Mount Esja is a 914 m volcanic mountain range ten kilometres north of Reykjavík, in the Capital Region of Iceland. It is built of basalt and tuff and was formed at the end of the Pleistocene; the western end of the range is about 3.2 million years old, the eastern end about 1.8 million. For the capital it is the everyday hiking mountain. Marked paths lead to Þverfellshorn at 780 m and Kerhólakambur at 851 m, and the trailhead at the foot of the mountain has a free car park. Most walkers go as far as the rock called Steinn and turn back there.
Mount Esja
Local name: Esja
Most walkers turn back at Steinn, a rock 6.6 km in and 597 m up; the 914 m summit, Hábunga, is another 3 km across a trackless plateau, marked only by a cairn with a wooden stick in it.
- Entrance
- Free
- Accessibility
- Accessible parking spaces at the trailhead. The entrance is not wheelchair accessible, and the trails are steep mountain paths.
- Parking
- Free car park at the trailhead, plus free street parking. No paid parking.
- Difficulty
- Signed in sections, graded from one boot (easy) to three boots (challenging). 6.6 km and 597 m of ascent to the rock called Steinn; steep and slippery in places. The last 3 km to the 914 m summit have no path and no signs.
- Transport
- Þverfellshorn, the main summit trail, is reachable by public transport.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
What makes it special
Mount Esja is not one mountain but a volcanic range of basalt and tuff, built up at the end of the Pleistocene. It fills the skyline ten kilometres north of Reykjavík, and it is the capital's main hiking ground. The best-known path climbs to Þverfellshorn at 780 m. It is broken into signed sections, and each sign grades the stretch ahead from one boot (easy) to three boots (challenging). At 6.6 km and 597 m of ascent stands Steinn, a large rock where most walkers stop and go back down. The view from there takes in the city below. Streams cross the route and the water is drinkable, so an empty bottle is enough. The easternmost summits, Móskarðshnúkar, are far paler than the rest of the range: that is rhyolite, not sunlight on the tops.
Good to know
- Footwear. The paths are steep and turn slippery. Hiking boots, not trainers.
- Wind. It can rise suddenly and hard on the open slopes. Carry a windproof layer.
- Turnaround. Steinn, a large rock 6.6 km in and 597 m up, is where most walkers stop; past it the path gets harder.
- The summit is unmarked. From Þverfellshorn it is 3 km northeast over a rocky plateau with no path and no signs.
- Water. Streams cross the route and the water is drinkable, so an empty bottle is enough.
Getting there
Most people drive. The mountain stands ten kilometres north of Reykjavík, and the trailhead is at its foot at Mógilsá, where the car park is free. Þverfellshorn, the usual target, is also reachable by public transport. From the car park on it is all on foot, and the climb is uphill more or less the whole way. The route is broken into signed sections, so you always know what the next stretch asks of you.
Best time to visit
Better: the snow-free months, when the marked path is clear as far as Steinn and ordinary hiking boots are enough.
Avoid: winter, when avalanches are a real danger on these slopes.
Weekends bring out the Reykjavík walkers, and the car park and the lower sections are busiest then. Wind matters more than temperature here: the upper slopes are fully exposed, so check the forecast before you set out.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Mount Esja on the map
Avalanches are a real danger on Mount Esja in winter, and the last avalanche death was in 2020. In 2025 a young man fell to his death on the mountain. The wind can rise suddenly and hard, and the paths are steep and slippery. Beyond Steinn the route gets harder, and the final stretch to Hábunga has no path and no signs — do not push on to the summit in poor visibility.
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Frequently asked questions
How long is the hike and how much climbing is there?
It is 6.6 km and 597 m of ascent to Steinn, the large rock where most people turn back. The true summit, Hábunga, is 914 m and lies another 3 km northeast of Þverfellshorn.Is the route marked?
The path is divided into signed sections, and each sign grades the stretch ahead from one boot (easy) to three boots (challenging). Beyond Þverfellshorn the plateau to Hábunga has no signs and no clear path.Can I get there without a car?
Yes. Þverfellshorn, the most-walked summit, is reachable by public transport. Drivers park free at the foot of the mountain.Is it suitable for beginners or for small children?
Beginners manage the lower sections by taking breaks, and there is a choice of trails. The climb is uphill for a long way and steep and slippery in places, and small children will struggle with it.Are dogs allowed?
Yes, dogs are allowed.