Selfoss waterfall in North Iceland

A Waterfall Wrapped Around the River

Many waterfalls can be understood from a single viewpoint. A river reaches an edge, crosses it and falls as one recognisable face.

Selfoss is more complicated.

The edge is broad and curved. Water passes over several sections of it, forming a sequence of curtains rather than one continuous plunge. Some are narrow and clearly separated. Others combine into broader sections according to river volume and the channels immediately above the drop.

This gives Selfoss a strong horizontal rhythm. The eye travels around the waterfall from one fall to the next, following repeated vertical lines of water divided by dark rock.

Its shape also explains why impressions vary so much between viewpoints. Standing beside one part of the falls reveals the force and detail of the water, but can conceal the larger curve. Moving along the bank changes the relationship between the separate curtains; falls that appeared isolated may overlap, while others emerge from behind the basalt.

No single ground-level position provides a complete diagram of Selfoss. The visitor understands it gradually through movement.

Basalt, Water and a Glacial River

Selfoss lies on Jökulsá á Fjöllum, one of Iceland’s major glacial rivers. The river begins beneath Vatnajökull and carries meltwater and fine sediment north across the highlands before entering Jökulsárgljúfur.

The sediment gives the water its familiar grey-brown colour. Its volume changes with glacial melting, rainfall and conditions within the drainage basin. Selfoss therefore varies continually even though the basic form of its basalt edge remains recognisable.

The visible pattern of the waterfall is strongly influenced by the structure of the rock. Cooling lava fractured into columns and blocks. The river has exploited joints and weaknesses within that basalt, creating channels and separate sections of falling water along the curved edge.

The rock does not arrange every curtain with architectural precision. Channel shape, erosion and changing discharge all influence what can be seen. At some water levels, individual falls appear sharply separated. At others, they grow broader or more prominent.

Selfoss is therefore not a fixed row of identical cascades. It is the continuing interaction of a glacial river with fractured volcanic rock.

Selfoss and Dettifoss

Selfoss and Dettifoss carry the same river, but they express it very differently.

Selfoss lies upstream and drops approximately 11 metres across its broad, divided edge. About one kilometre farther north, Dettifoss concentrates the river into a much higher fall of approximately 44–45 metres.

Walking between them makes the contrast immediately visible. At Selfoss, the water is distributed around a curve and broken into separate curtains. At Dettifoss, it descends as a massive, concentrated wall into the canyon.

This does not make Selfoss calm, nor does it make the two waterfalls equal in physical power. The same discharge falling through a much greater height releases substantially more energy at Dettifoss. Selfoss remains a forceful glacial waterfall, but its character comes from breadth, division and repetition rather than one overwhelming impact.

The comparison is useful because the falls are close together, but Selfoss does not exist to prepare the river for Dettifoss. Each waterfall has developed where the river encounters a different form of channel and basalt edge.

The Established Western Circuit

The principal visitor route to Selfoss begins at the west-bank Dettifoss parking area, reached by Road 862.

The recognised Dettifoss–Selfoss circuit is approximately 2.5 kilometres and is estimated to take about one hour. Under ordinary summer conditions, Vatnajökull National Park classifies it as an easy route.

From Dettifoss, visitors walk south—upstream—along the west side of Jökulsá á Fjöllum. The path crosses exposed rock and lava terrain before reaching the viewing area at Selfoss. A marked inland branch provides the return route, allowing the two waterfalls to be visited as a circuit rather than requiring the entire riverside section to be retraced.

The route is clearly marked and realistic for an average visitor. “Easy” nevertheless describes its overall difficulty, not a smooth or universally accessible surface. The ground is naturally rough and uneven, and people with limited mobility or poor balance may find the rock more demanding than the classification suggests.

Selfoss has no separate parking area. Visitors should plan for the complete walk rather than expecting a roadside viewpoint close to the falls.

Current road, weather and trail conditions should always be checked. A straightforward summer circuit can become a very different undertaking when snow, ice, strong wind or poor visibility covers the route.

What Each Bank Reveals

The west bank is the established and most practical approach, but it does not provide the most complete frontal view of Selfoss.

From the western route, visitors look along and partly across the curved edge. This perspective is excellent for seeing individual curtains, the dark basalt divisions and the water moving towards Dettifoss. It also allows the waterfall to unfold as the visitor changes position along the recognised viewing area.

The east side gives a more complete view across the width and curve of the falls. Historically, visitors have approached Selfoss from the east-bank Dettifoss area, reached by Road 864. That route is less established than the western circuit and should not be assumed to offer equivalent waymarking, access or visitor infrastructure.

