Timna Park Guide: Copper Mines & Desert Landscapes

Timna Park occupies a broad basin in the southern Arava desert, 25 kilometres north of Eilat, where 3,000 years of copper mining left behind ancient shafts, smelting sites, and an Egyptian temple — and where millions of years of geological time produced sandstone formations that look like nothing else in Israel. It is one of the most undervisited sites in the country relative to its visual impact: most visitors to Eilat focus on the coral reef and miss what is happening in the desert immediately to the north.

Quick reference

Solomon’s Pillars

The most photographed feature in Timna Park is a row of free-standing sandstone columns rising approximately 50 metres from the valley floor — natural formations created by differential erosion of the Cambrian sandstone that underlies the entire region. The name Solomon’s Pillars dates from the early 20th century and has no archaeological basis: the columns are geological, not built, and have no direct connection to the biblical king. The name stuck, and the formation remains one of the most striking in the Middle East.

The pillars stand at the base of a natural amphitheatre framed by the red and ochre cliff face behind them. Walk to the base for scale — the columns are far larger than they appear from the car park. The lighting is best in the early morning (the east-facing cliff catches the first sun) and again in late afternoon when the red tones deepen. Midday produces flat, harsh light and the highest temperatures.

At the foot of Solomon’s Pillars you will find the Egyptian Temple of Hathor — a sanctuary built by Egyptian copper miners during the New Kingdom period (14th–12th century BCE) and dedicated to Hathor, the goddess associated with mining and the desert. The original temple stones and carved reliefs were discovered during the 1960s–70s excavations led by Professor Beno Rothenberg; what you see today is a reconstructed outline of the sanctuary floor plan with informational panels. A bronze serpent (Nehushtan) figurine — consistent with the biblical description of a copper serpent made in the desert — was found in the excavation. The find is displayed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem; the site itself is marked with signage.

Mushroom Rock

A few hundred metres from Solomon’s Pillars, Mushroom Rock is a single sandstone formation eroded into a near-perfect mushroom shape: a broad, flat cap balanced on a narrower stem. It is a textbook example of differential erosion — the harder cap resisted weathering longer than the softer rock below — and the result is genuinely surreal at close range.

The rock is the most photographed natural feature in the park after the Pillars. It is accessible by a short walk from the main circuit road. Morning light is best; the formation faces south-west, making late afternoon also suitable for photographs if you have the park to yourself.

The Copper Mine Trail

The Ancient Copper Mine Trail (Shvil HaNehoshet) is a 4-kilometre loop through the heart of Timna’s mining landscape. The trail passes:

• Open-cast mining terraces cut into the valley walls during the Egyptian New Kingdom period — the striations in the rock face mark successive mining campaigns over several centuries
• Ancient smelting sites marked by slag heaps that the excavations have left partially intact — the dark glassy slag, a by-product of smelting copper ore, is still visible at the surface
• Mine shaft entrances (some sealed for safety, others viewable from the path) that extend into the cliff faces; informational panels explain the ore extraction and smelting technology used

The trail involves moderate walking on uneven sandy ground with occasional rocky sections. No technical skills are required. Sturdy shoes are necessary; sandals are not adequate on the rocky sections. The trail is entirely exposed — no shade — which makes an early start essential between April and October.

A shorter loop of approximately 2 kilometres connects the car park directly to the major smelting site concentrations without the full circuit; the signage at the trailhead makes the options clear.

Timna Lake

The Timna Lake at the centre of the park is an artificial freshwater reservoir created in the 1980s. It is small — roughly 180 metres across — but the combination of still turquoise water and surrounding desert cliffs creates an incongruous oasis effect that is particularly striking in the middle of the arid basin.

The lake offers:

• Pedal boats and kayaks for hire (seasonal availability — check at the park entrance on arrival; typically available October through April)
• A shaded picnic area on the north bank — one of the few shade structures in the park
• A replica of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) on the lake shore — a full-scale reconstruction of the portable desert sanctuary described in Exodus, created for the park as an interpretive exhibit; it is large enough to walk through and particularly engaging for visitors with a religious-education background

The Tabernacle replica is the park’s most distinctive optional feature. It is not a religious site but an educational reconstruction; it tends to generate strong reactions from visitors who have studied the biblical text. Allow 30–45 minutes.

Stargazing

Timna Park runs a night sky programme from November through March on selected evenings. The park sits in a natural depression 25 kilometres from Eilat’s light dome, with no significant light sources to the north or east across the Arava — the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye on clear, moonless nights.

The guided sessions typically run from approximately two hours after sunset until midnight, using 8–12 inch telescopes with commentary on seasonal constellations and deep-sky objects. Advance booking is required; check the official timna-park.co.il website for current schedules, which vary by month and are weather-dependent.

Cold-weather warning: even in winter, Timna nights drop to 5–10°C after midnight; a warm layer is essential even if the afternoon was warm. Spring and autumn evenings (March–April, October–November) offer the best combination of comfortable temperatures and good sky quality.

Practical planning

Getting there: from Eilat, take Route 90 north for 25 km. The park entrance is on the left, clearly signed. Driving time is 20–25 minutes from the city centre. There is no practical public transport — a rental car is the most flexible option, allowing you to move between the scattered sites within the park and extend to the Red Canyon or Hai-Bar Yotvata on the same day.

Opening hours and fees: Timna is managed independently and charges its own entry fee (approximately ₪35–45 per adult as of 2026). Note that the Israel National Parks Pass does not cover Timna — it is administered by the Timna Valley Park Authority, not INPA. Check current hours and fees at timna-park.co.il before visiting; hours vary seasonally.

What to bring:

• At least 2 litres of water per person (more in warm months)
• Sturdy shoes — sandals are inadequate for the mine trail and rocky sections
• Sun protection: hat, SPF 50 sunscreen (the Arava sun is intense year-round)
• Warm layer for evening visits even in autumn and spring

Best season: October through April. July–August temperatures reach 40°C+ and make midday exploration dangerous; if you visit in summer, enter at 08:00 and plan to leave by 10:00. Spring (March–April) and autumn (October–November) offer the best conditions for a full day.

How long to allow: three to four hours covers the main circuit — Solomon’s Pillars, Mushroom Rock, the Tabernacle replica, and the lake. A full day allows the Copper Mine Trail, a lake activity, and time to linger at the geological viewpoints. Combining Timna with the Red Canyon makes for a satisfying full day from Eilat.

Combining with other Eilat-area sites

Red Canyon (15 km north on Route 90): a narrow slot canyon hike that pairs naturally with Timna — plan Timna in the morning and the Red Canyon in the afternoon. See the day trips from Eilat guide.

Hai-Bar Yotvata (30 km north): a wildlife reserve where white oryx, onagers, and ostriches roam a large open enclosure. The drive from Timna is 30 minutes; it adds another hour to the day. See the Hai-Bar Yotvata guide.

Eilat diving and snorkeling (Coral Beach): many visitors split a day between Timna Park in the morning and Coral Beach in the afternoon — the park opens early, the desert heat peaks around noon, and the reef is at its best in the early afternoon light. See the Eilat diving and snorkeling guide.

Petra day trip (via Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba crossing): Timna fits naturally into the day before or after a Petra excursion — the Jordanian border crossing is 5 km south of central Eilat. See the Petra from Eilat vs Amman comparison for the practical logistics.

South Israel road trip: Timna Park is a key stop on the Beer-Sheva to Eilat self-drive circuit. The South Israel itinerary covers the full route with day-by-day driving distances and stops. The Eilat travel guide covers the city itself.