Barnafoss is a waterfall on the river Hvítá in Borgarfjörður, West Iceland, about 100 km from Reykjavík. The river narrows into a channel cut through the Hallmundarhraun lava field and runs as a set of violent rapids rather than a single drop. It lies directly upstream of Hraunfossar, and the two waterfalls share a car park and a footpath. The name comes from a folk tale about two boys who drowned crossing a stone arch above the water.
Barnafoss
The natural stone arch above the falls, where two boys drowned, was cursed by their mother and later brought down by an earthquake.
- Entrance
- Free
- Accessibility
- The car park has wheelchair-accessible spaces.
- Parking
- Free car park, shared with Hraunfossar.
- Difficulty
- Easy. A well-maintained path leads from the car park to the footbridge over the falls.
- Transport
- Self-drive (Route 518, with Hraunfossar)
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, seven days a week.
- Address
- Möðruvallavegur, 320 Borgarfjörður
What makes it special
Barnafoss stands out for force rather than height. The Hvítá is a glacial river, and here it drives through a narrow channel in the Hallmundarhraun lava field, twisting between blocks of rock. The water runs a strong turquoise against dark lava.
The footbridge is the place to see it from. It crosses directly above the channel and looks down onto the rush. The falls also carry a story: two boys from the farm Hraunsás drowned crossing a natural stone arch above the water, and their mother cursed the arch so that nobody else would cross it. An earthquake later brought it down.
Hraunfossar lies five minutes downstream and looks nothing like it, which is why the pair works as one stop.
Good to know
- One stop, two waterfalls. Barnafoss and Hraunfossar sit on the same walking path, and 30–45 minutes covers both.
- Expect rapids, not a plunge. The waterfall can underwhelm next to its story, which is the part people remember.
- The footbridge is the viewpoint. It crosses above the channel and gives the view straight down onto the water.
- Nothing is left of the stone arch. The crossing from the legend came down in an earthquake; today's bridge is a modern one.
Getting there
Barnafoss is reached by car. It shares a car park with Hraunfossar, and the last stretch from there is on foot, along an easy, well-maintained path. From Hraunfossar itself it is about five minutes on foot upstream to the footbridge over Barnafoss, so both waterfalls are done from one stop. The site lies on the Hvítá in Borgarfjörður, roughly 100 km from Reykjavík.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Barnafoss on the map
The Hvítá funnels through the gorge fast and cold and the rocks by the edge stay wet and slick — keep to the paths and the footbridge, and hold children back from the brink.
Get directions
Your whole travel map in one place
Get inspired by new places around the world and find the ones worth the journey
Frequently asked questions
How did Barnafoss get its name?
From a folk tale. Two boys from the nearby farm Hraunsás set off after their parents, took a shortcut over a natural stone arch above the waterfall, grew dizzy and fell in. Their mother put a spell on the arch so that no one would ever cross it and live. An earthquake later destroyed it.Is Barnafoss the same place as Hraunfossar?
No. They are two separate waterfalls on the same river, and Barnafoss is directly upstream. They share one car park and one footpath, so they are visited together.How long does a visit take?
About 30 to 45 minutes is enough to walk the path and see both Barnafoss and Hraunfossar.Where is the best view?
From the footbridge. It crosses above the narrow channel and gives a direct view of the river driving through the rock.Why is the water that colour?
Barnafoss carries the Hvítá, a glacial river, through the edge of the Hallmundarhraun lava field. The water reads as a vivid turquoise against the dark rock.