When I was planning our trip to Iceland, photos of waterfalls crashing through the moss-covered landscape left me in awe. With as many as 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland, I quickly started using Google Maps to highlight my favorites. Then it hit me – surely not all of these spectacular falls are within my accessibility range.
So I started doing research. I spent the next few days googling, pinning, and mapping. I scoured the internet for information on trail length, terrain, and obstacles. Ultimately, I was left with seven waterfalls, fitting perfectly into our 5-Day Iceland Itinerary and my accessibility needs.
I curated our itinerary so the days before and after our waterfall trekking would include a hot spring soak. I think this helped loosen me up and aided my recovery from the increased physical activity.
I was thrilled with the accessibility and infrastructure of nearly all the falls we visited. The terrain ranged from short, mostly flat walks to falls you could enjoy right from the parking area. Most trails had boardwalks as well as gravel stabilization grids. These grids keep trails even, dry, and pleasant to navigate. Below there is a little more about each fall – or in Icelandic: foss –
DAY 1 – The Golden Circle
Thorufoss (Þórufoss)
Thorufoss was the first waterfall we visited. It (almost) made us question our entire trip. Don’t get me wrong, the waterfall is magnificent. It was the biting cold and whipping wind that we were unprepared for. The combination of the two pierced our layers and left us a little windswept and frozen. It was snowing the day we visited, making the whole scene look as if we were in a snow globe. Beautiful, but numbingly blustery.
From the parking lot, the fresh snow made finding the trail to the viewing point a little challenging. We carved our way through some pretty uneven terrain until the falls came into view, maybe about 60 meters from the parking area.
It is possible to scramble the quarter mile to the base of the falls. However, the slopes are rather steep, narrow, and unstable. We did not opt to make the hike due to the sheer coldness and the grade of the trail.
Parking Fee: None
ACCESSIBILITY: While it was a short 3-minute walk from the parking area to the top of the bluff, the terrain made it arduous. Perhaps without a blanket of snow, there is an easier route. The rest of the falls on this list have a lot of new infrastructure, making them a bit more accessible. Hopefully, there are plans for a boardwalk in the future.
Oxararfoss (Öxarárfoss)
Oxararfoss sits right on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Rift. The valley it cascades through continues to widen approximately 2 centimeters each year as North America and Europe drift away from each other.
The trail weaves between cliffs and rock formations formed by this division. You are walking between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Take time to stop and admire the gravity of this landscape.
Small by Icelandic standards, Oxararfoss is about 16 meters high. However, watching the water tumble through the large boulders, pools, and rocks below was beautifully tranquil. Icicles hung delicately as the falls rushed past them. A balance between power and fragility.
Parking Fee: 500 ISK ($3.75)
ACCESSIBILITY: Several different trails lead up to the Öxarárfoss viewing platform. Parking 3 is the closest and is a five to ten-minute walk to the waterfall. Leaving the parking area, the first part of the trail is a set of about 25 stone steps. The worn steps are a little uneven. I took my time and managed with a little help from my husband. After, the trail is level crushed rock and boardwalk as you approach the falls. If you would like a longer hike, the trail from Parking 1 is about 4.3km (2.7 miles) roundtrip.
Bruarfoss (Brúarfoss)
Translating to “bridge waterfall”, Brúarfoss was originally named for a stone archway that once straddled the river. That arch fell hundreds of years ago, but the name remains.
Brúarfoss waterfall is famous for its luminous color. The brilliant blue is created by glaciers grinding against the bedrock beneath them. This erosion creates a fine sediment, giving the Brúarfoss its striking sky-blue color.
Brúarfoss is a small but magnificent waterfall. Instead of one waterfall, the site looked like hundreds of tiny turquoise cascading streams that cumulate into one mesmerizingly blue pool. My eye hardly knew where to focus.
Entry Fee: 750 ISK ($5.50)
ACCESSIBILITY: The original trail to Bruarfoss was about 6.2km (4 miles) round trip. This trail still exists, but the length and trail obstacles are outside of what I considered accessible for me. As of April 2023, there is a new parking area for Brúarfoss. This lot is a 5-minute gentle walk to the falls. The trail is packed earth and leads to a small bridge overlooking Bruarfoss. There is a steep trail to get to the base of the falls. My husband explored below while I stayed on the bridge.
