Brúarhlöð Canyon
About Brúarhlöð Canyon
Most Golden Circle traffic drives straight past Brúarhlöð Canyon on the way to Gullfoss, which is a mistake if you have ten spare minutes. At Brúarhlöð Canyon, the glacial Hvítá river squeezes through a narrow gorge, its milky turquoise water running between pillars and ledges of breccia (hyaloclastite) that the current has carved over centuries.
The gorge runs downstream from the Route 30 bridge, between Flúðir and Gullfoss in South Iceland. A wooden bridge first crossed the river here in 1906. Floods in 1929 and 1930 destroyed the earlier crossings, and the bridge you drive over today dates from 1959.
There's room to park beside Route 30 next to the bridge, and short paths lead out along the rocks to viewpoints over the water. Ten to 20 minutes covers it for most people. Stay well back from the edge, because the walls drop straight into fast, cold water.
Brúarhlöð is about 15 minutes' drive south of Gullfoss and a similar distance north of Flúðir, so it fits neatly into a Golden Circle loop that returns via Route 30 and the Secret Lagoon. From Reykjavík, allow just under two hours each way. In summer, kayak and rafting trips on the Hvítá run down through the canyon, and from the water you see far more of its walls than you can from the road.
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Good to know
Where is Brúarhlöð Canyon?
Brúarhlöð is on the Hvítá river in South Iceland, at the Route 30 bridge between Flúðir and Gullfoss. It's just under two hours' drive from Reykjavík.
How far is Brúarhlöð from Gullfoss?
It's about 15 minutes' drive south of Gullfoss on Route 30. That makes it an easy detour if you return from the Golden Circle via Flúðir.
How long do you need at Brúarhlöð Canyon?
Ten to 20 minutes is enough to walk out to the viewpoints and take photos. Parking is right beside the road at the bridge.
Can you kayak or raft through Brúarhlöð?
Yes. Summer river trips on the Hvítá pass through the canyon, including a guided inflatable kayak run that ends at Brúarhlöð.
Is Brúarhlöð part of the Golden Circle?
It isn't one of the three classic stops, but it sits on Route 30 close to Gullfoss. Many drivers add it on the way to or from Flúðir and the Secret Lagoon.
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