A waterfall on an old coastline

The cliff at Skógafoss once stood much closer to the sea. At the end of the Ice Age, the coastline ran along the base of the mountains here. Uplift of the land and the gradual accumulation of sediment across the South Coast later pushed the shoreline farther south, leaving the old sea cliff inland.

Skógafoss now drops from that former coastal edge onto a broad lowland plain.

The waterfall is formed by the Skógá river, which rises in the highlands between Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. Most of the time the river maintains a substantial and fairly consistent flow, but severe weather can increase discharge considerably and produce flooding.

That variability is important because Skógafoss is not a static feature. Its appearance changes with water volume, wind and season, even though its basic shape remains immediately recognisable.

At the base of Skógafoss

The easiest way to understand Skógafoss is from below. The path from the parking area leads directly towards the plunge pool, and the closer you get, the more the waterfall fills both sight and sound.

Spray is almost constant near the base. In calm conditions it rises as fine mist. In wind it can be driven sideways across the viewing area and soak clothing and equipment very quickly.

The mist is also responsible for one of Skógafoss’s best-known features. When sunlight reaches the waterfall from the right angle, rainbows frequently form in front of the falls, sometimes more than one at once.

The ground nearest the waterfall is wet and can be slippery. There is no need to stand directly against the plunge pool to experience the scale of Skógafoss. From slightly farther back, the full width of the waterfall and the height of the cliff are often easier to appreciate.

429 steps and the waterfalls above

A staircase of 429 steps climbs the hillside east of Skógafoss. The climb gives a completely different view.

From the top, the broad curtain seen from below becomes a narrow river reaching the cliff edge and suddenly disappearing over it.

The staircase can become icy in winter. When snow and ice are present, both the climb and descent require much more care than the number of steps alone suggests.

The top of Skógafoss is also not the end of the landscape. The Skógá river continues inland through a protected corridor containing numerous additional waterfalls.

Among those officially named along the upper river are Hestavaðsfoss, Fosstorfufoss and Skálabrekkufoss. Walking farther inland changes the experience from a single landmark into a river landscape.

Skógafoss is the largest and most famous waterfall in the system, but it is only the first one encountered from the coast.

Þrasi and the treasure behind the waterfall

Skógafoss also carries one of Iceland’s better-known waterfall legends. According to tradition, Þrasi Þórólfsson, an early settler in the area, hid a chest of treasure behind the waterfall.

The story says that people later tried to retrieve it. They managed to catch hold of a ring attached to the chest, but the ring broke away and the treasure disappeared again behind the falling water.

The ring itself became part of the story. Tradition links it with Skógar, where it was preserved and later associated with the local museum collection.

Whether a chest of gold ever existed is another question entirely. What matters is that the story has remained attached to Skógafoss for generations and gives the waterfall a cultural identity beyond its geology.

Fimmvörðuháls begins here

The route above Skógafoss also leads towards Fimmvörðuháls. This is important because the first part of the trail can look deceptively like an easy extension of the waterfall visit. It is not.

The full Fimmvörðuháls route between Skógar and Þórsmörk is a serious highland crossing of roughly 25 km with major ascent, exposed terrain and weather that can change quickly.

Fimmvörðuháls will have its own destination page, where the route belongs in full. For a Skógafoss visit, it is enough to know that the trail begins here and that the path above the waterfall can be followed for shorter distances without committing to the complete crossing.

Visiting Skógafoss

Skógafoss lies immediately off Route 1 beside the village of Skógar. Parking and basic visitor facilities are available near the waterfall.

Skógar Museum is also close by and provides a natural cultural counterpart to the waterfall, especially given the local Þrasi treasure tradition.

Skógafoss can become very busy during the day. Early morning and late evening usually offer more space, particularly in summer when daylight extends far beyond normal visiting hours.

Winter does not normally prevent access to the base of the waterfall, but ice can affect paths, the viewing area and especially the staircase.

• • Skógafoss is about 60 metres high and roughly 25 metres wide.
  • The waterfall drops from an old sea cliff that once stood much closer to the shoreline.
  • A staircase of 429 steps leads to the top.
  • The stairs can become icy in winter.
  • The Skógá river continues inland past a series of additional waterfalls.
  • Fimmvörðuháls begins above Skógafoss but is a serious highland route rather than a short extension of the waterfall walk.
  • Local tradition says Þrasi Þórólfsson hid a chest of treasure behind the waterfall.
  • Skógafoss has appeared in numerous films, television productions and music videos.