Feeling cooped up indoors by the sweltering heat? The promise of a winding new walking trail through a forest of ghaf trees should stave off the cabin fever until October. And the best part? You don’t have to hike out to Sharjah’s fossil rock or Fujairah’s mountains to enjoy it. It’s right here in Dubai! On June 20, 2023 a brand-new free-to-use hiking trail opened up in Mushrif National Park.
Dubai Municipality shared the good tidings via a tweet this morning. This new walking trail in Mirdif will be accessible all year round and spans 10km. Designed for hikers of all abilities and levels, this trail forks out into paths that cater to novice trekking enthusiasts as well as seasoned hikers. And they’re colour-coded.
Mushrif Park’s hiking trail offers picturesque views
A yellow recreational track measuring 8.3km is perfect for those looking for a walk in the (wild) park to just spend some time out in nature. Skilled athletes who want to test their endurance can clamber over an orange sports course of 1.4km.
The entire trail is more than just a rough path cutting through the woods. It’s dotted with bridges, wooden stairways to make uphill climbs easier, slopes for expansive views of the thicket of ghaf trees and rest areas to catch a breather and some spectacular sunsets. Budding bird-watchers should keep binoculars handy as the ghaf trees are a hotbed of rare feathered creatures such as yellow-throated sparrows, Arabian warblers and pallid scops owls.
Amenities galore
New to hiking and a bit apprehensive you won’t come out of the woods on your own? The trail’s very well-equipped with signage and directions. Moreover, staff are stationed across the track to assist hikers and keep them safe.
Family-friendly destination
Mushrif Park’s open from 8am-10pm. So, if you’re looking for outdoor things to do with the kids over the summer break to burn off all their excess energy, this hiking trail in Mushrif Park is a good bet. The trail is open to kids aged 12-15 years as long as they’re accompanied by an adult.
The sprawling park also has a dedicated bike track that was opened in 2021. It’s also home to a gamut of other activities such as camel and horse riding, swimming pools, barbecue and picnic spots, and the Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre. The zipline adventure park Aventura is also nested amidst the ghaf tree forest of Mushrif Park.