Laugafell Hot Spring
About Laugafell Hot Spring
Laugafell is a geothermal oasis in Iceland's central highlands, about 15 kilometers northeast of the Hofsjökull ice cap and 740 meters above sea level. Hot springs bubble out of the ground beside a cluster of mountain huts, and a warm pool fed by the springs sits a few steps from the door.
The huts belong to Ferðafélag Akureyrar, the Akureyri hiking association, which built the first one in 1948–1950 and has kept the pool going since the 1970s. Today there are sleeping-bag beds for 44 people across three buildings, a campsite, toilets, a shower and changing rooms for the pool. Wardens stay from late June into September, and bathing costs a small fee.
Above the main pool is a tiny one-person basin called Þórunnarlaug. Legend says Þórunn from Grund in Eyjafjörður fled here with her household to escape a 15th-century plague and bathed in it, though archaeologists now think the basin is a natural feature rather than something she carved.
Getting to Laugafell takes a 4x4 and summer conditions, because every route in is an F-road. F821 runs about 90 kilometers south from Akureyri through Eyjafjörður, F752 climbs from Skagafjörður, and F881 links it to the Sprengisandur route (F26) for travelers crossing the highlands. These tracks are slow and rough, so check the road conditions map before you set off and never drive off the marked track.
The best time to visit Laugafell hot spring is July and August, when the F-roads are normally open and a warden is on site. In winter the huts are locked, though the toilets and changing rooms stay open, and only modified super jeeps or snowmobiles reach the area. Most people stop for an hour-long soak on a highland crossing, but a night in the hut gives you the pool after the day visitors have gone.
Good to know
Where is Laugafell hot spring?
Laugafell is in the central highlands of North Iceland, about 15 kilometers northeast of Hofsjökull and roughly 90 kilometers south of Akureyri by F821. It sits 740 meters above sea level.
Can you swim at Laugafell?
Yes. A warm pool fed by the local hot springs sits next to the huts, with changing rooms and a shower in the service building, and a small bathing fee goes to the hiking association that runs the site.
How do you get to Laugafell from Akureyri?
Take F821 south through Eyjafjörður, roughly 90 kilometers of rough highland track that needs a 4x4. The road is usually open only in summer, so check the road conditions map before you leave.
Do you need a 4x4 to reach Laugafell?
Yes. All routes to Laugafell are F-roads (F821, F752 and F881), and rental cars without four-wheel drive are not allowed on them. Off-road driving is illegal, so stay on the marked tracks.
Can you stay overnight at Laugafell?
Yes. Ferðafélag Akureyrar runs huts with sleeping-bag space for 44 people plus a campsite, with wardens from late June into September. Book hut beds through the association in advance.
Is Laugafell open in winter?
The huts are locked in winter, but the toilets and changing rooms stay open all year. In practice, only modified super jeeps and snowmobiles reach Laugafell between fall and early summer.
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