Waterfalls in Iceland

Öxarárfoss

Öxarárfoss is a waterfall in Þingvellir National Park where the Öxará river drops over the western wall of the Almannagjá rift, the edge of the North American plate. From there the river runs on past the old assembly grounds toward Lake Þingvallavatn, and the twist is that it may have been moved there on purpose. Tradition says early settlers diverted the Öxará into Almannagjá to bring water to the Althing, the parliament that first met here in 930. Nobody can prove it, but the course of the river through the gorge does look engineered. Just downstream, the deep pool of Drekkingarhylur is where women convicted of crimes were drowned in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Öxarárfoss waterfall is about 45 minutes' drive northeast of Reykjavík on Route 36. The quickest approach is from parking lot P2 at Efri-Vellir, below and east of the fall, a few minutes away on a gravel path. From the visitor center at Hakið (P1), the Öxarárfoss trail runs down through Almannagjá past Lögberg, which takes 20 to 30 minutes each way and is the better walk. Entry to the park is free, but parking is not. The national park charges 1,000 ISK per day for a car with up to five seats and 1,200 ISK for six to nine seats, and one payment covers P1, P2 and P5 for that day. You can pay at the machines, including one at P2, or online before you arrive. The park is open all year. In winter the fall often freezes into columns of ice and the paths get slick, so bring traction spikes. Game of Thrones filmed in this part of the park, which helps explain the midday crowds, while early mornings and summer evenings are much quieter. Plan on 30 to 45 minutes for the fall alone, or two hours if you combine it with the gorge walk.

Svartifoss

Svartifoss is a 20-meter waterfall framed by black basalt columns in the Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park, Southeast Iceland. It is about four hours' drive east of Reykjavík on Route 1, and the name means the Black Falls. The waterfall itself is small, so the reason people walk uphill for it is the frame: rows of dark columns hang over the pool like organ pipes. Those Svartifoss basalt columns formed about 300,000 years ago, when lava flowed down the Skaftafellsheiði plain, filled an old riverbed and cracked into columns as it cooled. Their shape is often said to have influenced Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect of Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, so you may recognize the pattern from the church. You can only reach the Svartifoss waterfall on foot. The trail starts beside the Skaftafellsstofa visitor center and climbs about 1.9 km to the falls, roughly 45 minutes each way. Most people take the S2 loop instead, a 5.8 km circuit graded easy that adds the smaller Hundafoss and Magnúsarfoss, the Sjónarsker viewpoint and the old turf farm at Sel, with about 250 meters of climbing in total. So how long does it take to see Svartifoss? Plan on two to three hours from the parking lot, including time at the falls. There is no entry fee, but the regional parking fee for Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón is 1,110 ISK for a car with up to five seats, valid until midnight on the day you pay. The Svartifoss hike works all year, though the path gets slippery in wet summer weather and can be icy or snow-covered in winter. In those months, bring traction spikes and ask at the visitor center, which is open all year. Morning or early evening light suits the dark columns best, and the trail is quieter then too.

Gullfoss Falls

Gullfoss is a two-step waterfall on the Hvítá river in South Iceland, about 10 kilometers past the Geysir geothermal area and roughly two hours' drive from Reykjavík. The Golden Falls drop about 11 meters and then 21 meters into a narrow crevice, so from the upper viewpoint you watch a whole glacial river go over the edge without seeing where it lands. It's the last of the three classic Golden Circle stops, and most visitors pair it with Geysir and Þingvellir in one long day. If you're driving yourself, Gullfoss also makes a natural turnaround point before heading back west or on to the south coast. On sunny days, the spray often throws a rainbow across the gorge. Two levels of paths look at the Gullfoss waterfall from different angles. The upper lot sits beside the visitor center and café with a broad view down the gorge, and a stairway leads to a lower path that runs out along the rock beside the falls. Expect spray down there, so bring a waterproof jacket. That lower path is named after Sigríður Tómasdóttir, a farmer's daughter from nearby Brattholt. In the early 1900s she fought plans to dam the river for hydropower, and a memorial to her stands near the falls. There's no entrance ticket, and the site is open all year. In winter the lower path is usually gated off because of ice and the risk of falling rock, though the upper viewpoints stay open and the half-frozen falls are worth the trip. Allow 45 minutes to an hour, and in summer come early or after about 5 p.m. to miss the midday tour buses.

