Fosslaug is a natural geothermal pool in Northwest Iceland, set beside a waterfall. It was reached on foot from the car park and, for years, was open to anyone who walked in. The land has since changed hands: as of August 2026 the approach is posted as private and the pool cannot be reached. Parking is paid, no bus serves the area, and the sign stands ten minutes' walk beyond the car park.
Fosslaug Geothermic Pool
Local name: Fosslaug
A geothermal bathing pool at the foot of a waterfall, ten minutes on foot from the car park.
- Parking
- Paid. The nearest car park is about 800 m from the pool, paved and signed for customers; a second car park lies about 3 km away.
- Transport
- No bus stop within 5 km; access is by car.
- Address
- 561 Varmahlíð
What makes it special
The draw at Fosslaug is the combination: a geothermal bathing pool at the foot of a waterfall, reached on foot and open to the weather. That is what people walked in for. The walk is now the problem. The land around the pool passed into private ownership, and as of August 2026 the approach is posted against entry. The sign stands about ten minutes along the path from the car park, not at the car park itself, so the wasted trip is twenty minutes on foot. Check the situation before you build a day around it.
Good to know
- Access: as of August 2026 the land around the pool is private and posted against entry. The pool cannot be reached.
- No warning at the road: the car park carries no notice of the closure. The private-land sign stands ten minutes along the path.
- No facilities: there are no toilets, no drinking water and no information board anywhere near the pool.
Getting there
There is no bus stop within five kilometres, so you arrive by car. From the nearest car park the walk in takes about ten minutes. Since the land changed hands, that walk ends at a private-land sign short of the pool, so count on ten minutes back as well.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you bathe at Fosslaug?
No. The land around the pool is in private ownership, and as of August 2026 the approach is posted against entry.Is there a bus to Fosslaug?
No. There is no bus stop within five kilometres of the pool, so the site is reached by car.Is parking free?
No. Parking here is paid, and the car park carries no notice about the closure of the path.Are there toilets at the pool?
No. There are no toilets, no drinking water and no information board in the area.How long is the walk from the car park?
About ten minutes each way. The private-land sign stands at the end of it, short of the pool.