Best Waterfalls Near Reykjavík: 5 Day-Trip Falls

Short answer

The closest good waterfalls to Reykjavík are all within about 90 minutes and reachable in a normal 2WD car in summer: Öxarárfoss at Þingvellir (~45 min), Brúarfoss on the Golden Circle, Glymur in Hvalfjörður, and Hraunfossar with Barnafoss in Borgarfjörður. No 4WD needed — Glymur is a hike, the rest are short walks.

Ring Road (R1) openHighlands: 1 of 7 monitored roads closed or impassableVegagerðin, updated just now

Öxarárfoss falling over the Almannagjá rift wall in Þingvellir National Park — Öxarárfoss in Þingvellir — about 45 minutes from Reykjavík on a paved road, and the easiest of the five to reach.

Where they sit

All five fan out north and east of Reykjavík — Þingvellir and the Golden Circle to the east, Hvalfjörður and Borgarfjörður to the north. Open the map to line up a route.

Day-trip radiusOpen the interactive map

Reykjavík is a good base for waterfalls. You do not have to drive the South Coast — several of Iceland's better-known falls sit within a comfortable half-day of the city, on paved roads a cheap 2WD carhandles without trouble. This guide keeps the radius honest: everything below is roughly 90 minutes' drive or less. The famous South-Coast pair, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, are about two hours each way and belong to a different day out — see our Golden Circle vs South Coast guide for that call.

Waterfalls near Reykjavík — distance, coordinates, drivetrain

Waterfall	Drive from Reykjavík	Straight line	Coordinates	Height	2WD or 4WD?
Öxarárfoss	about 45 min	42 km	64.2658, -21.1180	20 m	2WD
Brúarfoss	about 1 h 15 min	70 km	64.2642, -20.5159	3 m	2WD
Glymur	about 45 min to the trailhead	43 km	64.3908, -21.2515	198 m	2WD to trailhead + hike
Hraunfossar	about 1 h 30 min	77 km	64.7026, -20.9806	Not recorded	2WD
Barnafoss	about 1 h 30 min	77 km	64.7018, -20.9737	10 m	2WD

Two different kinds of number sit in that table, and it is worth knowing which is which. The straight lineis measured — it comes from each fall's own coordinates against central Reykjavík, so it is exact and it is also, always, shorter than the road. The driveis an approximation for summer daylight; add time for photo stops, weather and the walk in from each car park. We publish the coordinates so you can drop them straight into whatever you navigate with instead of trusting either number blindly. Heights come from our waterfall records and read “not recorded” where we genuinely do not hold one. Before you leave, it's worth a glance at can I drive there today? and the live alerts, especially outside high summer.

Öxarárfoss — the closest, at Þingvellir

Öxarárfoss is the easy win: about 45 minutes east of the city, inside Þingvellir National Park, where the Öxará river drops around 20 m over the edge of the Almannagjá rift. From the upper car park it's a short, mostly boardwalk walk — flat enough for most people, and it slots straight into a Golden Circle day with Geysir and Gullfoss. Parking is paid (roughly 700–1,000 ISK; the Parka app saves fumbling for coins), but the fall itself is free. It's the one stop here that needs neither a hike nor good weather to enjoy.

Brúarfoss — the blue one on the Golden Circle

Brúarfoss is the turquoise fall on the Brúará river, roughly 1 h 15 min from Reykjavík and an easy detour off the Golden Circle. The water runs an unreal blue where glacial melt filters through lava — it photographs like nowhere else near the city. There is now a proper car park, so the old three-kilometre trespass-y slog is gone; expect a walk of 20–40 minutes each way along the river depending on which lot you use. Paved roads all the way, so a 2WD is fine.

The turquoise water of Brúarfoss on the Brúará river — Brúarfoss on the Golden Circle — the blue comes from glacial melt filtering through lava. A short river walk from the car park.

Glymur — the tall one, if you'll hike

Glymur is Iceland's second-tallest waterfall at 198 m, tucked at the head of Hvalfjörður. The drive to the Botnsdalur trailhead is only about 45 minutes and fully paved — but the fall is the reward for a proper hike, not a roadside stop. Reaching the viewpoint is roughly 3 to 4 hours round trip, with a short cave passage, a log-and-cable river crossing and a steep climb. Cross the river in the morning before snowmelt lifts the water, wear real shoes, and don't attempt it in bad weather. It's the most effort on this list and the biggest payoff — plan a half-day for it.

