Glanni Waterfall

About Glanni Waterfall

Glanni waterfall is the kind of stop that takes 20 minutes and makes the long drive north feel shorter. Here the Norðurá river breaks into a string of cascades over dark rock ledges, right off Route 1 near Bifröst in West Iceland, and a short path from the parking lot ends at a viewing platform above the falls.

Norðurá is a salmon river, and the fish get past Glanni through a fish ladder beside the falls. A fish counter in the ladder has tallied the salmon run since 2002. The falls sit at the edge of the Grábrókarhraun lava field, which poured out of the Grábrók craters about 3,400 years ago.

From the overlook, the trail carries on a short way south to Paradísarlaut, a sheltered hollow with a small pond of very clear water that locals like for picnics. Keep going and the path leads on toward Laxfoss and Munaðarnes, crossing two small streams that are easy to step over.

The turnoff is on Route 1 just south of Bifröst, under an hour and a half from Reykjavík, and a short side road ends at a small parking lot. Late spring to early fall gives the easiest footing, since the platform and path can be icy in winter. Combine Glanni with Grábrók crater a few minutes up the road, or with Deildartunguhver and Hraunfossar in Borgarfjörður.