Hólmatungur
About Hólmatungur
Hólmatungur is the green, spring-fed heart of Jökulsárgljúfur, a sheltered stretch of the canyon where clear streams pour out of the ground and run into the gray glacial river. It lies between Dettifoss and Vesturdalur in the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park, and it sees far fewer visitors than either.
The contrast is the reason to come. The Hólmá river winds through islets and banks thick with angelica before dropping over the Hólmárfossar cascades, while the Jökulsá á Fjöllum churns past below. Réttarfoss, which the national park lists as the lowest and northernmost waterfall on the Jökulsá, is a short walk from the parking lot.
To get there, turn east off Route 862 north of Dettifoss onto the short Road 887 and follow it to the parking lot at Ytra-Þórunnarfjall, which has toilets and a view down into the canyon. The drive from the Dettifoss turnoff takes only a few minutes, so the two are easy to combine. Overnight stays are not allowed at the parking lot.
The H1 Hólmatungur circle is the walk to do: 4.5 km, about 1.5 to 2 hours and graded easy, out along the Hólmá to the cascades and back beside the Jökulsá. A short, steeper side trail, H2, drops to Katlar, where the river squeezes into a narrow channel full of whirlpools. Hikers on the two-day canyon trail between Ásbyrgi and Dettifoss also pass through Hólmatungur.
Plan your visit for June to September, when the trails are snow-free and the roads are reliably open. Route 862 gets only limited winter service, so check road.is before setting out in the shoulder seasons. An hour or two here makes a quiet break on a Diamond Circle drive.
Good to know
What is Hólmatungur?
Hólmatungur is an area in the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, part of Vatnajökull National Park, where clear spring rivers flow into the glacial Jökulsá á Fjöllum. It has small waterfalls, lush vegetation and marked trails.
How do you get to Hólmatungur?
Drive Route 862 north from Dettifoss and turn east onto the short Road 887, which ends at the parking lot at Ytra-Þórunnarfjall. Check road.is outside summer, as Route 862 has limited winter service.
How long is the Hólmatungur hike?
The H1 Hólmatungur circle is 4.5 km and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, graded easy by the national park. The side trail to Katlar adds about 2 km.
What waterfalls are at Hólmatungur?
The Hólmárfossar cascades on the Hólmá river and Réttarfoss on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum are both reached on the circle trail. Vígabjargsfoss nearby now flows only at high water, after the river shifted west in the early 1900s.
Can you camp at Hólmatungur?
No. Overnight stays are not allowed at Hólmatungur, and the national park only permits camping at its campsites in Vesturdalur and at Dettifoss.
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