Skógafoss Waterfall & Hike - Iceland

Overview

Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s biggest and most powerful waterfalls that features an epic 60 meter drop. Located on the Skógá river, this waterfall is visible from the road and is one of the best attractions along south coast of Iceland. It offers not only a view of one of the world’s most prestigious waterfalls, but you can also take a set of stairs to the top and enjoy a beautiful hike along the Skógá river.

Quick Facts

Time Spent50 minutes or up to 3 hours

Best Time to Visit?Midday

Distance5.5 miles (Roundtrip)

Type of TrailThere & Back

Bathroom Available?Yes

Cost for EntryFree

Worth It?Must Go

Elevation Gain1,145 ft

Hiking DifficultyBeginner to Moderate

Seasonal?Year-Round

Note: Always check trail status and weather conditions before visiting

Attraction Tips

Wear a Waterproof Jacket

As you walk up to the bottom of the Skógafoss, there is a lot of mist and water that sprays off from the waterfall. If you’re planning on getting close, make sure to bring a waterproof jacket!

Enjoy the View at the Top of Waterfall

There is a staircase to the right of the waterfall that leads to a beautiful view over the falls. The climb is comprised of 370 steps and takes about 5-10 minutes to get to the top, but the sweeping views are a pretty amazing payoff when you make it up.

The Hike is Worth It

Once you get to the top of the waterfall, walk through the gate and follow the path for an amazing hike along the Skóga river. This trail offers amazing views and other various beautiful waterfalls, so you must spend the time beyond just the base of Skógafoss.

How to Get There & Parking

Address:

Skógafoss, Iceland

Directions via Google Maps

Parking: Free

There is plenty of parking here, as this is a very popular attraction close to the road.

What To Bring

Water Bottle(s) / Snacks

Waterproof Jacket / Pants (Rain Gear)

Hiking Shoes (Sneakers or Boots)

Waterproof Backpack

Attraction Details

When you arrive, there is a very spacious parking lot with plenty of room to park, as this is a highly visited attraction that can be seen from the road. There is food, an information booth and bathroom available as well.

As you walk up to Skógafoss, you realize the grand scale of one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, which offers a drop of more than 60 meters. Crowds surround the waterfall at all times of the day and most people walk right up to it to feel the mist coming off the powerful drop. Make sure to wear a rain jacket if you’re getting close and if you have a nice camera, definitely have a cloth to clean the water droplets that land on the lens.

We spent about 20-25 minutes at the base of the waterfall before venturing up the staircase that winds up the right side of the waterfall. There are definitely a lot of steps, but depending on your walking speed, it only takes about 5-10 minutes to get to the top. We were a little winded when we got to the top, but the view is absolutely incredible. Looking down on the waterfall is magnificent, but the lookout from the top of the stairs is what really makes the trek up the stairs worth while, which offers sweeping views of the coastline if it’s not too cloudy out.

We feel that the full Skógafoss experience isn’t complete without going on the hike above the waterfall along the Skóga river. While you can walk down the stairs after the lookout area at the top and cut your visit short, we highly, highly recommend spending a full three hours for a hike along the river. To start the hike, there is a gate to walk through and it’s an easy, well traveled path along the Skóga river. This trail offers lush green surroundings and other various beautiful waterfalls along your walk, but what truly makes it unique is how peaceful the hike is. This isn’t a highly traveled route past a certain point along the trail, so you basically have it to yourself the further you walk along the trail.

We walked for 1 hour and 30 minutes before turning around at one final epic view of another waterfall along the trail. If you have the schedule flexibility, and stamina, you can make the 8-10 hour hike out to Thórsmörk, but we didn’t have enough time to do this within our itinerary – it’s 100% on our list for next time though! Skógafoss offered one of the best hikes we made on our trip and we would definitely recommend spending time above the waterfall as part of your visit.