Fossdalsfoss is a waterfall near Ólafsfjörður, on the north coast of Northeast Iceland. It sees few visitors. The path that leads towards it crosses private property and is signed as a private road, so the walk to the foot of the falls is closed. What is left is the setting and the light. This far north the midsummer nights stay bright, and the falls can be seen at an hour when most of Europe is dark. Come in June if you want that.
Fossdalsfoss Waterfall
Local name: Fossdalsfoss
One photograph of the falls was taken on 23 June at nine minutes past midnight, in clear weather.
- Entrance
- Free
- Difficulty
- Hard on foot — a ~9 km round-trip coastal hike; or by boat
- Transport
- Boat or jet-ski tour from Ólafsfjörður; or self-drive then hike
- Hours
- Open 24 hours.
- Address
- Ólafsfjörður, 625 Iceland
What makes it special
Most of Iceland's famous waterfalls end in a river or a plunge pool. Fossdalsfoss ends in the sea. The stream slides down a face of dark, moss-streaked cliff and drops straight into Eyjafjörður, so at high water the falls and the fjord read as one continuous sheet of moving water. That meeting point on the coast is what sets it apart.
The other defining thing is how hard it is to reach, which keeps it almost untouched. There is no viewing car park and no boardwalk. You either take a boat or jet ski along the shore from Ólafsfjörður and come at it from the water, or commit to a long, rough hike along the coastline. The trade-off for that inaccessibility is real solitude: on this stretch of the northern coast you are far more likely to share the view with seabirds than with other travellers, and the sense of a private, hard-won find is much of the appeal.
Good to know
- There is no roadside viewpoint: you arrive either by a boat or jet-ski tour from Ólafsfjörður or on a long coastal hike — decide which before you set out.
- The hike runs about 9 km there and back over rough, unmarked ground with no facilities; treat it as a serious walk, not a stroll.
- Water tours depend on calm seas and run in the warmer months, so keep your plans flexible in case the weather cancels a departure.
- Dress for cold and wet either way — sea spray on the boat, wind and bog on the hike — and bring your own water and snacks.
- It is a remote spot, best paired with the Tröllaskagi coast and towns like Ólafsfjörður and Dalvík rather than visited on its own.
Getting there
A path runs towards the falls, but visitors are not allowed on it. It crosses private property, and a sign on it reads 'private road'. That was still the case in the spring of 2026. Do not plan on walking up to Fossdalsfoss, and do not count on reaching the foot of the water.
Best time to visit
Better: June and early July, including late in the evening. Avoid: midwinter, when daylight this far north is short.
This is the north coast of Iceland, just south of the Arctic Circle. Around midsummer the night never turns properly dark, and the falls stay visible at hours when the sun would be long gone further south.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Fossdalsfoss Waterfall on the map
The coastal hike is long, exposed and unmarked over rough, uneven ground with no facilities — wear proper footwear, carry water and warm layers, and turn back in bad weather. On a boat or jet-ski tour, follow the operator's guidance and dress for cold sea spray.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you walk up to Fossdalsfoss?
No. The path towards the falls runs over private land, and a sign on it reads 'private road'. The restriction was in place in the spring of 2026.Where is Fossdalsfoss?
On the north coast of Iceland, near the town of Ólafsfjörður, in the Northeast Iceland region.When is there enough light to see the falls?
Around midsummer the nights here stay bright, so the falls can be seen late in the evening. In midwinter the daylight is short.