Hiking Trails in Fljótsdalur and Hengifoss area

Hengifoss Waterfall is one of the most popular destinations in East Iceland, known for being one of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland at 128 meters high. It is particularly picturesque. A good hiking trail leads you to the waterfall from a service center by the parking lot. Excellent accommodations, restaurants, and activities can be found in the surrounding area.The Hengifoss waterfall plunges from the plateau into a magnificent gorge. The layers between the numerous Tertiary lava strata yield a reddish color, particularly striking in the cliffs around Hengifoss. On the way to Hengifoss, you can also see Litlanesfoss, which features impressive basalt columns on both sides of the gorge.How to Get ThereFrom Egilsstaðir, the major town of East Iceland located by Highway 1, there are two routes to Hengifoss. You can drive on either the west side or the east side of Lake Lagarfljót. The distance is the same, around 35 km.West Side: You will find the junction with Highway 1 on the hill by the timber bridge close to Egilsstaðir airport. It is marked as Route 931 with signs pointing to Fljótsdalur and Skriðuklaustur.East Side: Follow Route 95 first and then Route 931 towards Hallormsstaður, continuing until you reach the end of Lake Lagarfljót. There you should see the waterfall and the parking lot by the main road.From the parking lot, it takes 40-60 minutes to walk to the waterfall on either side of the river. Start by going through a gate by the service center and climbing up a flight of stairs. Then follow a good gravel trail for the next 2 km, which is moderately steep but not very difficult. About halfway up, around 1.2 km from the parking lot, you will see Litlanesfoss with its beautiful basalt columns. There are trails down into the canyon below the waterfall, but they are steep and covered in loose gravel, so be cautious if you decide to enter the canyon. Keep in mind that getting very close to the canyon edge is risky due to the danger of falling. This is especially important if you are accompanied by children.There are two bridges for hikers to connect the trails on each side of the river: one at the upper end just before you enter the great gorge, and the other by the parking lot.By the parking lot is a new service center where you can get information from rangers about the area and the surroundings. We recommend taking your time to visit Hengifoss as there is much more to explore in the area than just the waterfall. You can learn more on this website and use it to help plan your trip.Hiking in SummerDuring the high season (July), Hengifoss can be crowded, mainly with cars at the parking lot. If you can't find a parking space, continue further into the valley and check the visitor's center for Vatnajökull National Park at Skriðuklaustur (5 km away), then return to see if a space has opened up.The waterfall and the gorge face southeast, so for the best lighting, visit in the morning. In June and July, there is usually plenty of water in the river, making Hengifoss magnificent. However, in August, if the summer is really dry, the falls may not be as broad, but they are still enormously high.Late May and early June can be risky due to melting snow in the highlands, causing high water levels in creeks and rivers. Expect muddy trails and slippery paths on your way to the waterfall, and the need to wade through some small streams. By autumn, rain can make the trails muddy as well, but you usually won’t have to wade through any streams unless you want to enter the gorge and get close to the base of the great waterfall.Hiking in WinterMore people are visiting Hengifoss in winter, but caution is necessary. The trails and paths can become icy and very slippery, so stay away from the edge of the canyon and be aware of the dangers. It is not safe to enter the gorge by the big falls in winter due to the risk of falling ice from the cliffs. 

The Waterfall Circle is an 8 kilometers long hiking circle that starts and ends in Laugarfell. On the hike, you can see five waterfalls and one canyon. Some of these waterfalls are among the most powerful in East Iceland. Most famous of the waterfalls are Kirkjufoss and Faxi. This beautiful hike is getting more and more popular among hikers. After the hike then it is a good idea to take a bath in the hot springs in Laugarfell.

Start from the sign near Sturluflöt which is the innermost farm in Suðurdalur, east of Kelduá river. Walk along the banks of Fellsá river on the east side of Villingadalur valley. The waterfall can’t be seen until one is quite far into the valley once there one can walk along Strútsgil creek. The cylinder with visitors’ log and a stamp is to be found up by Strútsgil creek. You can not get to the waterfall except by going into the creek and crossing the river a few times which can be treacherous. Strútsfoss waterfall is on the list of nature reserves. Part of Hiking Treasures in Egilsstaðir Region GPS : N64°54.194-W15°02.314

Mt Snæfell towering to 1,833 m, is the highest mountain in Iceland, outside the glacier regions. Even so, and despite the omnipresent snow, (Snæfell = "The Snow Mountain), it is fairly accessible from Snæfellsskáli hut. While Snæfell boasts a splendor of its own, it offers a fabulous view, partly overlooking the oasis of Eyjabakkar. Eyjabakkar is the choice habitat for geese.  Reindeer can frequently be spotted west of Snæfell, towards Hálsalón reservoir, in addition to other territories in the East Iceland highlands.

Tröllkonustígur is the name of a hiking trail between Skriðuklaustur and Végarður in Fljótsdalur, which runs, among otherthings, after a rock passage in Valþjófsstaðafjall. Folklore says that the street in the mountain was created due to the travels of a troll in the olden days. The trail is marked and goes through the forest above Snæfellsstofa and out to the Bessastaðarárgljúfur. Distance: 5 km.  

A marked hiking trail at the foot of Snæfell where Sótajökull is disappearing from a glacier basin in the mountain called Sótavistir. At the bottom stands a large crag of dark slag rock that the sliding glacier has raised on its end so that it resembles a boulder. It is called Sótaleiði, named after the giant Sóti.

