Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Perched at the top of Reykjafoss waterfall in northern Iceland, the Fosslaug hot spring is a small, natural hot spring perfect for a soak on your drive around Iceland. Unlike some of the more commercial hot springs in Iceland, this pool is remote and set in a pristine and natural environment right at the top of a beautiful waterfall. This simple hot spring with rock sides and a mud bottom captures hot water that comes from a small rock crack and can fit about 10 people.
In addition to the hot springs, you will also get to visit the beautiful Reykjafoss Waterfall. This is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the area with water from the Huseyjarkvisl River cascading over a series of rocks and dropping about 20 meters to the pool below.
The hardest part of visiting the Fosslaug hot pot and Reykjafoss Waterfall is finding it. Once you find the parking lot, it is just a short walk from the small car park to the hot spring. Below you can find general information about visiting the hot spring and exactly how to get to the parking lot.
See 7 day Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Amazing Ring Road or the best waterfalls in Iceland.
Overview of Visiting the Hot Springs
Once you arrive at the parking lot (see more below about how to get to the parking lot), follow the signs and pass through a small gate. The walk is about 0.5-miles to the top of the Reykjfoss waterfall and the hot pot. The hike is nice and straightforward. Once you reach the top of the waterfall, you cross a small artificial channel and there is a small loop trail that goes along the top of the falls. The hot springs themselves are nestled right along the river near the top of the falls. Note that there is no way to cross the river above the falls, so the only way to hike to the hot spring is by crossing the bridge below the falls and hiking up from there.
Unlike some of the more commercial hot springs, like the Blue Lagoon, Forest Lagoon, or Secret Lagoon, there is no fee to visit the hot springs and no facilities. This means you should come dressed in your bathing suit as it is difficult to change. Even when we visited in early July, it was a cold walk back to the car, so pack come layers for the walk back.
The Fosslaug geothermal pool can fit about 10 people comfortably. When we arrived there was a group of 3 people in the pool and as we were leaving another group was just arriving. This means you may need to share the geothermal pool with others, but even with 8 people in the pool it didn’t feel too crowded.
The temperaute of the pool remains around 40C all year long so it is pleasant even in the cold months. Even in the small pool, there is one side that is warmer. Since the water flows through the pool constantly it felt fresh and clean despite the muddy bottom!
Overview of Reykjafoss Waterfall
One of the best parts of visiting the Fosslaug geothermal pool is the magnificent setting right near the top of the Reykjafoss waterfall. While this waterfall doesn’t compare in size to some of the nearby larger falls like Godafoss, this is a lovely waterfall with plenty of power. Dropping about 20 meters total from top to bottom, the waterfall cascades down over several different rock areas in a series of waterfalls.
The best views of the waterfall are from the trail on the way up before you cross the artificial channel. The view from the top is also lovely, so make sure you walk the loop at the top of the hike to take in Reykjafoss Waterfall from this angle.
As always, please respect all signage and stay on the path to help decrease erosion and keep the place pristine for the next visitors. Also use caution near the top of the waterfall.
Exactly How to Get to Fosslaug and Reykjafoss
One of the most complicated parts of visiting Fosslaug and Reykjafoss is simple finding the parking lot! When we put the location into our map app, it gave us directions to the opposite side of the waterfall. The only way to access the Fosslaug hot spring is by crossing the bridge below the falls and walking up the east side of the river. There is no bridge above the river
From the Ring Road, the drive to Fosslaug and Reykjafoss is just about 5 minutes. Turn south onto road #752 near Varmahlíð. Drive for about 7 km along this paved road and turn left onto road #753 with signs towards Vindheimar. This road descends to the river and crosses two small bridges. We almost turned around here since there were people fishing on the bridge and it looked very private, but this is the right way to go.
Once you cross the bridge, the road becomes dirt and you will see a park area on your right up a little hill. Most of the directions we saw online said to drive down this road, but when we visited the road past here was closed. Several people parked here, but this would make a much longer walk to get the official Fosslaug Parking Lot.
Instead, continue straight on road #753 for around 0.5 km and turn right onto Vindheimamelar. This looks almost like you are turning into someone’s horsefarm. Follow the road and take a left at the end. The parking lot is right here. When we visited there were several other vehicles parked here, and you can see from the photo below that there is plenty of parking.
The GPS coordinates to the car park are 65.4942, -19.3836.
Below is a map showing the driving directions to get to the Car Park. If you are entering the destination in your map app, make sure to put ‘Reykjafoss Car Park’ into your search.
Here are some of the driving distances from nearby attractions:
- Reykjavik to Fosslaug/Reykjafoss: 3 hours and 45 minutes
- Godafoss to Fosslaug/Reykjafoss: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Akureyri, Iceland to Fosslaug/Reykjafoss: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Fosslaug Hiking Map
Once you’ve arrive at the Fosslaug Car Park, the hike is obvious and straught forward. The map below shows the last few driving turns and the walking directions to get to Fosslaug hot springs and Reykjafoss. There is no need to print this map as you simply follow the obvious trail up along the side of the river through a couple gates.
Things to Know About Visiting Fosslaug and Reykjafoss Waterfall
This short hike takes you to two amazing attractions (a hot spring pool and a lovely waterfall), and is just a short distance from the Ring Road. Below you can find some interesting things to know to help you plan your visit:
- Fosslaug is a stunning hot spring and can be visited all year. It is known to be especially lovely in the fall and winter.
- In addition to flowing over Reykjafoss, the Huseyjarkvisl River is a great place for fly fishing and you can find river floating and rafting in the nearby area.
- The Huseyjarkvisl River originated in the highlands south of Mælifellshnjúkur
- Fosslaug is naturally fed from geothermally heating water coming through a rock crack
Common Questions about Visiting Fosslaug and Reykjafoss
Below are some common questions about visit these two attractions. Drop a question in the comments and I’ll continue to update this article.
Is Fosslaug worth Visiting?
Yes – we think this is a great stop. It’s a short drive and walk off the Ring Road, is slightly off the beaten path, and is a great place to break up the drive.
Where is the best place to stay near Fosslaug and Reykjafoss?
The closest town is Varmahlíð. This is a small town where you can find food, lodging, and fuel. Since we were heading east from here, we didn’t stay in town. These is a campground, and if you are looking for a place to stay near the hot spring, you can check out Saurbær Apartment.
Is Fosslaug Free?
Yes! There is no fee to park or a payment to enter the hot spring or visit the waterfall
Is the Fosslaug and Reykjafoss Safe?
Yes – the hike to the waterfall and hot spring is safe and even though the hot spring is near the top of a waterfall, it is completely blocked off from the river. As always, use caution near the top of a waterfall and on slipper slopes near cliffs. Always use common sense when hiking and pack appropriately. Remember that the 0.5 mile hike back to the car can be cold, so bring extra layers and a towel to dry off and stay warm. You can see a list of the items we bring on most day hikes here. While we recommend hiking boots to keep your feet dry, on this hike, you are probably ok to hike in just sneakers.
Looking for more hidden hot springs in Iceland, Check out some great options at Beyond the Moments.