Faxafoss – (Faxi, Vatnsleysufoss)
Surrounded by acres of farmland, grazing sheep, and fuzzy Icelandic horses, this landscape is hardly the place one would expect to find a thundering waterfall.
At 7 meters, Faxafoss is not exceptionally high. Its magnificence comes from its breadth, stretching over 80 meters wide. Uniquely, it also has a fish ladder. This structure allows the fish to swim upstream to spawn.
Parking Fee: 1000 ISK ($7.25)
ACCESSIBILITY: Faxafoss is easy to enjoy. Ten meters from the parking area, you’ll find a viewing deck and picnic tables overlooking the falls. When we went, the boardwalk to get there was a bit icy, so use caution. There is also a second lower lot. We drove down and took a short 20-meter walk to the base of the falls. This walk did have an incline and some loose footing. If this exceeds your accessibility needs, the view from the overlook is just as spectacular.
Day 2 – South to Vik
Gluggafoss (Merkjárfoss)
What makes Gluggafoss unique is its geology. Instead of going straight over a cliff, the river has carved away the soft bedrock to form tunnels and holes. These holes act as windows, revealing the waterfall in glimpses. The Icelandic word for window is gluggar, hence the name Gluggasfoss- or Window Falls.
Gluggafoss is well worth visiting for this unique geology alone, but it’s also a dramatic waterfall in its own right. It features two primary drops, with the main one dropping 44 meters through a narrow moss-filled cavern. The second is only 8.5 meters but divides the veil into three predominant channels.
Of all the waterfalls we visited, I found Gluggafoss the most enchanting, reminiscent of a fairytale. My husband and I were the only two people there when we went, making it even more magical.
Parking Fee: None
ACCESSIBILTY: Gluggafloss is viewable from the parking area. A gentle 2-minute walk takes you straight to the base of the lower falls. A small hill allows a closer view of the cascading water. This entire trail utilizes a stabilization grid, making it easy to navigate. The trail to view the upper falls is much steeper, with some rock scrambling. I left that adventure to my husband while I sat on a tuft of soft grass admiring the lower half.
Seljalandsfoss
Over centuries, the power of Seljalandsfoss has carved out a shallow cave behind it, making it possible to completely circumnavigate the falls. Standing behind the 65-meter curtain of water offers a unique view of the waterfall and the surrounding meadows.
The pathway from the base of the cliff will take you behind the tumbling torrents. Behind the falls, you will get a little wet from the spray, but it is well worth it for the otherworldly experience. The mist draped over the entire scene makes you feel like you are in a dream-like state.
Parking Fee: 800 ISK ($5.80)
ACCESSIBILITY: You can see the falls directly from the parking area. Walkways of crushed gravel and boardwalks will lead you 200 meters to the base of the falls. As the path ascends behind the waterfall, it gets narrower and steeper. Exercise caution when you go behind the falls, as the path can be slippery.
Due to the risk of falling ice, the path behind the waterfall is closed during the winter months. The trail was open when we visited in mid-November.
Skogafoss (Skógafoss)
Impressive, majestic, deafening. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country, 25 meters wide and crashing 60 meters (227 ft) into a deep basin below. Skógafoss cascades like a white cloak highlighted by the rainbows cast by sunlight through the mist.
Following the black sand banks of the river, you can venture close to the curtain. The view from this vantage point is profound. Because of this colossal’s intense spray, be prepared to literally bathe in Skógafoss’s beauty. The closer you wander to the foot of the falls, the better chances you’ll come out drenched.
The cliff Skogafoss flows over is the former Icelandic shoreline. These mountains now create a border between Iceland’s coastal plains and mountainous highlands.
Parking Fee: 800 ISK ($5.80)
ACCESSIBILITY: Skogafoss is another waterfall that you can easily see from the car park. A 3-5 minute walk down a level gravel path takes you to the black sand river bank and foot of the falls. There are also 527 well-made metal steps with treads leading up to the summit of Skogafoss. The ascent of the steps is quite strenuous and is often congested.
In Iceland, getting lost in any landscape is easy. Snow-capped mountains, mirror-like lakes, panoramic vistas, rugged coastlines, and endless nature leave travelers awestruck. Waterfalls hold a magic all their own. Each is uniquely incredible, showcasing both the tranquility and power of nature. If you find yourself in Iceland, I highly recommend incorporating a few -foss- into your itinerary.
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