Stórurð

About Stórurð

Stórurð is a field of giant boulders and turquoise ponds tucked beneath the jagged Dyrfjöll mountains in East Iceland, and it is one of the best day hikes in the Eastfjords. The name means great scree, and the blocks of tuff scattered across its grassy meadows were most likely left behind by retreating glaciers.

You can only reach Stórurð on foot. Visit Austurland lists five marked trails, two from the Vatnsskarð pass on Road 94, one from Njarðvík and two from Borgarfjörður eystri, and the round trip takes about 4 to 5 hours. The Stórurð trailhead most people use is the parking lot at Vatnsskarð, a drive of under an hour from Egilsstaðir.

Timing matters more than fitness here. Stórurð sits over 400 m above sea level, so snow lingers well into summer, and the regional tourist board recommends visiting from mid-July until the first real snowfall of fall. Wear proper boots, since the trails cross wet ground and rocky slopes, and check the forecast, as fog can roll over the pass quickly.

The hike pairs well with a night in Borgarfjörður eystri, the small village at the end of Road 94, where you can see puffins at the harbor in summer. If you would rather hike with a guide, the women-only Víknaslóðir trek in East Iceland starts with a day at Stórurð.