Bountiful Beersheba

Besides the beautiful and unique flora, there is an amazing view of Tel Arad and the Judean Desert from Har Amas.

By MEITAL SHARABI
The desert forest of Ya’ar Yatir covers nearly 7,500 acres. (photo credit: MEITAL SHARABI)
The desert forest of Ya’ar Yatir covers nearly 7,500 acres.
(photo credit: MEITAL SHARABI)
Some may not realize that right under our noses – just a short drive from the Center – sits a beautiful region that combines desert landscape and green, blooming fields. One of my favorite spots in the Beersheba region is Yatir Forest, which is spread out over 30 square kilometers and is home to millions of trees. Yatir, the largest planted forest in all of Israel, lies adjacent to Route 316, an old road that was built by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund to make it easier for hikers to reach it.
The road has seen better days, but luckily it is slated to undergo renovation soon. But even as it is now, it’s not that bad a drive and on the way you can catch a glimpse of the Hebron River, that drains into the Lachish River.
To get to the Yatir Forest, drive down the winding road from the mountain. If it’s just rained, though, there’s a good chance that flooding has made the road inaccessible. On your left as you’re driving, you’ll see the entrance to the Meitar Forest, which is full of eucalyptus trees and interesting desert vegetation. Soon after, you’ll pass by the Bakra River on your right. Apart from the path with the many crocus flowers (follow the black trail markers), there are a number of trails that crisscross the forest. The main path, which has green trail markers, curves through the forest and ends up near the village of Har Amasa. Along the way, you will pass several points of interest, starting with the Foresters’ House on the left side of the road.
The modern structure was built in the 1960s, around the ruins of a fortress from the period of the Kingdom of Judah, at the same time that trees were being planted in the forest. On clear days, there’s an incredible view of the Ashkelon coastline from its rooftop, which is 650 meters above sea level. When you look down at the Yatir Forest, you’ll also see bald spots with no trees.
These areas were left open deliberately by the people who designed the forest, because they were meant to be used for agriculture. If you look closely, you’ll notice that throughout the forest there are small vineyards spread about, all of which belong to the Yatir Winery. What’s pretty incredible is that animals that aren’t native to the area but were attracted by the foliage found their way and have made it their home. There are hares, partridge, gazelles, caracal, foxes and wolves.
The Israel National Trail goes through the forest and in ancient times the road to Rome also passed through this area. The Yatir Forest has had an enormous ecological effect on the region and there is an important research institute there that measures climate effects. The reason it is such a unique place is its location on the edge of a desert, which leads to the higher absorption of carbon dioxide. Another point of interest in the area is Hurvat Anim, an ancient city that is mentioned in the Book of Judges. It was an underground city, which means that you’re walking on the rooftops.
You’ll see water holes, hidden caves, as well as the ancient Anim Synagogue that lasted from the fourth to the eighth century.
We know for sure that it’s a synagogue, because of the direction of the structure: It faces Jerusalem.
Its openings were built facing east in an effort to differentiate it from the Christian houses of prayer. The ruins at Hurvat Anim indicate that a large quantity of wine was produced there, which was distributed throughout the region.
At some point, the synagogue was turned into a mosque, marking the end of wine making in the region. But once again grapes are being grown and wine produced at the Yatir Winery. In the ruins was discovered an ancient wine press from which Jews produced grape juice that was used for ceremonial purposes.
After you’ve finished perusing the ancient city, I recommend climbing up to the water reservoir (follow the blue trail markers). This reservoir is still in use today, although the water level is not particularly high. At the top of the hill that overlooks the reservoir there are picnic tables and it’s a lovely place to have lunch, rest in the shade of the trees and enjoy the beautiful, open view.
If you have time and energy left, you can follow the trail down to the Har Amasa nature reserve, which is home to a wide variety of greenery.
There’s vegetation that is common in the Middle East mixed with desert flora. Flower lovers can spend hours here, especially at this time of year and following all the rain we’ve had this winter and spring.
Besides the beautiful and unique flora, there is an amazing view of Tel Arad and the Judean Desert from Har Amasa.
If you’re traveling in the area on a weekday, I highly recommend stopping at the Yatir Winery. Wine tasting tours can be booked ahead of time Sundays through Thursdays by calling 052-830-8196.
And no day out would be complete without a nice meal. There aren’t many restaurants in the area, so if you haven’t packed a picnic for the day, I recommend eating at the famous Muza, located at the entrance to Arad, next to the Alon gas station on Route 31. And after hours, Muza functions as a makeshift bar that attracts colorful characters.
The restaurant offers classic breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, with pasta, salads, meat, sandwiches and an impressive variety of beers. But if you ask anyone inside the restaurant why they come to eat there, they’ll surely tell you it’s for the unique atmosphere and look of the place; Muza is covered with scarves and flags of sports teams from around the world.
Translated by Hannah Hochner.
Location: Beersheba area.
Type of outing: Part of visit can be done by car, but most of it is on easy trails.
Length: 2-4 hours.
Season: All year.
Directions: Drive south on Route 40 and turn east onto Route 3. After you pass Hura, turn left onto Route 316, which will lead you to the Yatir Forest parking area.