Bergarfoss is a waterfall in Northwest Iceland, reached from the road that runs past Kolugljúfur canyon. It is not a developed site. There is no path to the falls, no facilities and no route marked from the road. You drive a sandy, stony track to a sign reading Dalsbrún, park there, and walk about 20 minutes downstream along the river. The walk beside the water is part of why people come. The drive in needs a 4x4.
Bergarfoss Waterfall
Local name: Bergárfoss
There is no path to Bergarfoss: you park by a sign reading Dalsbrún and walk 20 minutes downstream along the river, finding your own way.
- Entrance
- Free
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair-accessible parking or entrance. The walk in has no path and crosses open ground beside a canyon.
- Parking
- Roadside parking by the Dalsbrún sign, where the walk to the falls starts.
- Difficulty
- About 20 minutes each way from the parking spot, downstream along the river. No path — you pick your own line.
- Transport
- 4x4 only (gravel Rte 715 → Hrappsstaðavegur)
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- 531 Víðidalstunga
What makes it special
Getting to Bergarfoss is most of the visit. From the parking spot by the Dalsbrún sign there is no path. You follow the river downstream, about 20 minutes on foot, picking your own line over the ground. You do not have to cross the river. A small building on the far bank gives you the direction if you lose the line.
The walk runs beside the canyon. The moss underfoot is fragile, and once it is trampled it does not grow back. Nothing here has been built for visitors, and the falls stay quiet because the road in turns back anyone without a 4x4.
Good to know
- 4x4 only. The last stretch of road is sand and stone, and it needs a 4x4 in summer as well as winter.
- The gate. You open a gate on the way to the Dalsbrún sign. Close it behind you going in and coming out. If it is locked, turn around and come another day.
- Google Maps sends you wrong. Its route crosses private property. Take the road past Kolugljúfur canyon instead, without crossing the bridge.
- No toilets. There are none at the parking spot and none at the falls.
- Stay off the moss. It covers the ground along the canyon and does not come back once it is walked on.
Getting there
Access is by car, and the drive is the hard part. The route Google Maps offers crosses private property. Drive to Kolugljúfur canyon instead, do not cross the bridge, and follow the sandy road Hrappsstaðavegur. Google Maps shows this road ending at the small village; it does not end there. Carry on through and keep going until the Dalsbrún sign, and park. You can also stop 100 metres earlier, at the 90-degree left turn. From there it is about 20 minutes on foot, downstream along the river, with no path to follow.
Best time to visit
Better: summer. The road in is sand and stone, and the long daylight leaves time to walk out and back without hurrying.
Avoid: winter without a 4x4. Winter visits work, but only with one.
The falls themselves change little through the year. What changes is whether you can get down the road to them.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Bergarfoss Waterfall on the map
The signed map route crosses private farmland — take the Hrappsstaðavegur instead, close the farm gate behind you, and mind your footing on the unfenced, boggy path above the Víðidalsá.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you need a 4x4?
Yes. The last stretch is a sandy, stony road, and it takes a 4x4 in summer as well as in winter.Can you follow the Google Maps route?
No. It goes through private property. Drive to Kolugljúfur canyon, do not cross the bridge, and follow the sandy road Hrappsstaðavegur to the Dalsbrún sign.How long is the walk from the car?
About 20 minutes each way. There is no path: you follow the river downstream from the Dalsbrún sign. You do not have to cross the river.Is there a gate on the way in?
Yes, before the Dalsbrún sign. Open it, and close it again both on the way in and on the way out. If it is locked, do not go through — come back another day.Are there toilets?
No. There are no toilets at the parking spot or at the falls.