The Timna Valley has been the location of copper mines from the days of King Solomon. The site is still mined today and the red rock of the region has several unique formations carved into the rock. All of these make a wonderful place for a ride, and nice way to see the region around Eilat.
Take your bike 15 km north of Eilat to Be’er Ora.
From Be’er Ora, take the service road north leading to the modern Timna mines. At the mines, enter the park and pass the Nehustan Lake and campground.
Follow the road through the park leading you to the ruins of the biblical town that stood here in the time of King Solomon. Nearby, you will find the Shlomo Pillars; large natural pillars carved into the red rock.
Further down, a dirt road will lead you to three more interesting sites. First you will pass the “Mushroom”, another formation carved by water into the red rock. Further north lay the ancient mines of King Solomon and at the end of this road, you will reach a site of murals from Ancient Egyptian times. The paintings describe mining copper and the camel caravans that took the metal to the port on the Red Sea.
Head back to the park's main road and head to the visitors center. From the visitors center, ride to road #90 and turn south. Enjoy a tail wind south towards Eilat, but beware of traffic in this area.
Ten Kilometers south of Timna, turn into the Dom Palms site; these trees, commonly found only in Africa, have been growing in two locations around Eilat, and are the only trees of their kind for thousands of kilometers. From there, use the service road along road #90 which will take you all the way to the beach on the north shore of Eilat.