Shees Park: Free Entry, Hours, Waterfall & How to Get There
Shees Park charges nothing at the gate and stays open every day from 8 AM to 10 PM. For the cost of the drive up Khorfakkan Road, you get a 25-metre waterfall, a terraced mountain walkway and a full set of family facilities.
The park sits in Wadi Shees, a valley in the Hajar Mountains on Sharjah’s east coast, and it also goes by Shis Park and Wadi Shees Park. The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, opened it on 15 October 2020 after an eight-month build.
Shees Park key details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Wadi Shees, Khorfakkan, Sharjah |
| Opened | 15 October 2020 |
| Park area | 11,362 m² |
| Entry fee | Free |
| Opening hours | Daily, 8 AM to 10 PM |
| Parking | Free, just outside the park |
| Waterfall | 25 m, artificial |
| Walkways | 506 m across three mountain terraces |
| Viewing platform | About 30 m above park level |
| Seating | 32 shaded family areas |
| Café | Gerard Café branch |
What is inside the park
The artificial waterfall is the centrepiece, and everything else is arranged around the climb up the rock face beside it.
- Waterfall. It falls more than 25 metres down the mountain face into a lake. Swimming in the lake is not allowed.
- Terraced walkway. Palm-lined paths run for 506 metres across three terraces. Stone stairways connect them and end at a main viewing platform about 30 metres above the park, with views over Wadi Shees and the surrounding mountains.
- Seating and play. 32 shaded family seating areas with stone benches, plus a dedicated children’s play area.
- Outdoor theatre. A small open-air stage built into the landscape.
- Barbecue area. One designated zone, built to safety and environmental standards. Grilling anywhere else in the park is not permitted.
- Café and water. A Gerard Café branch serves coffee and light refreshments, and drinking water is free.
Wadi Shees & the park’s background
Wadi Shees is a green valley of date palms, fig trees and seasonal plants, set between rock faces in the Hajar Mountains near the border with the Omani enclave of Madha. The park was built into that landscape in eight months and opened on 15 October 2020, when the Ruler of Sharjah unveiled the commemorative plaque and toured the facilities.
The same opening ceremony covered Najd Al Maqsar village, another new attraction in the mountains above Khorfakkan.
The 1.8 km Wadi Shees nature trail is a loop that follows ancient falaj irrigation channels past terraced farms, shaded palm groves and archaeological remains. It takes 30 to 40 minutes and suits all ages, so it pairs easily with a park visit.
Best time to go
October to April is the best window, because the stairs and open terraces are far more comfortable in cooler weather. Summer afternoons on the exposed upper levels are hot.
Weekends and public holidays are the busiest days, and the parking outside fills early. Arriving in the morning gets you a space and the barbecue spots, while an afternoon arrival gives you daylight for the climb to the platform before dusk.
How to get there
The park is about 90 minutes by car from Dubai, along Emirates Road (E611) and then Khorfakkan Road (S142/E55). Use this map pin for Shees Park to set your navigation before you leave the highway.
By car
- Drive along Emirates Road (E611) and take the exit for Khorfakkan Road.
- Stay on Khorfakkan Road for about 70 km, through the mountain section.
- Take the ramp toward the Shees area.
- Continue straight from the roundabout onto Masafi Road until you reach the park.
Vehicles are not allowed inside the park. Use the free parking just outside the entrance.
By bus & taxi
No public bus stops at the park. Intercity buses run to Khorfakkan town, about 25 minutes away by road, and you then need a taxi into Wadi Shees.
A taxi straight from Dubai or Sharjah avoids the transfer, but it means roughly 90 minutes each way from Dubai, so agree the return fare before you set off.
Is Shees Park worth the drive?
It depends on how long you have and what you want from the day. The numbers that decide it:
- Under half a day: the drive alone is about 90 minutes each way from Dubai, so the park works better as part of a longer east-coast trip than as a standalone outing.
- Half a day or more: free entry, free parking and a 25-metre waterfall make it one of the lowest-cost stops on the route, and the Wadi Shees trail fits in the same visit.
- A full day: add Khorfakkan Beach or the amphitheater and the park becomes the mountain half of a mountain-and-coast day.
The trade-offs are real. There is no direct public transport, the terraces are only reachable by stairs, weekends fill up, and swimming is not allowed, so the waterfall is for looking at rather than cooling off in.
Rules & visitor tips
- Pets are not allowed anywhere in the park.
- Swimming in the lake and at the waterfall is not allowed.
- Camping and overnight stays are not allowed.
- Modest clothing is expected, in line with UAE public park customs.
- Barbecues are limited to the designated area.
Wear flat shoes with good grip, since the route to the platform is stone stairways. Free drinking water is available on site, so you do not need to carry much.
Families & accessibility
Families with young children are best served by the play area and the shaded seating on the lower level, which sit close to the entrance. Entry is free for every age, so a group costs nothing to bring.
The entrance and the lower paved areas are step-free. The three terraces and the platform are linked by stone stairways, so wheelchair users and strollers stay on the lower level.
Nearby places to combine
The park works well as one stop on a longer east-coast day.
- The 1.8 km Wadi Shees nature trail starts in the same valley and takes 30 to 40 minutes, alongside the restored Shees Village heritage area.
- The Shees Rest Area on Khorfakkan Road is a roadside stop with shops and a mosque, handy on the drive in or out.
- Najd Al Maqsar village opened on the same day as the park in 2020 and sits higher in the Hajar Mountains.
- The Khorfakkan Amphitheater has its own waterfall and is a short drive toward the coast.
- Khorfakkan Beach is a free public beach on the east coast, about 25 minutes from Wadi Shees.
- Al Rafisah Dam is a short drive away in the same mountain area.
FAQ
Is Shees Park free to enter?
Yes. Entry is free for all ages, and there is no ticket counter. Parking just outside the park is free as well.
What are the Shees Park opening hours?
The park is open every day from 8 AM to 10 PM.
Is parking free at Shees Park?
Yes. Free parking is available just outside the park. Vehicles cannot enter the park itself.
Can you swim at Shees Park?
No. Swimming is not allowed in the lake or at the waterfall.
Are pets or camping allowed at Shees Park?
No. Pets are not allowed in the park, and camping is not permitted inside the grounds.
Is there a café at Shees Park?
Yes. A Gerard Café branch inside the park serves coffee and light refreshments.
How far is Shees Park from Dubai?
About 90 minutes by car. The route follows Emirates Road (E611) to Khorfakkan Road (S142/E55).
Next steps
- Set your navigation to the park before leaving Emirates Road, and allow about 90 minutes from Dubai.
- Aim to arrive in the morning on weekends and public holidays, when parking outside fills early.
- Pack flat, gripping shoes for the stone stairways to the viewing platform.
- Add the Wadi Shees nature trail or Khorfakkan Beach if you want a full day on the east coast.
