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| Distance: 2km | Time: 1 hour | Difficulty: Easy-Moderate |
| Ascent: 51m |  Trailhead and Markers Gallery |
Last week, my kids were involved in a meaningful outdoor project, one that connected them to nature and allowed them to give back to the land we call home.
During the 9 days before the 9th of Av, they took part in Sayeret Ephraim, a camp devoted to volunteering and doing acts of kindness. The camp was put together in memory of Ephraim Jackman, a soldier and close friend of the family who fell in battle this past winter.
Our kids came home from camp filled with a feeling of accomplishment every day. The last two days may have been the best – that was when they spent time building Derech Ephraim a hiking trail through the beautiful Judean Hills that Ephraim so loved.
Of course, they were really eager to show us their work. So, this past Friday, we decided to hike the newly improved Derech Ephraim trail once again. Our plan was to hike and then stop for popsicles at Himalaya Chai Bar, the Indian restaurant in a bus that’s just off the trail.
And I’m so happy we did. The trail seems to get better and better each time we hike it. It was nice to see the fruits of our children’s labor. And we enjoyed beautiful views of the valley and the cool breezes of Gush Etzion.
Here’s how we hiked Derech Ephraim from Neve Daniel:
Mitzpor HaElef
Luckily for us, no car was needed for this hike from home. Instead, the boys hopped on their bikes and cycled up to the beginning of the trail at Mitzpor HaElef, the 1000 Meter Lookout.
Mitzpor HaElef is one of our favorite places to hang out. We watch the sunrise and sunset there, enjoy the crazy wind on stormy days, or show visitors how you can see Jordan on one side and the coast on the other.
These days, there are often tour busses full of people up at Mitzpor HaElef. And that Friday was no exception. We took some photos of the spot and continued on our way.
Through the Gate
Here’s where the hike gets a tiny bit tricky. There’s an automatic gate at the entrance to the road to Sde Boaz, where Derech Ephraim is located.
Plenty of traffic comes through here. So, most visitors just wait for a resident to come by and open it up. We used an app on our phone to get through.
After passing by the gate, we saw the sign for Derech Ephraim. We climbed down the steps towards beautiful sweeping views of valleys and vineyards below.
The Trail
We followed the boys as they ran from one spot to the next, “We built these steps!” “I built this shvil!״
And they had. What was once a loosely formed path with steep and rocky inclines had lately turned into an orderly, thorn free pathway, lined with rocks. Little makeshift stairs turned slippery hills into manageable pass-throughs.
We walked over to some of our favorite spots, all built within the past year through donations of time, material, and funds. There was a little swing, perfect for four, overlooking the gorgeous hills. We passed by a table and chairs, where we’ve eaten breakfast multiple times this year.
Our son took us down to another spot that we’d never noticed, two colorful benches surrounding a fire pit. And on, and on, and on.
Coffee Time
The boys had been telling us about a new deck which we just had to see. So we followed their newly built pathways up to a neatly built wooden deck with steps going up and down.
The view from the top was out of this world.
In the shade of an overhanging pine tree, this deck became our picnic spot. We pulled out our iced coffee and pancakes for the kids. There, we enjoyed the quiet, the peace, the cool breeze, and the unbelievable view.
More to See
The fun thing about Derech Ephraim is that there’s a lot to see nearby. Although the path isn’t completely finished, there are several ways to make a loop out of it, visiting various points of interest along the way.
First, we climbed right up to another lookout, built in memory of the Dee family. We passed by the pool built by the youth of Neve Daniel. This path took us straight up to ancient Nabi Daniel.
Then, we climbed back down and continued along the first path past newly planted olive trees. This rugged trail took us all the way to a dust jeep road where we made a right. Then we made another right by a fig tree back onto the Sde Boaz road (Derech Elyashiv).
Along this path, there were fig trees hanging with ripe fruit. We stopped to taste a few. And then we continued on to check out another new spot: Abraham’s Lookout. This awesome deck looks out onto the Judean hills and the city of Jerusalem in the distance.
One More Stop
It had been a great morning on the trail, and it was getting late. But we had one more stop to make before we returned home: Himalaya Chai Bar.
My husband and I have been making a habit of walking out to Himalaya for unbelievable Indian food on summer evenings. Every time, I try to identify the various flavors, like cloves, hot pepper, curry, and cool yogurt dip. At 11:00 on a Friday morning, we weren’t yet ready for (Tzohar certified kosher!) Indian food, but we were just hot enough to enjoy ice cold Paletas popsicles.
We stopped in and enjoyed the super fun and relaxing atmosphere of this cool restaurant in a bus.
So Happy About This Place
We finished up our hike with a unique feeling of joy and pride. This area had always been beautiful. But I was so proud that our local community had turned this place into what it is today: a wonderful place for a hike or a family outing, a place to chill and contemplate the natural beauty all around.
More improvements to Derech Ephraim coming soon. Come on over and see this magnificent trail in the Judean Hills! And don’t forget to stop for Indian food in a bus!
Wednesday and Thursday, August 28 &29, you can volunteer to help FINISH the Derech Ephraim trail!!!!
Hikers’ Notes:
Here’s what you need to know to hike Derech Ephraim:
Don’t forget to read my guide to the navigational features in this post before you hit the trail!
Trail map from Amud Anan.
Is there a trail map for this hike (Amud Anan)?
Yes, adding it now 🙂