Bolafjall is a mountain 638 metres high near Bolungarvík, in the Westfjords of Iceland. A steep road runs to the summit. It was built in 1986 and opened to civilian traffic in 2002, and it has been open to cars in July and August. The top is a smooth, barren plateau with views in every direction, and an observation deck looking over Ísafjarðardjúp opened there in 2022. The mountain also holds a radar station of the Iceland Air Defence System, in operation since 1992.
Bolafjall Mountain
Local name: Boláfjall
The road to the summit was built in 1986, but civilian cars were not allowed up it until 2002.
- Parking
- Parking at the top of the road, beside the observation deck. It stays under snow into late spring.
- Difficulty
- Drivable to the top while the road is open; the road is steep and sandy. On foot the route starts at the cairns at the bottom and follows the road to the 638-metre summit at an even gradient.
- Hours
- The road to the summit has been open to cars in July and August.
- Address
- Bolafjall, Bolungarvík, 416
What makes it special
The top of Bolafjall is a smooth, barren plateau at 638 metres, and the views run in every direction. The observation deck, opened in 2022, looks out over Ísafjarðardjúp. Below the cliffs is open ocean, and Bolungarvík sits at the foot of the mountain. Most of the height is gained by car, so the view arrives without a long walk in.
The mountain also carries a radar station, one of the four sites of the Iceland Air Defence System. It began operation in January 1992, first under the Icelandic Defence Force and NATO, and is run today by the Icelandic Coast Guard. Nothing on the plateau breaks the wind.
Good to know
- Wind. The summit plateau is bare and exposed, and it can be very windy at the top.
- Snow lingers. In late May the observation deck and the parking area can still be buried under deep snow.
- Check the forecast before you drive up. The road is steep and the surface is sandy.
Getting there
A road climbs from Bolungarvík to the summit. It is steep, built in 1986 and opened to civilian traffic in 2002. From the top you do not have to walk far to stand above the ocean. When the road is shut, walkers start from the cairns at the bottom and follow the line of the road up; the gradient is even, and the climb is less punishing than the height suggests.
Best time to visit
Better: clear weather in the summer months, while the road to the top is open to cars and the view reaches across Ísafjarðardjúp.
Avoid: the spring thaw, when snow still covers the deck and the parking area and the cliff edges are unstable.
The view is the whole reason to come up, so the forecast decides the day. In cloud the plateau gives you nothing.
Sun & daylight
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Bolafjall Mountain on the map
The cliff edges on the plateau are unprotected. In spring the snow along them can give way underfoot, so keep well back from the drop. The top is also exposed to strong wind.
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Frequently asked questions
How high is Bolafjall?
638 metres. The summit is a smooth, barren plateau with views in every direction, over Bolungarvík, the ocean and Ísafjarðardjúp.Is there a hike to the viewpoint?
Not while the road is open: it runs to the top, and from there you do not have to walk far to look down on the ocean. An observation deck opened on the mountain in 2022.What if the road is closed?
People walk up from the cairns at the bottom, following the line of the road. The gradient is even, and the climb is less grinding than the height suggests.Why is there a radar station on the mountain?
Bolafjall holds one of the four radar sites of the Iceland Air Defence System. It started work in January 1992 and is operated today by the Icelandic Coast Guard.What are the hazards at the top?
Unprotected cliff edges, strong wind, and snow that can still cover the deck and the parking area in late May. In spring the snow at the edge can give way.