List of waterfalls in Iceland

Dettifoss, in Northern Iceland
Gullfoss, in Southern Iceland

Iceland is well suited for waterfalls (Icelandic: s. foss, pl. fossar). This Nordic island country lies along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge which separates North America and Europe near where the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans meet. Frequent rain and snow is caused by its near-Arctic location. Large glaciers exist throughout the country whose summer melts feed many rivers. As a result, it is home to a number of large and powerful waterfalls. It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland.[1]

North

South

  • Faxi or Vatnsleysufoss in Tungufljót river
  • Foss á Síðu
  • Gluggafoss
  • Gljúfrafoss
  • Gjáin has many small waterfalls
  • Gullfoss (Golden Falls)
  • Háifoss (High Falls)
  • Hjálparfoss
  • Kvernufoss
  • Merkjárfoss
  • Ófærufoss used to be noted for the natural bridge which stood above the falls, but it collapsed in 1993.
  • Seljalandsfoss
  • Skógafoss (Forest Falls)
  • Svartifoss (Black Falls) is one of the many waterfalls of Skaftafell National Park
  • Systrafoss, in Kirkjubæjarklaustur
  • Þjófafoss on the Merkurhraun lava fields
  • Öxarárfoss, at Þingvellir National Park
  • Fagrifoss, near Kirkjubæjarklaustur
  • Morsárfoss, 228m waterfall formed from the retreat of Morsárjökull that is now Iceland's tallest.[2]
  • Urriðafoss

West

  • Álafoss
  • Barnafossar (the Children's Falls) in Hvítá river
  • Glymur in the Hvalfjörður area. At 198m, it was long regarded as the tallest waterfall in Iceland until being surpassed with a new falls by Morsárjökull in 2011.
  • Hraunfossar (the Lava Falls) in birchwoods, a stone's throw from Barnafoss.

Westfjords

East

  • Hengifoss
  • Litlanesfoss, surrounded by columnar basalt, it is on the way up to Hengifoss
  • Fardagafoss near Egilsstaðir
  • Gufufoss ("Steam falls") In Seyðisfjörður
  • Klifbrekkufossar in Mjóifjörður. A beautiful row of waterfalls

List of waterfalls by height

Picture Name Height Water body Region Community Coordinates Comment
Morsárfoss 227.3 m Morsá Austurland Hornafjörður 64°06′45″N 16°53′05″W / 64.11241°N 16.884806°W / 64.11241; -16.884806 (Morsárfoss) Discovered in 2007, measured in 2011;
Glymur 196 m Botnsá Vesturland Hvalfjarðarsveit 64°23′28″N 21°15′02″W / 64.3911°N 21.2505°W / 64.3911; -21.2505 (Glymur) Considered tallest waterfall until 2011
Hengifoss 128 m[3] Hengifossá Austurland Fljótsdalur 65°05′44″N 14°53′25″W / 65.095693°N 14.890167°W / 65.095693; -14.890167 (Hengifoss) Alternative height: 110 m
Háifoss 122 m Fossá í Þjórsárdal Suðurland Skeiða- og
Gnúpverjahreppur 		64°12′29″N 19°41′16″W / 64.208°N 19.6877°W / 64.208; -19.6877 (Háifoss) Neighbour of Granni
Granni 101 m Fossá í Þjórsárdal Suðurland Skeiða- og
Gnúpverjahreppur 		64°12′33″N 19°41′00″W / 64.2092°N 19.6832°W / 64.2092; -19.6832 (Granni)
Neighbour of Háifoss
Dynjandi 100 m Dynjandisá Vestfirðir Vesturbyggð 65°43′57″N 23°11′56″W / 65.7326°N 23.199°W / 65.7326; -23.199 (Dynjandi) Alternative name: Fjallfoss
Tallest waterfall of the Westfjords
Rjúkandi 93 m Ysta-Rjúkandi Austurland Fljótsdalshérað 65°20′05″N 15°04′55″W / 65.334674°N 15.082054°W / 65.334674; -15.082054 (Rjúkandi)
between Egilsstaðir and Mývatn
Foss á Síðu 82 m Fossá Suðurland Skaftárhreppur 63°51′21″N 17°52′12″W / 63.855737°N 17.869925°W / 63.855737; -17.869925 (Foss á Síðu) close to Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Bjarnafoss 80 m Bjarnaá Vesturland Snæfellsbær 64°50′54″N 23°24′12″W / 64.8482°N 23.4033°W / 64.8482; -23.4033 (Bjarnafoss)
Fagrifoss 80 m Geirlandsá Suðurland Skaftárhreppur 63°52′01″N 18°15′00″W / 63.86694°N 18.2500°W / 63.86694; -18.2500 (Fagrifoss) in Vatnajökull National Park
Skiptárfoss 80 m Skiptá Vestfirðir Reykhólahreppur
Vesturbyggð 		65°36′22″N 22°55′31″W / 65.606013°N 22.925288°W / 65.606013; -22.925288 (Skiptárfoss)
Þórðarfoss 80 m Þórðara Suðurland Rangárþing eystra 63°43′19″N 19°53′55″W / 63.7220°N 19.8985°W / 63.7220; -19.8985 (Þórðarfoss) close to Merkjárfoss
Grundarfoss 70 m Grundará Vesturland Grundarfjörður 64°54′32″N 23°13′21″W / 64.9089°N 23.2224°W / 64.9089; -23.2224 (Grundarfoss) at Snæfellsnes
Systrafoss 69 m Fossá Suðurland Skaftárhreppur 63°47′09″N 18°03′35″W / 63.7859°N 18.0596°W / 63.7859; -18.0596 (Systrafoss) close to Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Seljalandsfoss 65 m Seljalandsá Suðurland Rangárþing eystra 63°36′56″N 19°59′16″W / 63.6156°N 19.9879°W / 63.6156; -19.9879 (Seljalandsfoss)
Skógafoss 62 m Skógá Suðurland Rangárþing eystra 63°31′56″N 19°30′41″W / 63.5321°N 19.5113°W / 63.5321; -19.5113 (Skógafoss)
 
Írárfoss 60 m Írá Suðurland Rangárþing eystra 63°34′39″N 19°49′44″W / 63.5776°N 19.828951°W / 63.5776; -19.828951 (Írárfoss)
 

See also

References

  1. ^ Icelandorg (October 28, 2023). "Waterfalls in Iceland: Names, Facts, and Features". Iceland.org – Iceland Tours, Car Rentals and Information. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "Iceland's Tallest Waterfall to be Named".
  3. ^ "Hengifoss (Fjotsdalsheidi)". European waterfalls. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
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