A guide to 6 spectacular canyons in Iceland

If you are looking for the most breathtaking canyons in Iceland, you are in the right place! From the mossy curves of Fjaðrárgljúfur to the majestic basalt columns of Stuðlagil, these natural wonders are some of the most impressive sights in Iceland.

During our three-week road trip, we went on a mission to find the most beautiful canyons in Iceland. Some were easy to access, while others required a bit of a hike to reach, but every single one was worth it!

In this blog post, you’ll find Iceland’s most spectacular canyons with photos, descriptions, and locations on Google Maps, so you can add them to your Iceland itinerary. These spots will blow your mind! Happy exploring!

1. Studlagil Canyon

If you’ve seen photos of Stuðlagil, you probably already know why it’s become one of the most famous canyons in Iceland! Located in East Iceland, this place features the largest collection of basalt columns in the entire country!

The beautiful canyon actually used to be hidden under a deep river, but after a nearby dam was built, the water level dropped and revealed this hidden treasure to the world! Today, this has become a sought-after tourist attraction thanks to social media.

So, what’s with these columns? Turns out, they were created by a volcanic process called columnar jointing, which happens when a massive lava flow cools down very slowly and contracts, cracking into these perfect hexagonal shapes. Pretty cool, if you ask me!

Another amazing feature of the Stuðlagil Canyon is the color of the water. Depending on the time of year, the glacial river changes from stunning turquoise blue to vibrant green, to grey or even brown. We happened to catch the green shade! It was beautiful!

There are two ways to see the canyon: from a viewpoint on the west side (but you can’t get down to the river from there) or by hiking from the east side, which is what we did in order to access the river and climb the columns.

I highly recommend doing the hike from the east side! It’s about a 5km/3-mile round trip, but the photos you get from the bottom are 100% worth the effort!

To get to the canyon, you need to drive to the official parking lot (the last section goes over a bridge and by a gravel road along a river). We got there with a regular car.

Once you park your car, remember to pay for parking (you can do it there or through the Parka.is app) and then continue on foot along a gravel road until you reach the canyon. It’s a 30-minute hike one way.

Location: Studlagil Canyon – Parking lot

2. Fjadrárgljúfur Canyon

If there is one place that looks like a literal fairytale in Iceland, it definitely is Fjaðrárgljúfur!

Located on the South Coast, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon is famous for its dramatic, winding moss-covered walls that reach up to 100 meters deep. It is one of the top places to visit in Iceland for sure!

The way the bright green moss covers the jagged rock formations is just unreal, and it honestly feels like a giant green dragon carved its way through the landscape, haha! Just look at those drone shots we managed to get there!

The canyon was formed about 9,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age. As a glacier retreated, the water carved through the soft rock, leaving behind these incredible, serpentine curves. Nature in Iceland is just beyond anything I’ve seen!

Visiting Fjaðrárgljúfur is quite easy. Just drive to the Fjaðrárgljúfur Parking and walk over 500 meters (third of a mile) to the viewing platform built on the side of the canyon.

From there, you can admire the mossy curves, the deep gorge, the striking blue river, as well as the beautiful Mögárfoss, one of the countless waterfalls in Iceland.

If you’re like us and crave to see more, there is a well-maintained walking path that stretches 1 kilometer/0.6 miles along the eastern rim of the canyon with several observation points. The hiking trail is easy, and the views get better and better with every step!

We walked this path there and back to enjoy the canyon to the fullest!

Because of its popularity (partly due to a certain Justin Bieber music video!), the ecosystem here is very fragile. The moss takes decades to grow back if stepped on, so please stay behind the ropes and on the marked paths!

The area sometimes closes temporarily during the muddy spring season to protect the vegetation, so check the road conditions before you go! It’s a quick detour off the Ring Road and a must-see place for anyone exploring South Iceland!

Location: Fjadrárgljúfur – Parking lot

3. Almannagjá Canyon in Thingvellir National Park

You can’t talk about canyons in Iceland without mentioning Almannagjá Gorge in Thingvellir National Park!

This isn’t just a beautiful gorge – it is actually a massive rift where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart. Walking through it feels like you’re in a real-life geography lesson, but way more exciting, haha!

The Thingvellir National Park has a huge place in Icelandic history, too. Back in 930 AD, Viking settlers established the world’s first parliament, the Alþingi, right here in the canyon! Oh, by the way, this gorge was also a filming location for Game of Thrones (unsurprisingly!).

This canyon is very easy to visit, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. Because it’s part of the Golden Circle, it can get quite busy during the day, so I recommend coming here first thing in the morning or later in the evening to avoid crowds.

To get there, just drive to the Thingvellir National Park Visitor Center (there are huge parking lots next to it) and from there start your hike through the gorge (the main entrance is right next to the visitor center).

One of my favorite parts of the walk was reaching Öxarárfoss, a stunning waterfall that falls into the canyon. Fun fact – it is actually man-made! Vikings diverted the river centuries ago to provide water for the people attending the parliament assemblies.

