Beit Zayit Reservoir, Seasonal Lake by Jerusalem – Visitors Guide

Beit Zayit Reservoir near Jerusalem is a seasonal lake. It is a lovely place for a hike or a picnic in winter and spring.

Map

Beit Zayit Reservoir is located near Moshav Beit Zayit. You can reach this reservoir from different directions, and when we drove there, Waze took us from Beit Zayit. In the end, we parked near Derech HaAgam 290, Beit Zayit.

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

Interactive map of the area:

Parking

There is free parking on the streets.

We did not drive on Derekh ha-Sekher Street because there was a no-entrance sign. Hence, we parked nearby and walked from there.

Opening Hours

There are no gates, and you can enter at any time. But since there is no artificial light, visit only during the day.

Entrance Fee

Free.

Trails

From the parking lot (Derech HaAgam Street), we walked along Derekh ha-Sekher down to the reservoir. The length of this trail is about 750 meters and 33 meters of descent. Then we walked from the dam to the other end of the reservoir (along the southern shore). The length of this path is about 1 km. Lastly, we returned to the car, using the same path. In total, this was an easy family hike of 3.5 km.

When To Visit?

Beit Zayit Reservoir is a seasonal lake. Thus, winter is the best time to visit, especially after heavy rains (it will have the most water).

Also, the more you are towards winter (like February), the more flowers you will see.

Note: we visited toward the end of February.

Here are several photos from the way to the reservoir:

We passed a farm with horses and sheep on the way down and continued toward the dam.

As you can see from the sign, entering the water is forbidden.

Here are several photos from the hike along the reservoir:

There is a paved road near the reservoir. It is a part of the around Jerusalem bicycle path (43 km, and is currently under construction – see map here).

But since the paved path is further away from the water, many people go closer and hike along the dirt and grass. So, if you visit after rain, wear appropriate shoes.

When walking along the water, you can see Ein Kerem on one side and the bridges of Highway 16 on the other side.

Summary

Beit Zayit Reservoir is a lovely place for an easy hike or a picnic. Visit after the rainy season.

Since many other points of interest are nearby, you can always combine a visit with other places. Additional attractions are listed on the interactive map at the top of this page. Also, see Jerusalem for additional nearby attractions.

Have you ever been to Beit Zayit Reservoir? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you on future trips!

Stay Tuned!

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.