Bjarnarfoss

About Bjarnarfoss

Bjarnarfoss is a tall, slender waterfall that drops about 80 meters in two stages down the basalt cliffs below the old volcano Mælifell, on the south side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland. Plenty of travelers spot it from the car window and keep driving, which is a mistake when the stop costs barely half an hour. From the road it looks like a white thread on a dark wall, and it only shows its real size once you start walking up.

Bjarnarfoss waterfall sits right beside Route 54, a few kilometers from Búðir and close to where the road over Fróðárheiði splits off north toward Ólafsvík. From Reykjavík it is about two and a half hours' drive, so it fits easily into a Snæfellsnes loop alongside Búðakirkja, the black church at Búðir, and the cliffs at Arnarstapi about 15 minutes farther west.

The Bjarnarfoss hike is short. A path of roughly 600 meters climbs about 50 meters from the free parking lot to a viewpoint partway up the slope, and most people do it in around 12 minutes each way. The ground stays wet and can be slippery, so wear shoes with grip, and turn back at the viewpoint rather than scrambling up the steep slope beside the stream.

There are no toilets or other facilities on site. Late spring to early fall is the best time, when rain and snowmelt keep the flow strong and the light lasts into the evening. In winter the path is often icy, so check the official road-conditions map before driving Route 54 or crossing Fróðárheiði.