Dyrfjöll Mountains

About Dyrfjöll Mountains

Dyrfjöll is a jagged mountain range in East Iceland, rising between the Fljótsdalshérað lowlands and the small village of Borgarfjörður eystri. The name means the Door Mountains, after a deep notch in the main ridge, called Dyr, that looks like a doorway cut into the rock.

The highest summit, Innra-Dyrfjall, reaches 1,136 meters, and the door itself sits at about 856 meters. On a clear day you can pick out the gap from far down in the lowlands, which is why locals call these peaks the northern sentinels of East Iceland.

The easiest way to see Dyrfjöll is from Route 94, the road from Egilsstaðir to Borgarfjörður eystri. It climbs over the Vatnsskarð pass, a drive of under an hour from Egilsstaðir, and from there the peaks fill the view to the north. The road continues down to the village, with the mountains rising to the west.

For a closer look, hike to Stórurð, the boulder field and turquoise ponds tucked beneath the north face of Dyrfjöll. Most people start at the Vatnsskarð parking lot and plan a full day, and the area around Borgarfjörður eystri has a dense network of marked trails if you want to keep going. Climbing the summits themselves involves steep scree and lingering snow, so leave those routes to experienced mountain hikers.

Mid-July to the first snows of fall is the best time to hike around Dyrfjöll, since snow lingers on the higher ground well into summer. Mobile coverage is patchy in the mountains, so stay on marked trails and tell someone your plans. Outside hiking season, the drive over Vatnsskarð still gives you the view, as long as the road is open.