Skogafoss Waterfall: Experience from Above and Below
When you think of Iceland, one of the first thing that usually comes to mind is the stunning waterfalls spread across the country. Skogafoss Waterfall (or Skógafoss) is one of the most iconic waterfalls in Iceland and can be found along the southern coast.
It is massive at 49 feet (15 meters) wide and drops 203 feet (62 meters) off of a sheer cliff, creating a huge mist of water at the bottom. On a sunny day, you can see a double rainbow in the waterfall spray.
We went to Iceland at the beginning of June, and it was the perfect time to visit. The fields surrounding Skogafoss were a vibrant green. The moss on the rocks around the waterfall was also a vivid green. The wildflowers along the road were starting to bloom which was amazing. Our favorite were the large fields of purple lupine.
About Skogafoss Waterfall
Skogafoss is the culmination of the Skóga River on its way to the sea. The water comes from two glaciers, Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull, as they melt. The river Skóga winds its way through Skogargil Canyon, creating 20 waterfalls. The cliffs surrounding Skogafoss are timeworn sea cliffs showing where the water level was at the last ice age.
Skogafoss Legends
Legend has it that the first Viking settler in the area, Þrasi Þórólfsson, hid a chest with his gold behind the waterfall. One end of the chest was visible through the cascading water.
Three men from Skógar tried to get the chest hidden in the waterfall. They were able to get a hook through a ring on the side of the chest, but the chest was too heavy and the ring broke loose. They put the ring on the church door and the ring can now be found in the Skogar Museum.
When is the Best Time to Visit Iceland?
When is the best time to visit Iceland? It depends on what you want out of your trip to Iceland.
If you want to see the Northern Lights, then the winter months are what you want. Iceland is so far north that it is dark for most of the day, giving you lots of time to be able to see the Aurora. The weather can be very extreme in the winter, so make sure you are prepared with lots of layers of clothing.
If you want to see the Northern Lights, but you want a chance of having calmer weather, then you will want to go during the spring or fall. The nights are a little bit shorter, but you will also be able to explore outside.
Summer is the high season for visitors in Iceland. Everything is starting to turn green and the wild flowers start to bloom. The weather is more mild in the summer, allowing for more enjoyable outdoor ventures.
Iceland in June
Our family decided to visit Iceland in June. As much as we wanted to see the Northern Lights, we wanted the days to be warm enough for us to be able to explore all of the natural wonders with our kids (very helpful when trying to visit Iceland on a budget as most of them are free). We worried if we went in the spring or fall, that the kids would get cold too fast while we were outside.
Is June a good time to visit Iceland? We went the first week of June and it was perfect for us. Everything was starting to turn green and the wild flowers were starting to bloom. June is the start of the busy season in Iceland, but we were never bothered by crowds. We were very lucky and had great weather while we were there (except our fateful hike to Reykjadalur Hot Springs). The high was 63°F (16°C), which was perfect for our family to be able to get out and explore.
We decided to stay on Utah time when we went to Iceland because we only had one week to explore and we did not want to worry about jet lag. This was made possible by the “midnight sun” that happens in June. Iceland is so far north that at the end of June, the sun never sets.
While we were there, we got about an hour of almost darkness around 2:00 AM. The waterfalls and other hikes don’t close, so we were able to do the museums right when we woke up. Then we explored the waterfalls in southern Iceland, glaciers, and volcanoes late into the evening.
Getting There
Skogafoss is about 2 hours south of Reykjavik. You will turn off of the Ring Road onto Skogar. Then you will turn left onto Skógafoss Road. This is where the huge lupine field was. The road bends around to the right and you will see Hótel Skógafoss on your right. The road ends in the parking lot for the waterfall.
Skogafoss Waterfall is a popular stop for south coast tour buses. These are a great option to get around if you don’t want to drive in a foreign country. It is an especially good option if the weather is questionable and you aren’t comfortable driving in wind and snow. Your whole group is able to enjoy the amazing scenery along the south coast of Iceland without worrying about staying on the road.
When our family traveled to Iceland, we decided to rent a car and explore on our own. We worried that our kids would be done with the day before the tour was over and then we would be trapped in a van with cranky kids and other people who did not pay to travel with cranky kids.
Our family enjoyed the freedom that came with renting a car. We went in June and had high hopes that the weather wouldn’t be too bad so we could safely drive around. The scariest thing we encountered was super thick fog on one day.
Cost of Visiting Skogafoss Waterfall
Free! This is one of the things that you can do when trying to visit Iceland on a budget. Unless you need to use the bathroom, because like many of the bathrooms in Iceland, you have to pay to use them. When we went, there was not an electronic way to pay for the bathrooms, so make sure you have a few coins with you to use the bathrooms. The parking for Skogafoss is free and it is free to explore Skogafoss.
Parking for Skogafoss Waterfall
The parking lot for Skogafoss is large, but since it is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland, the parking lot fills up fast. We got to Skogafoss at 3:30 PM in hopes that we would get there after all of the tours had already been through, but it was still very busy.