Gljúfrabúi

Gljúfrabúi is a waterfall hidden inside a narrow gorge on Iceland's South Coast, about 200 meters north of Seljalandsfoss. The name means canyon dweller, and the falls drop roughly 40 meters into a slot almost completely closed in by rock, so from outside you see little more than a stream running out of a crack in the cliff. Plenty of visitors at Seljalandsfoss walk straight past, which is a shame, because the reward here is getting inside. Follow the foot of the cliffs to where the stream leaves the gorge, then step or wade along the streambed over wet stones into a small, mossy chamber. Water pours in from an opening high above, the noise bounces off the walls, and the spray soaks everything within seconds. Dress for that. Waterproof pants and a jacket help, along with shoes you don't mind getting wet, and a dry bag or zip-lock for your phone is worth packing. In winter, ice on the path and the stream stones can make the Gljúfrabúi waterfall canyon unsafe to enter, so judge conditions on the day and settle for the view from outside if it looks slick. Gljúfrabúi sits just off the Ring Road, about 1 hour 45 minutes' drive from Reykjavík, and shares the paid Seljalandsfoss parking lot. There is no entry charge for the waterfall itself. From the lot it's a 5 to 10 minute walk, and an hour covers both falls, including the wade inside. Flow is strongest in spring and early summer, and June evenings bring soft light with fewer tour buses. Midday on a clear summer day is the busiest time, so arrive early or late if you want the chamber to yourself.

Skógafoss

Skógafoss is a waterfall on the Skógá river at Skógar, just off Route 1 on Iceland's South Coast, about 2 hours' drive from Reykjavík. The river drops about 60 meters over the old sea cliffs in a sheet roughly 25 meters wide, and the flat gravel plain in front lets you walk right up into the spray. Few waterfalls in Iceland let you get this close this easily. On a sunny afternoon you will get soaked at the base and very likely see a rainbow for your trouble. Skógafoss lies roughly 25 minutes east of Seljalandsfoss and about half an hour west of Vík, so most travelers see the two waterfalls together, and almost every South Coast day tour stops here. For the view from above, a steel staircase of more than 500 steps climbs the slope on the right side of the falls. At the top, a platform looks straight down into the plunge and out across the coastal plain to the sea. The Skógafoss stairs are steep but short, and most people reach the top in 10 to 15 minutes. Beyond the platform, a path follows the Skógá upstream past a long chain of smaller waterfalls. This is the start of the Fimmvörðuháls trail toward Þórsmörk, but you can walk 30 minutes or an hour and turn back. Local legend says the settler Þrasi hid a chest of gold behind the falls, and nobody has found it yet. Skógafoss is open all year and free to see. Parking is paid through the Parka app: 1,000 ISK for a standard car in 2026, valid for up to 5 hours, with no overnight stays in the lot. Allow about an hour for the base and the stairs, more if you walk the trail. Come early in the morning or in the evening to miss the tour buses. In winter, bring microspikes, since the stairs and the ground by the falls ice over.

Brúarfoss

Brúarfoss is a short, wide waterfall on the Brúará river in Bláskógabyggð, South Iceland, between Laugarvatn and Geysir, where the river splits into dozens of small cascades that pour into a narrow cleft. Its water runs an icy turquoise that looks edited in photos but is just as bright in person. That color comes from the source of the river. Much of the Brúará is fed by very clear spring water that has filtered through lava fields, so it carries little sediment and reflects the sky like glass. The Brúarfoss waterfall drops only a few meters, which is why people can walk right up to the viewing points on the bank. Brúarfoss is about 1 hour 15 minutes by car from Reykjavík. Since spring 2023, the quickest approach is the Brúarfoss parking lot at Hlauptunga, reached from Road 37 (Laugarvatnsvegur). From there it is about a five-minute walk to the falls, and the lot is open around the clock all year. Brúarfoss parking costs 750 ISK for cars with up to seven seats, 2,000 ISK for minibuses and 4,000 ISK for larger buses. You pay through the Parka app, so set it up before you lose signal. For a proper Brúarfoss hike, take the riverside trail that starts from a separate parking area on Road 37. It runs about 3.5 kilometers each way along the Brúará, passing two smaller falls, Hlauptungufoss and Miðfoss, before reaching Brúarfoss, so plan on roughly two hours round trip. The trail closes in winter, though the upper parking lot stays open. Late spring through early fall shows the blue at its best, ideally on a bright day. Allow 30 minutes from the upper lot, then pair it with Geysir or the Laugarvatn pools nearby. The current is strong and the rocks are slippery, and the river has claimed lives, so keep well back from the edge.

Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss is a 60-meter waterfall on the South Coast of Iceland, where the river Seljalandsá, fed by meltwater from Eyjafjallajökull, drops off an old sea cliff about 130 kilometers east of Reykjavík. A footpath loops through the hollow behind the water, and standing back there looking out through the falling curtain is why it sits on almost every South Coast itinerary. Plan on getting wet. The loop behind the falls is short but muddy and slippery, with spray blowing across it in almost any wind, so a rain jacket and shoes with real grip matter more than a camera. In winter, when ice builds up on the steps and rocks, the rear section may be closed for safety and you view the falls from the front. The Seljalandsfoss waterfall sits on Route 249, a minute off the Ring Road and roughly an hour and 45 minutes by car from Reykjavík. That makes it the first big stop on the south coast for most drivers and day tours. Walk about 600 meters north along the base of the cliff and you reach Gljúfrabúi, a second waterfall tucked inside a narrow gorge that you enter by wading a shallow stream. Viewing the falls is free, but parking is paid by number-plate recognition: 900 ISK per car for the day, with visits under 10 minutes free. You can pay on site or online through Checkit, and the fee covers the toilets. There's also a small café on site. For camping near Seljalandsfoss, the Hamragarðar campsite is a short walk north, beside Gljúfrabúi. Timing makes a big difference here. The falls face west, so on summer evenings the low sun shines straight through the water, and in June and July you can come late, long after the tour buses have left. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to walk behind Seljalandsfoss and see Gljúfrabúi, then continue east to Skógafoss, about 30 minutes down Route 1.

Barnafoss

Barnafoss is a run of rapids on the Hvítá river in upper Borgarfjörður, West Iceland, about five minutes' walk upstream from the spring-fed curtain of Hraunfossar. Here the glacial water forces its way through a narrow lava gorge in a series of chutes and whirlpools, and the blue-green current moves fast enough to make the footbridge above feel small. The name means Children's Falls, and the legend behind it is a grim one. Two children from the farm Hraunsás stayed home while the family went to Christmas Mass, and when the others returned, the children were gone. Their tracks led to a natural stone arch that once spanned the river here, so their mother concluded they had fallen and drowned and had the arch destroyed. Other versions blame a curse or an earthquake, but either way the natural bridge collapsed or was broken long ago. Barnafoss sits off Route 518 in Borgarfjörður, about 2 hours' drive from Reykjavík. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss share one parking lot and a short network of paths, viewing platforms and the footbridge, and a restaurant with toilets stands by the lot. The two falls are protected together as a natural monument, so stay on the marked paths and behind the railings, since the rock edges are slippery and the current is powerful. The Barnafoss waterfall is worth seeing year-round. In winter the paths can be icy and the gorge edges collect snow, so microspikes help, while summer and fall bring the best colors in the surrounding birch. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for both falls, then add Víðgelmir lava cave, Deildartunguhver hot spring or the Húsafell area, all within a short drive.

