7 daysPRIVATE TOUR - Laugavegur Trek
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Volcanoes
Brennisteinsalda Volcano
About Brennisteinsalda Volcano
Brennisteinsalda is an 881 m rhyolite volcano right beside Landmannalaugar in the Fjallabak highlands of South Iceland. Its name means "sulfur wave," and its slopes are streaked with green, red, ocher and yellow from iron and sulfur minerals, with steam vents puffing from the hillside.
The mountain is part of the Torfajökull volcanic system, Iceland's largest rhyolite area. Around 1477, a fissure cut through Brennisteinsalda and released Laugahraun, the black obsidian lava field that ends at the Landmannalaugar campsite, and the hot springs that feed the bathing pool rise along that lava edge.
The Brennisteinsalda hike starts at the Landmannalaugar hut area and crosses Laugahraun on the marked Laugavegur trail before branching up to the summit. A loop over the top and back is roughly 6–7 km with about 300 m of climbing, which takes most hikers 2–3 hours, and on clear days the summit looks out over the Landmannalaugar valley and the rhyolite peaks around it.
Landmannalaugar is reached only by F-roads that open in summer, usually from around late June, so you need a 4x4, a highland bus or a tour. The trail can stay muddy or snowy into July, and the ground near the steam vents is hot and unstable, so stay on the marked path. Brennisteinsalda is also the first big landmark on the Laugavegur trek toward Hrafntinnusker.
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Good to know
How tall is Brennisteinsalda?
Brennisteinsalda rises to about 881 m above sea level. The summit is roughly 300 m above the Landmannalaugar hut area, where the hike begins.
How long is the Brennisteinsalda hike?
A loop from Landmannalaugar over Brennisteinsalda is roughly 6–7 km and takes most hikers 2–3 hours. It crosses the Laugahraun lava field before climbing to the summit.
Is Brennisteinsalda an active volcano?
Yes. Brennisteinsalda is part of the active Torfajökull volcanic system, and steam vents and sulfur deposits on its slopes show that geothermal heat is still close to the surface.
Why is Brennisteinsalda so colorful?
The rhyolite rock is stained by iron and sulfur minerals, which give the slopes their green, red, ocher and yellow streaks. The name itself means "sulfur wave."
Is Brennisteinsalda on the Laugavegur trail?
Yes. The Laugavegur trek passes over the flank of Brennisteinsalda on its first stage, between Landmannalaugar and Hrafntinnusker.
When can you hike Brennisteinsalda?
The hike is usually possible from late June or early July to mid-September, when the highland roads to Landmannalaugar are open. Snow can linger on the upper slopes early in the season.
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