I highly recommend walking all the way to the area called the Dead Man Walk, where the fissure between the rocks is quite narrow and stands out very well. You can really see where the rocks are breaking apart 2 centimetres a year – looks really cool!

Location: Thingvellir National Park – Dead Man Walk – Öxarárfoss Waterfall

4. Múlagljúfur Canyon

If you want to escape the crowds and find a place that feels completely untouched, Múlagljúfur Canyon is the ultimate hidden gem you will find in Iceland!

Located in Southeast Iceland, not far from the famous Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, this canyon is often overlooked by travelers rushing past on the Ring Road. Honestly, it was not only one of my favorite canyons in Iceland, but one of my favorite places in the whole country!

Finding the trailhead can be a bit tricky since it’s not well-marked from the main road. Look for a small gravel turn-off shortly after passing the glacier lagoon. The road to the parking area is quite bumpy, but we managed just fine with a regular car.

Then, from the parking area, the hike to the top takes about 45 minutes, and while it’s a bit of an uphill climb and you’ll even have to cross a small river, both the journey and the destination are absolutely spectacular.

Once you reach the edge of the canyon, you’re greeted by towering green cliffs, the massive Hangandifoss waterfall, and the Mulagljúfur River winding below. If you look in the distance, you will see the snowy peaks of the Vatnajökull National Park!

Múlagljúfur Canyon really feels like a movie set of The Lord of the Rings or something. The fairytale-like setting is something I will never forget. It felt like we had discovered a secret world where dragons might fly out from behind the cliffs at any moment, haha!

Make sure to pack some water and snacks, because you’ll want to sit at the top for a while just to soak in the panoramic views!

Location: Múlagljúfur Canyon – Parking lot – Canyon viewpoint

5. Glymsgljúfur Canyon

If you are looking for an adventure that makes you work a little for the view, the canyon of Glymsgljúfur is where you need to go! Located in Hvalfjörður (the Whale Fjord), this gorge is home to the famous Glymur waterfall.

Glymur used to be known as the tallest waterfall in Iceland until a new one was discovered in the highlands in 2011. Even though it’s now officially number two, the scale of the canyon here is absolutely mind-blowing!

Once you hear the roar of the water bouncing off the massive 200-meter-high canyon walls, you’ll understand!

The hike to see the waterfall and the canyon is an experience in itself. To get the best views, you actually have to walk through a small cave called Þvottahellir and cross the Botnsá river on a wooden log with only a thin wire to hold onto!

It sounds a bit scary, but it’s actually a lot of fun!

As you climb higher along the eastern side of the gorge, the canyon opens up beneath you. The steep walls are covered in lush vegetation (like moss and wildflowers), with hundreds of birds (most likely fulmars) nesting in the cliffs.

Watching the water plunge 198 meters into the narrow, dark depths of the canyon is one of those moments I will never forget from your trip to Iceland!

Some hikers do a full loop around the waterfall – up along the east side of the canyon, cross the river at the very top of the canyon, and then descend by the west side.

We did not have that much time, so we only climbed up the east side until we reached a beautiful viewpoint with fantastic views of the waterfall, and then simply walked back down.

Location: Glymur Canyon – Parking lot – Viewpoint of the canyon

6. Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon

If you want to see the sheer power of Icelandic nature, you have to head north to Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon! This massive canyon is part of the Vatnajökull National Park and was formed by catastrophic glacial floods due to volcanic activity thousands of years ago.

The spectacular canyon is home to some of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe, including the famous Dettifoss and Selfoss. And visiting these majestic Icelandic waterfalls is the best way to see the scale of the stone canyon.

You can access Dettifoss from two sides. The east side is only accessible in the summer months, and because we came here at the end of May, we went to the West side, which, I think, offers better views of the waterfall.

There is a big parking lot with toilets available and a marked path to the waterfall. It is very easy to get to!

Dettifoss waterfall is one of the most powerful waterfalls in Iceland and in Europe, in terms of the power it generates when the 100-meter wide waterfall drops 44 meters down the cliff.

Just a short walk from Dettifoss, you’ll find another majestic waterfall – Selfoss. It is not as big, but it is definitely beautiful. If you’re doing the Ring Road, this is a must-visit place in Northern Iceland!

Location: Dettifoss (West Side) – Selfoss – Parking lot

Happy exploring!

We loved exploring Icelandic canyons! From the mossy curves of Fjaðrárgljúfur to the towering basalt columns of Stuðlagil, they are just as diverse as the Icelandic landscape itself. Turns out, it’s not all about the waterfalls in Iceland, hehe!

We spent around three weeks traveling around Iceland and exploring everything the Land of Fire and Ice had to offer, yet I feel like there are still many more hidden gems to discover!

What I love most about Iceland is how packed full of breathtaking places it truly is – mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, caves, beaches, and hidden canyons. There’s something for everyone, for sure, and I hope you enjoy this country as much as we did! Happy travels!

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