Goðafoss Waterfall

Goðafoss is a waterfall on the glacial river Skjálfandafljót in North Iceland, right beside the Ring Road about 35 kilometers east of Akureyri. The river drops about 12 meters over a horseshoe-shaped ledge roughly 30 meters wide, splitting into several channels around a rock in the middle, and few big waterfalls in Iceland are this easy to reach. The name means "waterfall of the gods," and it comes from Iceland's conversion to Christianity in the year 1000. Saga tradition holds that the lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði rode home from the Althing after settling the question and threw his statues of the old Norse gods into these falls. Whether or not it happened exactly here, it is one of the best-known stories in Icelandic history. From Akureyri the drive along Route 1 takes around 35 minutes, and Lake Mývatn is roughly 45 minutes farther east. That position makes the Goðafoss and Mývatn pairing the natural way to plan a day in the north, and the falls are a regular stop on Diamond Circle tours. Without a car, you can join a Goðafoss tour from Akureyri, or check whether bus route 79 toward Húsavík is running, since it stops at Fosshóll beside the falls on selected dates. There are parking lots and marked paths on both banks of the river. The west side has the shortest walk to the main viewpoint, while the east bank gives you a wider view across the whole horseshoe. Plan on 30 to 60 minutes to see both sides at an easy pace. Entry is free, though parking charges at Icelandic sites change, so check the signs when you arrive. The Fosshóll café and souvenir shop beside the falls has restrooms and is open daily, with longer hours in summer. In winter the falls are framed by ice and snow and the paths get slippery, so bring microspikes and keep well back from the edge.

Dettifoss

Dettifoss is a waterfall on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river in Vatnajökull National Park, North Iceland, where the gray, silt-heavy river drops 44 to 45 meters over a ledge about 100 meters wide into the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. It is often called the most powerful waterfall in Europe, and standing at the edge you feel it in your chest before the spray reaches you. The Dettifoss waterfall is all force and very little grace. Its water comes from Vatnajökull, which keeps the color a muddy gray-brown, and the falls are slowly cutting their way upstream by about half a meter a year. On a still day the cloud of spray above the canyon shows up long before you reach the parking lot. You can see Dettifoss from either bank, and each side has its own road. The west side is the easy choice, reached on paved Road 862 from Route 1 near Mývatn, about 45 minutes from Reykjahlíð and roughly 2 hours from Akureyri. The east side, on gravel Road 864, gives a closer, more head-on view, but the road is slow and closes once snow arrives in the fall, reopening only when it dries out in spring. From the west side parking lot, the viewpoint is about 1 km away over rocky ground, and the round trip takes 30 minutes to an hour. A 2.5 km loop adds Selfoss, a wide 10-meter fall just upstream, and takes about an hour. Hafragilsfoss, 27 meters high, lies downstream and is best seen from the east side. Summer and early fall are the easiest times to visit, with both roads usually open and light late into the evening. Road 862 gets only limited winter service, so between late fall and spring check the official road-conditions map and weather warnings before heading out, and expect ice on the paths when you arrive. The site has toilets and a parking lot, but overnight stays are not allowed. Stay on the marked trails and back from the edge, where the rock is wet from the spray. Most travelers pair Dettifoss with Ásbyrgi and the rest of Jökulsárgljúfur to the north, or with Mývatn to the south, as part of the Diamond Circle.

Hengifoss

Hengifoss waterfall is a 128-meter drop in Fljótsdalur valley, East Iceland, at the inner end of Lake Lagarfljót about 35 km from Egilsstaðir. It's one of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland and the best-known hike in the east, and the red stripes in its gorge are what people remember. Those stripes are thin red layers between dark lava flows, the remains of old soils baked between eruptions millions of years ago. You can drive either shore of the lake to get there, Route 931 on the west side or Route 95 and then Route 931 along the east side through Hallormsstaður forest. Both take roughly 40 minutes, and the parking lot is right by the main road. The Hengifoss trail starts through a gate by the service center and climbs a flight of stairs, then follows a gravel path for about 2 km. It's moderately steep without being difficult, and most people reach the viewpoint in 40 to 60 minutes. Plan on two hours or so for the round trip with stops. About 1.2 km up you pass Litlanesfoss, a smaller fall of roughly 25 to 30 meters framed by unusually tall basalt columns. Many hikers like it as much as the main event. Side paths drop into the canyon below Hengifoss, but they're steep and loose, and the gorge edges are a real fall risk, so keep children close. Summer and early fall are the easiest months, when the path is dry and the light lasts. In winter the upper trail can be icy, so bring microspikes and check the official road-conditions map before driving. Rangers at the service center can tell you how the trail is that day. The parking lot is paid. Check the signs and pay on arrival, since unpaid visits are usually billed later with an added fee. After the hike, Skriðuklaustur and the Snæfellsstofa visitor center are just a few minutes down the road.

