Stakkholtsgjá Canyon is a hiking area in South Iceland, reached on foot at the end of a rough track. A walk of about 30 minutes along the canyon floor leads to a cave with a waterfall falling inside it, and that cave is what draws people here. The river through the canyon governs the walk: high water shortens it, low water opens the whole route. Access is the main obstacle, since the way in crosses rivers with no bridges.
Stakkholtsgjá Canyon
Thirty minutes' walk up the canyon, the rock closes overhead and a waterfall drops inside a cave.
- Entrance
- Free
- Accessibility
- The entrance is not wheelchair accessible; the approach is on foot from a car park about 2.4 km away.
- Parking
- Two car parks about 2.4 km from the canyon; one of them is unpaved.
- Difficulty
- About 30 minutes on foot each way, following the canyon floor and the river; high water after rain shortens the route.
- Transport
- Nearest stops: Húsadalur, about 2 km away, and Langidalur, about 2.5 km. Both leave a walk to the canyon.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours a day, every day.
What makes it special
The walk runs along the canyon floor, beside the river. About 30 minutes in, the passage narrows and ends at a cave with a waterfall falling inside it. That cave is the reason people make the trip. The water level decides how far the walk goes: after heavy rain the river swells and the way in closes off well before the cave. Visitor numbers are low, and a small group can have the whole canyon to itself.
Good to know
- Getting in: the track to the canyon crosses several unbridged rivers, so most visitors arrive with an organised tour rather than in a hire car.
- After rain: the river inside the canyon rises and blocks the way in, and the cave at the far end is out of reach.
- Dogs: dogs are allowed.
Getting there
No road reaches the canyon itself. The nearest car parks are about 2.4 km away, and one of them is unpaved; from there the approach is on foot. Driving to that point is the hard part, because the track crosses several rivers with no bridges. Many visitors book an organised tour instead and are driven in.
Best time to visit
Better: dry spells, when the river inside the canyon is low and the cave at the end can be reached.
Avoid: the days after heavy rain, when the water rises and cuts the walk short.
Everything here turns on the water level, and the water level follows the weather of the previous days.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
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Stakkholtsgjá Canyon on the map
Rock falls inside the canyon. In 2023 a section of wall above the waterfall in the cave collapsed onto a group standing below: one person went to hospital with a head injury, others were cut by flying stone, and there was nowhere to run. There is no cover in the cave. Do not stand under the falls or against the walls, and keep the time spent at the waterfall short.
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Frequently asked questions
How long is the walk to the cave?
About 30 minutes each way, along the canyon floor beside the river.Can you drive to the canyon?
Not to the canyon itself. The nearest car parks are about 2.4 km away, and the track to them crosses several unbridged rivers. Many visitors come on an organised tour instead.What happens after heavy rain?
The river inside the canyon rises and blocks the way in. The cave and its waterfall are then out of reach, and the walk ends early.Is Stakkholtsgjá Canyon wheelchair accessible?
No. The entrance is not wheelchair accessible, and the approach is a walk of about 2.4 km from the nearest car park.