When we arrived, there were cars parked all along the road before the parking lot. We decided to try our luck in the parking lot anyway, and we were able to find a spot pretty close to the waterfall without having to wait. You do not need much time to explore Skogafoss, so people are leaving the parking lot frequently and you can snag their spot.
Skogafoss Waterfall
Skogafoss Waterfall is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland due to its accessibility and size. It is just off of Route 1, the Ring Road, in southern Iceland. It also a short walk from the parking lot, making it so everyone can enjoy it.
The Walk to Skogafoss
The pathway to Skogafoss Waterfall starts at the north end of the parking lot. There is a small wooden bridge to walk over and then you continue on the path to the waterfall. The pathway starts with small, packed gravel and the rocks get progressively bigger and rougher the closer you get to the waterfall. The trail to the waterfall is flat, but make sure to watch out for the rocks along the way that make the path uneven.
Along the Path
The short walk to Skogafoss was beautiful in June. The pathway runs along the Skóga River. We enjoyed the beautiful green fields on both sides of the canyon. We also loved the sheep dotting the pastures.
Skogafoss
The pathway takes you right to the pool at the bottom of the magnificent waterfall. The thundering sound of the waterfall is amplified by the echoes bouncing off the cliff walls. It completely envelops you and demands you full attention.
Skogafoss creates a large area of mist at the bottom. If it is windy (let’s be honest, it’s almost always windy in Iceland), it blows the mist down the path. We wore our rain coats and rain pants, which was the right choice because the mist was intense up close. We also put the kids in their rain boots because we didn’t trust them to stay out of the water.
There is a wide flat area at the base of the waterfall that is the perfect place for pictures. It was pretty crowded when we went and it was hard to get a picture without someone else being in it. If you have the opportunity to go early in the morning or later in the evening, I would definitely recommend it.
How to Get to the top of Skogafoss
The Trail
After standing at the base of the magnificent Skogafoss, you don’t want to miss out on seeing it from the top! The trail to reach the top of Skogafoss is to the east of the waterfall and branches off of the trail to get to the base of the waterfall.
The Stairs
If you are feeling adventurous, you can take the stairs to the right of Skogafoss and climb to the top of the waterfall. There are over 500 stairs that lead to a platform overlooking Skogafoss. The stairs start as wood and dirt and transition to metal grating when it gets steeper. There are handrails along the stairs, but occasionally it is only on one side. The handrail varies between a chain, a rope, and a metal pole as you make your way up the side of the mountain.
The Upper View
At the top of the Skogafoss Stairs, is a metal platform. There is a railing around the platform with a nice chain-link fence so you don’t have to worry about your kids falling off.
There is an area just past the platform that is open with no railing…only half of us were brave enough to venture out that edge. Be very careful here because the mist rises up from the waterfall and can make the area slippery.
Fimmvorduhals Trail
If you are feeling even more adventurous and want to continue on to see more waterfalls, you can take the Fimmvorduhals Trail (or Gönguleið um Fimmvörðuháls in Icelandic). The metal grates give way to a dirt (or mud…depending on the weather) path.
The next waterfall you encounter on the trail is Hestavadsfoss and it is just 0.1 mile (160 meters) up the river. The next stop is Fosstorfufoss, another 0.3 miles (483 meters) along the trail. The Skoga River has 20 waterfalls along it, so you can continue along the path and see as many waterfalls as your heart desires.
I wish I had researched these other waterfalls before our family trip to Iceland. We made it to the top of the stairs and the kids were ready to be done. If I had known the other waterfalls were that close, I would have tried harder to convince the kids to keep going just a little farther. We will just have to do that on our next family trip to Iceland.
What to Pack
Weather conditions can change quickly in Iceland, so make sure to wear layers….especially a layer to protect you from the water! We saw people that had a rain jacket and jeans, but we were thankful to have rain jackets and rain pants. It is always recommend taking water and snacks while hiking, but it depends on if you are doing the short walk to the waterfall or doing the stairs and the hike along the river. We took our collapsible water bottles and we were glad we had water while trekking up all of the stairs.
Is Skogafoss Waterfall Worth Visiting?
Absolutely!! There is a reason Skogafoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland. If you are able to go up the stairs to the top of the waterfall, I highly recommend it! The view from up there will take your breath away…or maybe that was from climbing all of those stairs. But either way, Skogafoss is amazing to visit and you should add it to your list.
Recreate Responsibly
Please remember to recreate responsibly so that other people can enjoy it after you. Be respectful to the nature you come in contact with and stay on the designated trails. Take only pictures and memories, leave only footprints.
Explore Close By
- Kvernufoss: 1.1 miles (1.8 km)
- Skógar Museum: 1.1 miles (1.7 km)
- Sólheimajökull Glacier: 7.3 miles (11.8 km)
- Irafoss: 12.2 miles (19.7 km)
- Dyrholaey Viewpoint: 15.8 miles (25.5 km)
- Seljalandsfoss: 18.8 miles (30.3 km)
- Gljufrabui Waterfall: 19.2 miles (30.9 km)
- Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach: 21.6 miles (34.7 km)
- Westman Islands: 26.3 miles (42.4 km)
- Bounce Pillows