Þórufoss

Þórufoss is a waterfall on the Laxá í Kjós river in the Kjós district, roughly 45 minutes' drive from Reykjavík on the slow road toward Þingvellir. The river drops about 18 meters over a curved ledge into a small canyon of dark rock and moss, and on most days you share the viewpoint with a handful of people at most. From Route 36, the main road toward Þingvellir, turn onto Route 48 (Kjósarskarðsvegur) and follow it for about 5.6 kilometers to a small parking lot beside the road. It is a short, easy walk from there to the canyon rim. The Þórufoss waterfall had few visitors until it appeared as a filming location in HBO's Game of Thrones. Fans still come for that, but the real draw is the width of the curtain after rain or snowmelt, when the river runs full. In a dry spell the flow drops noticeably, and in winter the falls often freeze into a wall of ice. Parking is free and there are no facilities, so plan on 20 to 30 minutes and bring what you need. Summer gives the easiest driving; outside it, check the official road-conditions map and weather warnings before you go. Keep well back from the canyon edge, which gets slippery when wet or icy. Most people pair Þórufoss with Þingvellir National Park, about 15 minutes further on. With a longer day, continue around Hvalfjörður to the trailhead for Glymur, one of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland.

Glymur Waterfall

Glymur waterfall is a 198-meter waterfall on the Botnsá river at the head of Hvalfjörður in West Iceland, the second-tallest in the country. It falls as a thin white ribbon into a deep, moss-lined canyon, and the only way to see it properly is a steep half-day hike along the rim. The trail starts at a gravel parking lot at the end of the road in Botnsdalur, about an hour's drive north of Reykjavík via Route 1 and Route 47 around the fjord. The full Glymur waterfall hike is a loop of about 7 kilometers with roughly 400 meters of climbing, and most people need three to four hours. Early on you pass through Þvottahellir, a small cave, then cross the Botnsá on a log with a guide rope before the path climbs to a series of viewpoints facing the falls. That upper trail is why the hike suits fit, sure-footed walkers. Ground along the canyon edge is loose in places, the drops are sheer and unfenced, and closing the loop means wading the shallow river above the falls. If that sounds like too much, turning back at the cave still gives you a good feel for the Glymur canyon, or you can walk up one side and return the same way. Summer is the season for Glymur. The log crossing is seasonal, so check its status before you go if you plan the full loop, and skip the hike entirely when there is snow, ice or thawing ground. Bring water, food and a windproof layer, since you'll find no services at the trailhead. Arrive early on summer weekends to get a parking space, then rest your legs with a soak at Hvammsvík on the southern shore of Hvalfjörður, about 30 minutes back toward Reykjavík. Guided tours from the city can combine the two.

Aldeyjarfoss

Aldeyjarfoss is a waterfall on the Skjálfandafljót river at the southern end of Bárðardalur in North Iceland, where the river drops about 20 meters into a round pool walled with tightly packed black basalt columns. White water against that dark rock is the reason people make the detour. The falls sit right where the valley road turns into Sprengisandur, the highland route across the interior. Because it lies well off the Ring Road, Aldeyjarfoss sees far fewer visitors than Goðafoss, which is on the same river roughly 40 kilometers downstream. The valley also has a screen credit, as the Icelandic film Rams was shot in Bárðardalur. From Route 1 at Goðafoss, follow Road 842 south through the valley until it becomes the F26 mountain road. A short way along F26, a signed turnoff on the left leads to a small parking lot, and from there a path drops through the lava to viewpoints above the gorge. Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes each way from Akureyri, and 30 to 45 minutes at the falls. That last stretch on F26 is the catch. It's rough gravel with no river crossings, but it's legally an F-road, so you need a 4x4 rental that allows F-roads, or you can park where the maintained road ends and walk the track instead. F26 only opens in summer, usually from late June or early July, so check the official road-conditions map before you go. Aldeyjarfoss in winter is a different trip, since the road isn't serviced and snow closes it. Entry is free year-round. Stay well back from the edge of the gorge, because the basalt gets slick with spray.