Road 864 is an unpaved seasonal road. Its condition and opening vary, and it should never be treated as an alternative merely because a navigation application suggests it.

There is no bridge between the banks at Selfoss or Dettifoss. Moving from one side to the other requires a substantial drive around, so the choice must be made before approaching the waterfalls.

For most visitors, the western circuit is the sensible recommendation. The eastern perspective is relevant for understanding the geography and for visitors who have deliberately chosen that side after confirming current access.

Edges, Spray and Safe Viewing

The lower height of Selfoss can make its edges appear less intimidating than those beside Dettifoss. That impression should not be trusted.

The river remains powerful, and sections of rock near the drop may be exposed, slippery or undercut. An undercut shelf can extend towards the river while being eroded or unsupported beneath. The visible edge is therefore not necessarily the true structural edge.

Good views do not require approaching the lip.

Visitors should remain on the established route and use recognised viewing positions. An opening without a barrier is not an invitation to step closer. Wet basalt, loose stones and spray can reduce grip, while snow may conceal both ice and the exact line of an edge.

Winter and severe frost require particular caution. Ice can transform an otherwise easy path and make the canyon margin dangerous well before the waterfall is reached. Turning back is the correct decision when the route can no longer be followed safely.

Children require close supervision. Photographers should keep tripod legs and all other equipment on stable ground within the recognised route rather than reaching towards the river for a cleaner angle.

A Different Waterfall in Every Season

Selfoss changes with the river, weather and season.

During periods of greater discharge, the separate curtains become thicker and more forceful. At lower flow, the dark divisions between them become clearer and more of the basalt structure is exposed. These changes alter the balance of the waterfall without removing its broad curved form.

Rain deepens the colour of the rock and can make the walking surface slick. Overcast light reduces glare from the water and may reveal more detail in both the pale river and the darker basalt.

In winter, ice may build around individual falls and trace the shape of the rock. Partial freezing does not make the river safe or still. Open water continues to move between ice formations, and snow can hide slippery surfaces and dangerous edges.

Cold air, low light and ice may make the waterfall appear more graphic, but access is the controlling issue. Road and walking conditions determine whether a visit is sensible; the presence of winter photographs does not imply that Selfoss is routinely or easily accessible throughout the season.

At any time of year, the most rewarding way to see Selfoss is to allow its arrangement to emerge slowly. Its scale is horizontal, and its character becomes clearer through several views rather than one dramatic approach.

Protection and the View from Above

Selfoss lies within Jökulsárgljúfur in Vatnajökull National Park. The exposed landscape may appear resistant, but unofficial tracks damage the surface and lead others towards unsafe edges.

Remaining on the marked route protects both visitors and the landscape. Shortcuts should not be created for photographs, and cairns or other markers should not be built.

Aerial photographs reveal Selfoss more completely than any ground-level viewpoint. From above, the curved edge, separate curtains and position of the river can be seen as one coherent form. The aerial images on this page are valuable precisely because they explain something the ordinary walking experience cannot show at once.

They should not be interpreted as an invitation to reproduce the flight.

Recreational drone use in Jökulsárgljúfur is tightly restricted. Limited flying is permitted only within a defined area west of Dettifoss and during specified times. Selfoss lies outside that permitted recreational area, and the land south of Dettifoss includes private property on the eastern side.

Visitors must consult the current national-park regulations rather than relying on older accounts, social-media examples or the presence of aerial photographs online. Recreational drones must not be flown over Selfoss.

The complete curve belongs to the aerial record. From the ground, the experience is different and no less worthwhile: walking beside the river, watching one curtain appear behind another and gradually understanding how the waterfall wraps around the water.

• • Selfoss is approximately 11 metres high and nearly 100 metres wide.
  • It lies on Jökulsá á Fjöllum about one kilometre upstream, or south, of Dettifoss.
  • The waterfall descends around a broad, curved basalt edge in numerous separate curtains.
  • The recognised west-bank Dettifoss–Selfoss circuit is approximately 2.5 kilometres and normally takes around one hour.
  • Selfoss has no separate destination car park.
  • The west side provides an oblique view along and partly across the falls, while the east side gives a more complete frontal view of their width and curve.
  • The eastern route is less established than the marked western circuit.
  • No ground-level viewpoint reveals the complete plan of the waterfall as clearly as an aerial view.
  • Current recreational drone rules do not permit flying over Selfoss.
  • Selfoss lies within Vatnajökull National Park.