Jordan Park – Outdoor Fun for Everyone

The Flour Mills Site

There were at least twelve flour mills in Jordan Park in the past, which utilized the abundant water flowing in the Jordan channel. The water was conducted to the mills in four lined trenches. One of them has been restored and conducts water to two flour mills situated next to the park's main recreation area.

Beit Saida (Tel Mishpa)

Tel Mishpa rises 25 meters above its surroundings in the southeastern section of Jordan Park. It seems that in the days of the First Temple there was a town here called Tzar, the capital of the kingdom of Geshur. From this era there are remnants of a palace, a great city gate, a strong wall and striking structures. The kingdom of Geshur maintained close contact with King David, who married Maacha the daughter of Talmai, the King of Geshur. There was a fishing village in Beit Saida in the days of the Second Temple, which explains its name, which means the fishing house. In the year 30 BCE, Herod’s son Philip developed the town and changed its name to Lulias in honor of the wife of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Philip was partial to the town and chose to be buried there (34 CE).

Three important emissaries of the Christian church were born in Beit Saida: Peter, his brother Andrew, and Philip, and many Christian pilgrims visit this site. Jesus visited the town and performed miracles there, such as restoring the vision of a blind man, and the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

Excavations were undertaken at the site in 1987 by the University of Nebraska, Omaha, USA, led by Prof. Rami Arav. The dig revealed remains of the biblical city and of the fishing village in the Second Temple period. KKL JNF developed a marked hiking trail at the site with suggested restorations of the remnants of the important buildings and with quotes from ancient scriptures that describe Beit Saida.

At the foot of the hill there is a spring called Ein Mishpa, which creates a small, pretty stream that flows to the Jordan River. You can get to the spring by a new footpath that descends from the mound. You can also get to it by car, from the park, on a road that is accessible for the handicapped. Near the stream are picnic tables.

All the routes are marked and have signposts with arrows. They are suitable for hiking all year round, except for the Aqueduct Route, which is not recommended in the summer.

1. The Short Water Route. The Purple Route

• Starting point and endpoint: the flour mills (circular route)
• Distance: 400 meters
• Duration: 15 minutes
  This is a very short and easy hike around the flour mills and is suitable for families with babies. The path starts at the flour mills, passes the water trenches for 150 meters and ascends (together with the Yellow Route) alongside another channel and through a “tunnel” made of reeds.

2. The Flour Mills Route. The Red Route

• Starting point and endpoint: the flour mills (circular route)
• Distance: 1,100 meters
• Duration: 30 minutes
  From the flour mills site the path goes west and climbs along a flowing channel of the Jordan River. There are willow trees, reed “tunnels” and oleander bushes along the way, as well as remnants of abandoned flour mills. Swamp tortoises and brush fowl are permanent residents all along the route.

3. The Eden Route. The Yellow Route

• Starting point and endpoint: the flour mills (circular route)
• Distance: 2,200 meters
• Duration: 75 minutes
  The path starts at the flour mills and descends along a channel. Then it crosses the channel westward and reaches a grand sycamore tree. The route continues along the main eastern tributary of the Jordan, returns to the channel that was crossed earlier and descends back to the flour mills alongside an ancient aqueduct.

4. The Aqueduct Route. The Blue Route

• Starting point and endpoint: the flour mills (circular route)
• Distance: 1,800 meters
• Duration: 1 hour
  Going north from the flour mills site, the path crosses a dirt road and climbs to where the path turns left. There, at the top of the hill, the beautiful landscape of the Jordan River comes into view, as it emerges from the basalt rocks and flows into the valley of Beit Saida. The path descends to a metal dam and the trench that diverts water from the Jordan to the park's flour mills. The path follows the aqueduct for 600 meters and returns to the flour mills site.

• No bathing is permitted in the Jordan River. (Bathing is allowed in the pool near the flour mills.)
• Making a fire is allowed in designated locations.
• Fishing is allowed with fishing rods only.
• Entrance ticket is valid for 24 hours. Please keep your ticket for verification upon leaving the park.