Blue Lake is a small geothermal pool in the Mývatn area of Northeast Iceland, close to Reykjahlíð. Deep blue water is set inside black lava walls. The pool lies beside the road. Parking is close by, and the lake is seen from the bank. The water is hot, and bathing is out of the question. Hverir, a solfatara field, lies two to three kilometres away on the other side of the mountain.
Blue Lake
Local name: Blavatn
Deep blue water in a rim of black lava, hot enough that getting in is out of the question.
- Parking
- Two parking areas: an unpaved one about 120 m from the water, and another about 620 m away that is free.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stop: Mývatn - Reykjahlíð, about 3 km away. No stop at the lake.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Beside Route 1, Bjarnarflag, 660 Reykjahlíð
What makes it special
The water is a flat, deep blue, held inside walls of black lava. The pool is small, and the whole of it is visible from the bank. Blue Lake is right by the road, so seeing it costs no effort. The heat is the surprise. This is geothermal water, too hot for bathing, and in cold air the surface steams. As a sight it is short, and it does not outdo the bigger geothermal ground nearby. Hverir, the solfatara field on the other side of the mountain, is two to three kilometres away, and the two go together on one drive.
Good to know
- The water is too hot to bathe in — this is geothermal water, not a hot pot. Look from the bank and stay out.
- No toilets, no drinking water — there are none at the lake, and none within about five kilometres.
- A quick stop, not an outing — the pool is small and fully visible from the bank.
- Pair it with Hverir — the solfatara field is two to three kilometres away, on the other side of the mountain.
Getting there
Blue Lake sits beside the road, and access is by car. The nearest parking area is about 120 metres from the water, on unpaved ground. A second car park is about 620 metres away. From either one the last stretch is on foot. There is no bus stop at the lake itself.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Blue Lake on the map
The water is too hot to bathe in. Do not get in, and keep children and dogs back from the edge.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you swim in Blue Lake?
No. The water is geothermal and too hot for bathing. The lake is looked at from the bank, not entered.Are there toilets at Blue Lake?
No. There are no toilets and no drinking water at the lake, and none within about five kilometres.How much time does a visit take?
Little. The pool is small, it lies right by the road, and the view is complete from the bank.What else is close by?
Hverir, a solfatara field, is two to three kilometres away on the other side of the mountain.