The glacial river of the Fljótsdalur valley has many waterfalls of different sizes and shapes, stretching from farms by the edge of the highlands up to the Ramsar protected wetlands of Eyjabakkar. It takes you about 6 hours to walk this 20 km route by the river which in many places runs through a deep canyon. The Wilderness Center is a good starting point and on the way is a natural birch forest, an ideal resting place. You can expect to see reindeer or maybe an arctic fox. When you reach the plateau it is ideal to drop by the highland hostel at Laugarfell and relax in the natural hot springs. You can also start at Laugarfell and work your way downhill towards the Wilderness Center. The choice is yours. Both Laugarfell and Wilderness Center offer you a drive from one place to the other, before or after the hike.

The trail to Gjárhjalli runs from Glúmsstaðasel in Norðurdalur, Fljótsdalur and up the western slope of Múlan. Gjárhjallin is a special natural phenomenon with cracks and chasms, up to 20 m deep. The cracks are believed to have been formed by gradual rock creep over millennia. Distance: 2 km Steep and beware of ground cracks.

Often considered one of the country´s most beautiful birch woods, Ranaskógur has numerous birches with white bark and tall, straight trunks. Moreover, the forest floor is unusually smooth, in comparison to most Icelandic wooded areas. In the Icelandic name, skógur means "woods" and rana refers to the lower end of the long ridge west of the Gilsá river gorge. Ranaskógur extends along the west side of the gorge, which is the traditional border between two counties in East Iceland. The Icelandic birch species is Betula pubescens. Besides the abundant wood crane´s bill, Geranium sylvaticum, and stone bramble berry plants, Rubus saxatilis, in the undergrowth, Ranaskógur has an unusual number of tall rowan trees, Sorbus aucuparia; in fact, no other Icelandic site presents such a concentration of large rowans.  At the Kiðuhóll rise in the middle of Ranaskógur, Metúsalem J. Kjerúlf, farmer at the nearby Hrafnkelsstaðir, started a plot of coniferous trees between 1955 and 1961, in remembrance of his brother Páll. Not only did Metúsalem plant 23 different species, but 21 are still represented, with the talles trees nearing a height of 20 m. The Ranaskógur woods have existed ever since Iceland´s settlement and are mentioned in documents from the 15th century. hey are part of the woods which figured in the well-known Saga of Hrafnkell, which states that the saga´s hero cut down stands of trees here when he moved to this valley and built up the farm that has since been named after him, Hrafnkelsstaðir. Nineteenth-century quarrels between the Hrafnkelsstaðir and Víðivellir farmers over the use of forest resources resulted in most of the lower part of the woods being cut down. While the woods had previously extended south below Kirkjuhamar cliff, now only a very few of those trees remain, at a place called Skógarbali.  The traditional use of Ranaskógur for firewood continued until nearly the middle of the 20th century, and in 1951 Eirkíkur M. Kjerúlf bought the woods to make them part of a new farm, Vallholt.

A beautiful hiking trail northeast of Snæfell that runs through the valley between Nálhúshnjúkar, Sandfell and Vatnskollur, which contains a small lake from which Hölkná falls to the north. A marked path runs between the parking lot at Hölkná to the north and at Snæfellsnes to the east. It is important to follow the footpath because the moss in Vatnsdal is extremely sensitive. Distance: 5.2 km.

Hiking trail starts by a sign near Hallormsstaðarskóli schoolhouse in Hallormsstaður woodland following a light green marked trail that passes through an area where half the mountain slid forward some 10.000 years ago. You’ll ascend up to Bjargselsbotnar, onwards to Bjarg and Þverbjarg to Illaskriða landslide. From there you follow the trail to the Leirtjarnarhryggur ridge.  Part of Hiking Treasures in Egilsstaðir Region GPS : N65°05.465-W14°43.031  

A fun trail for the whole family. The route is unmarked but leads to three marked hiking trails. We walk from Hallormsstaðskóli (Húsó), down to Kliftjörn, from there through Höfðavík campsite and then down to Trjásafn. From the Trjásafn you walk up into the forest and come down at Hotel Hallormsstaðar and the circle closes at Hallormsstaðskóli. You can walk the path in both directions. Distance: 5.4 km Family-friendly forest walk

The way up Remba is a very pleasant trail. On it you can see Lambafoss, 21 m high, and the gorge which Staðará flows through. If you walk all the way up, you come to an old dam for a 27 kW power plant that supplied Hallormsstaður with electricity in the years 1936 - 1955. Below the stile you can still see the remains of the log that led the water down to the power plant building. Distance: 2.8 km

The Hallormsstaður Arboretum is unique in Iceland, comprising a collection of around 80 tree species originating from various parts of the world. In addition to trees, there are also various species of shrubs. Begin your walk through the arboretum from the car park by the main road and follow the paths. Allow yourself plenty of time, about 2-3 hours, to explore the arboretum, enjoy the surroundings, and breathe in the fresh air. Walk down to Lake Lagarfljót, enjoy a picnic, and listen to the birds singing.Forestry in Hallormsstaður began in 1903 by fencing off 12 hectares for a tree nursery called Mörk. Half a hectare was prepared as nursery beds, marking the beginning of the nursery. In 1905, 50 Engelmann spruces were planted on the upper half of Mörk. Now, only five of these trees remain, and they are the oldest spruces in the forest, standing close to the parking lot.Over the years, single trees and groups of various species have been planted in Mörk. This arboretum is already the most impressive in the country, offering visitors a good opportunity to see both common and rare species. 

An adventurous trail that meanders like the Lagarfljót worm through the oldest forest in Vallanes from 1989. There are many short and exciting side paths (escape routes) on the trail. In the middle of the forest is the "eye of the snake", an area with benches and good picnic facilities. Distance: 1.5 km Family friendly