Bjarnarfoss

Bjarnarfoss is a tall, slender waterfall that drops about 80 meters in two stages down the basalt cliffs below the old volcano Mælifell, on the south side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland. Plenty of travelers spot it from the car window and keep driving, which is a mistake when the stop costs barely half an hour. From the road it looks like a white thread on a dark wall, and it only shows its real size once you start walking up. Bjarnarfoss waterfall sits right beside Route 54, a few kilometers from Búðir and close to where the road over Fróðárheiði splits off north toward Ólafsvík. From Reykjavík it is about two and a half hours' drive, so it fits easily into a Snæfellsnes loop alongside Búðakirkja, the black church at Búðir, and the cliffs at Arnarstapi about 15 minutes farther west. The Bjarnarfoss hike is short. A path of roughly 600 meters climbs about 50 meters from the free parking lot to a viewpoint partway up the slope, and most people do it in around 12 minutes each way. The ground stays wet and can be slippery, so wear shoes with grip, and turn back at the viewpoint rather than scrambling up the steep slope beside the stream. There are no toilets or other facilities on site. Late spring to early fall is the best time, when rain and snowmelt keep the flow strong and the light lasts into the evening. In winter the path is often icy, so check the official road-conditions map before driving Route 54 or crossing Fróðárheiði.

Hraunfossar

Hraunfossar is a row of waterfalls in Borgarfjörður, West Iceland, where hundreds of small streams seep from beneath the Hallmundarhraun lava field and spill into the glacial river Hvítá along roughly 900 meters of riverbank. Instead of pouring off a cliff edge, the water comes out of the rock itself, which is why they're often called the lava waterfalls. That contrast is what makes the Hraunfossar waterfalls worth the detour. The springwater is clear and cold, the Hvítá is a milky turquoise, and the dark lava ledges between them are fringed with birch and moss. Since 1987 the site has been a protected natural monument, so you watch from marked trails and viewing platforms rather than scrambling down to the water. Barnafoss sits just upstream, and the two falls are almost always seen together. Here the Hvítá squeezes through a narrow, twisting gorge that it has carved into arches and potholes. Local legend says two children from a nearby farm fell from a natural stone bridge over the gorge, which is how Barnafoss, the "children's falls," got its name. Hraunfossar is on Route 518, about 45 minutes from Borgarnes and roughly two hours' drive from Reykjavík, with Reykholt and Húsafell on either side. A paved road and short, level paths lead from the parking lot to the main viewpoints in a few minutes, and parts of the area are wheelchair accessible. Plan on 30 to 45 minutes to see both falls, a little longer if you stop at the café. The falls can be visited all year. Summer gives the greenest setting and late evening light, while fall turns the birch woods yellow and orange. In winter the platforms can be icy, so bring grips for your boots, and consider pairing the stop with Deildartunguhver hot spring and the Víðgelmir lava cave for a full day in the region.

Dynjandi

Dynjandi waterfall is the largest waterfall in the Westfjords, a stepped fall at the head of Arnarfjörður that drops about 100 meters down the cliff like a bridal veil. The main fall widens from roughly 30 meters at the top to about 60 meters at its base, and its name, the thundering one, makes sense once you stand at the bottom. Below the main fall, the river Dynjandisá tumbles down a chain of smaller falls on its way to the sea, among them Hundafoss and Göngumannafoss. A path climbs from the parking lot past each one to the foot of Dynjandi, and the walk up takes about 15 minutes. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour with stops, and wear proper shoes, since the path is uneven and steep in places. Dynjandi and the falls below it have been a protected natural monument since 1981, so stay on the marked path. The Environment Agency charges a parking fee per car, which was 750 ISK for a standard passenger car in 2024, and the money goes toward upkeep of the site. Route 60 brings you to the waterfall, crossing the Dynjandisheiði heath to the south. From Ísafjörður, the drive through the Dýrafjörður tunnel takes about an hour and a quarter, and from Reykjavík it is a long day of roughly six hours. The tunnel, opened in 2020, made winter visits more practical, but the mountain road can still close in snow or storms, so check the official road-conditions map and weather warnings before you set out. June to August is the easiest time to see Dynjandi waterfall, with long days, open roads and the most water after the snowmelt. Come early in the morning or in the evening, when the tour buses and cruise excursions have usually thinned out.

