a natural continuation between the farm buildings and the fields surrounding them. The farm is split into two main areas: the economic area, where agricultural activities took place; and the residential area, where the farm workers and their families lived.

Source: sign

This historical area underwent preservation and restoration. As I understand it, these houses will hold exhibitions in the future.

Meanwhile, you can see the buildings, greenery, and explanatory signs.

Ecological Pool

Near the end of the pergola, you can see the entrance to the ecological pool.

Ariel Sharon Park covers an area of approximately 8,000 Dunams forming a continuum of open spaces in the heart of Israel’s most densely populated metropolitan area. The Park areas form a habitat for rich biodiversity – both flora and fauna, serving as a vital resource for preserving nature within an urban setting.

The Park lies on an international avian migration route. So far over 200 species of birds have been observed in the Park, including endangered species. You are about to enter a center that has been set up ‘in the spirit of the Park’s values to serve a center for education, sustainability, and nature conservation. In its middle is an ecological pond with unique wetland flora planted- around it. Along the trail are disabled-accessible observation shelters containing information plaques and a bird ringing and research center.

Source: sign

Playground

And our last point of interest at the northern compound was the playground.

Near the playground and by the pergola, you can find picnic areas.

The playground is not very big, but there are fewer standard attractions.

We visited the northern compound in June 2022. Since the visit was in the middle of the week, there were few people.

Overall, it looks enjoyable and is suitable for a short visit with kids. But it seems that it is not finished yet. There were signs for exhibitions and restaurants, but we did not see them.

Summary

Ariel Sharon Park (Hiriya) is a lovely place. It is inspiring what people can do when they put their minds to it. Also, keep in mind that they have not finished building this park. Over the years, it will be extended. The plan is to make it the biggest park in the Middle East.

The downsides of this park are the lack of shade and slow development. I have visited this park many times between 2015 and 2024, and the pace of change is very slow.

Have you ever been to Ariel Sharon Park? Let us know in the comments below.

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

For additional points of interest nearby, see Tel Aviv-Yafo. 

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:

• Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
• What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
• Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
• Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
• If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.