Glymur waterfall dropping into a deep mossy canyon at the head of Hvalfjörður — Glymur — 198 m, Iceland's second tallest. The drive is short; the hike is the whole point (3–4 hours round trip).

Hraunfossar & Barnafoss — the Borgarfjörður pair

About 1 h 30 min north of Reykjavík, near Húsafell, two very different falls share one car park. Hraunfossar is unlike anything else in Iceland: instead of one plunge, water seeps out of a lava field as hundreds of small rivulets pouring into the turquoise Hvítá, spread across nearly a kilometre. A few minutes' walk upstream, Barnafoss is the opposite — a narrow, violent rapid forcing through a rock gap. You always do both because they're the same short stop, and there's a café at the visitor centre. Easy, flat access, paved the whole way, and quieter than the South-Coast crowds — the autumn colours here are worth the drive on their own.

Hraunfossar — water seeping out of a lava field into the turquoise Hvítá river — Hraunfossar spreads for nearly a kilometre where water leaks out of the lava field into the Hvítá.

Barnafoss — a narrow churning rapid on the Hvítá river — Barnafoss, a few minutes upstream from Hraunfossar — the same car park, a completely different fall.

Make a day of it

These falls group into two clean day trips out of Reykjavík. Pick a direction rather than trying to chain all five — the driving would eat the day.

#1.The Þingvellir & Golden Circle loop

falls: Öxarárfoss + Brúarfossdrive: 45 min – 1 h 15 outdrivetrain: 2WD, paved

Head east for Öxarárfoss in Þingvellir, then loop the Golden Circle — Geysir, Gullfoss — and drop into Brúarfoss for the blue water. Two waterfalls plus the classic circle in one relaxed day, all on tarmac.

#2.The Borgarfjörður run

falls: Hraunfossar + Barnafossdrive: about 1 h 30 outdrivetrain: 2WD, paved

Drive north to Húsafell for Hraunfossar and Barnafoss — one car park, two falls, a café. Add Glymurin Hvalfjörður on the way only if you want the hike; otherwise it's a half-day of its own. Browse the rest of the region on the West Iceland waterfalls page.

Frequently
asked questions

Which waterfall is closest to Reykjavík?

Öxarárfoss in Þingvellir National Park is the closest of the well-known falls — about a 45-minute drive on a paved road, then a short walk on a boardwalk from the car park. It sits right on the Golden Circle route, so most people see it on their first day out of the city.

Do I need a 4WD to reach the waterfalls near Reykjavík?

No. Every fall in this guide — Öxarárfoss, Brúarfoss, Glymur, Hraunfossar and Barnafoss — is reached on paved roads a normal 2WD car handles fine in summer. A cheap city car like the Hyundai i10 does the job. The only effort is at Glymur, where the road ends at a trailhead and the rest is a hike.

Is the Glymur hike hard?

Glymur is Iceland’s second-tallest waterfall at 198 m, and reaching the viewpoint is a proper hike — roughly 3 to 4 hours round trip, with a short cave passage, a log-and-cable river crossing and a steep climb. It is the most demanding stop here. Wear real shoes, cross the river in the morning before snowmelt raises it, and skip it in bad weather.

Can I see several waterfalls near Reykjavík in one day?

Yes. Öxarárfoss and Brúarfoss pair naturally on a Golden Circle day. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss share the same car park in Borgarfjörður, so they are effectively one stop. Glymur is a half-day on its own because of the hike. A relaxed loop of two or three falls in a day is realistic without rushing.

Are Hraunfossar and Barnafoss the same place?

They are a few minutes’ walk apart on the same river and share one car park near Húsafell, so you always do both. Hraunfossar is a kilometre-wide run of water seeping out of a lava field into the turquoise Hvítá; Barnafoss is the narrow, churning rapid just upstream. About 1 h 30 min from Reykjavík.

Can I visit these waterfalls in winter?

The roadside falls — Öxarárfoss, Hraunfossar and Barnafoss — stay reachable in winter, but you need studded winter tyres (required by law Nov 1–Apr 14) and should check conditions first: paths get icy and daylight is short. Glymur’s hike is not advisable in winter; the river crossing and steep sections are dangerous with ice. Check live road status before you set off.

What about Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss — aren’t those close?

Those are on the South Coast, roughly a 2-hour drive each way — a full day out, not a quick trip from the city. They are worth it, but they belong to a South Coast plan rather than a "near Reykjavík" one. Our Golden Circle vs South Coast guide covers how to choose between the two directions.