Snake Path at Masada

Masada National Park,
Judean Desert,
Israel

Hiking Trails:
Snake Path

Total Time: 0:40 hour (down)
Estimated Distance: 1.1 Miles (Snakepath only)

Pros: Good climbing and constant views
Cons: Busy trail and busy area

Hiking Partners:
Rayzi Friedman

I took a trip to Israel with my daughter and took her to many of the tourist locations in Israel. Masada is one of the main tourist areas in the country, and is an ancient fortress that was destroyed by the Romans and preserved. Although this is more of a tourist-friendly hike than the more "out-in-the-woods" type of hike that I am more accustomed to, I nevertheless included it here as it is a hike with a nice, albeit busy, hiking trail.

The terrain is very rugged with sheer cliffs rising up from the Dead Sea Valley. This is a very barren desert, with very little plant life and mostly just crumbling rock. The weather was beautiful, especially for December, and was in the mid 70's.

The mountain features both a cable car and hiking trail up the mountain. We took the cable car up the mountain and walked around the top looking at all the archaeological sites on the mountain. We walked across the perimeter of the mountain before descending on the Snake Path back to the area entrance.

Map of the Route (Taken from Google Earth Satellite View)

View Facing Towards the Entrance

Very Large Cistern on the top of Masada

View from the Northern End of Masada

Me on the Top of Masada

View of the Roman Camp Area

View Facing North Towards the Herod's Castle Area

People on the Path Towards Herod's Castle

Me on the Descent Towards Herod's Castle

Northern End of Masada

Barren Desert View from the North Side of Masada

View Facing East Towards the Dead Sea

From from an Old Stone Home Window

Me at the Beginning of the Snake Path Descent

Masada Cable Car

On the Descent on the Snake Path

Me at the Entrance of the Snake Path on the Bottom

View of Masada from the Bottom