Faxi Waterfall Parking

Faxi waterfall, also called Vatnsleysufoss, is a wide, low waterfall on the Tungufljót river in South Iceland, just off Route 35 between Reykholt and Geysir. It spreads across the river in a curtain only about 7 meters high, and the viewing platform is a short walk from the parking lot. Most Golden Circle drivers speed past on their way to Geysir, which is the best reason to take the turn. On the left bank, look for the fish ladder, a concrete staircase of pools that lets salmon climb past the falls and continue upriver. The Tungufljót is a working fishing river. The name Faxi is linked to the Icelandic word for a horse's mane, which fits the way the water spills over the ledge. Faxi is in Bláskógabyggð, about 1.5 hours' drive from Reykjavík. Geysir is about 12 km farther along the road and Gullfoss about 21 km, so the falls slot easily into a Golden Circle day. A short gravel track leads down to the Faxi waterfall parking lot, a picnic area and the Við Faxa restaurant, with Faxi campsite on the riverbank next door. Fifteen to 30 minutes is enough for most visitors. You can see the falls all year, but in winter the paths get icy and Route 35 can be snowy, so check the official road-conditions map before setting out. Looking at the waterfall costs nothing, although a parking fee has been collected at the lot in recent seasons, with the current rate posted on site.

Selfoss

Selfoss waterfall is a broad, horseshoe-shaped waterfall on the glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum, about a kilometer upstream of Dettifoss in the Jökulsárgljúfur area of Vatnajökull National Park, Northeast Iceland. The national park puts the drop at about 10 meters, but the river spreads across a long, curved ledge, so the water spills along a wide edge instead of falling in one column. Many people walk to Dettifoss for the roar, then carry on and find Selfoss the prettier of the two. The name causes plenty of confusion, though. Selfoss is also a large town in South Iceland on the way to the Golden Circle, roughly a seven-hour drive away, and it has nothing to do with this waterfall. Getting from Dettifoss to Selfoss waterfall is easy. From the west parking lot, the park's D2 trail runs 2.5 kilometers in about an hour, graded easy, first to the Dettifoss viewpoints and then south along the riverbank to Selfoss before looping back on a more westerly path. Wear sturdy shoes, since the path crosses rocky ground and the spray can make it slippery. The west parking lot is reached by paved Route 862, about an hour's drive from Lake Mývatn and closer to two from Akureyri. That road has limited winter service, and gravel Route 864 on the east bank closes once the first snow arrives, so the easiest time to visit is roughly June to September. Outside summer, check the official road-conditions map before setting out, and leave the steep Hafragil trail nearby to confident hikers because of the risk of falling rocks.

Glanni Waterfall

Glanni waterfall is a series of cascades on the Norðurá river in West Iceland, just off Route 1 near Bifröst. A short path from the parking lot ends at a viewing platform above the falls, so the whole stop takes about 20 minutes and breaks up the long drive north. Norðurá is a salmon river, and the fish get past Glanni through a fish ladder beside the falls. A 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 Glanni 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.

Gufufoss

Gufufoss is a waterfall on the Fjarðará river beside Route 93, about 3.5 kilometers above the town of Seyðisfjörður in East Iceland. The river drops over a dark basalt ledge into a rocky bowl, and the spray it throws up gives the falls its name, which means Steam Falls. Most people meet the Gufufoss waterfall on the way down into Seyðisfjörður, and it's a good reason to stop before the last bends to town. It's one of several falls on the Fjarðará as the river follows the road down from the plateau. From town the drive takes about five minutes, and from Egilsstaðir, the largest town in East Iceland, allow about 25 minutes over the Fjarðarheiði mountain pass. There's no formal parking lot, only a small pull-off beside the road, so slow down early on the descent or you'll drive past it. A short walk over rough ground takes you down to the riverbank for the full view. Plan on 15 to 30 minutes, longer if you scramble along the boulders for photos. Summer brings the easiest conditions and the greenest slopes, while in winter the falls are often partly frozen. Fjarðarheiði climbs above 600 meters and can be snowy or closed in bad weather, so check the official road-conditions map before you cross.

Hafragilsfoss

Hafragilsfoss is a 27-meter waterfall on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum in Jökulsárgljúfur, Northeast Iceland, about 2 kilometers downstream from Dettifoss in the same canyon. It's part of Vatnajökull National Park, yet most Dettifoss visitors never see it. The setting is the reason to go. From the east rim you look straight down the canyon at the falls, with sheer walls on both sides and usually almost nobody else at the viewpoint. Nearby, the Randarhólar volcanic fissure has exposed its feeder dike in the canyon wall, a cross section of the volcano's plumbing you can pick out from above. The Hafragilsfoss waterfall is best seen from the east bank. Turn off the Ring Road onto gravel Road 864 just east of the Jökulsá bridge, drive north past the Dettifoss east parking lot, and follow the signed spur to the Hafragilsfoss viewpoint, a short walk from the canyon edge. Road 864 is slow, so allow well over an hour from Reykjahlíð at Mývatn. From the west bank, off paved Route 862, the view of the falls is limited. Experienced hikers can instead take the park's D3 Hafragil trail, about 9 kilometers and 4 hours, which descends steeply into the gorge and is graded difficult because of falling rocks. Stick to the rim if you're short on time or unsure on loose ground. Road 864 closes once snow arrives in the fall and reopens only when the mud has dried out in spring, so June to September is the realistic season for a Hafragilsfoss visit. Check the official road-conditions map before you go, and combine it with the east side of Dettifoss on the same drive.

Hjálparfoss

Hjálparfoss is a double waterfall in Þjórsárdalur, South Iceland, where the Fossá river splits around a block of dark lava and pours in two white streams into one round pool. Curved basalt columns line the basin, and the whole scene fits in a single view from the bank above. The falls sit in the Vikrar lava field north of the volcano Hekla, close to where the Fossá joins the Þjórsá. From Reykjavík it's about 1 hour 45 minutes: Route 1 toward Selfoss, Route 30 north, then Route 32 east past Árnes to a signposted gravel spur that ends at the parking lot. Of the waterfalls in the valley, Hjálparfoss is the easy one. The viewpoints are a short walk from the parking lot, and 20 to 30 minutes is enough for photos and a close look at the basalt. Búrfell, the second-largest hydropower station in Iceland, is just downstream, so expect power lines on the drive in. Summer, from June to September, is the best time to visit Hjálparfoss waterfall, when the moss is green and the valley roads are in their best shape. In winter, snow and ice can make the gravel track hard going, so check the official road-conditions map before you leave Route 32. Háifoss, the Gjáin valley and the reconstructed farm Þjóðveldisbærinn are all a short drive away, and some guided day tours into the Highlands stop here on the way.

Háifoss

Háifoss is a 122-meter waterfall on the Fossá river in Þjórsárdalur, a valley in South Iceland near the volcano Hekla at the edge of the Highlands. It drops in one clean plunge into a canyon of layered rock, and its smaller twin, Granni, pours over the same rim just to the right. The name means "high waterfall," and Granni means "neighbor." From the rim you see the Háifoss and Granni waterfalls side by side, with the full depth of the canyon below. Stay well back from the edge, since the cliff top is open ground with a long drop. From Reykjavík it's about two and a half hours: Route 1 to Selfoss, Routes 30 and 32 up the valley, then about 7 kilometers of gravel on Road 332 to a parking lot on the canyon rim. That last stretch decides most trips. Road 332 is rough and potholed and isn't maintained in winter, so a 4x4 is the safer choice and the drive is realistically a summer one. The main viewpoint is a short walk from the parking lot, and 30 to 60 minutes is enough for photos along the rim. For a full day, the hike up the Fossá from the reconstructed Stöng farm takes 5 to 6 hours round trip. June through September is the best time to visit Háifoss, when the road is open and the canyon walls are green. Check the official road-conditions map before you turn off Route 32, especially after rain, and pair the trip with Hjálparfoss and the Gjáin gorge farther down the valley.