WaterfallNorth IcelandDettifoss
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About
Dettifoss is a 45-meter waterfall on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river in North Iceland.
The most powerful waterfall in Europe. This beast moves 500 cubic meters of water per second. Grey glacial water plunges 44 meters into a massive canyon. Featured in Prometheus because it looks like another planet.
The ground literally trembles. The roar is deafening. Grey mist hangs in the air as millions of liters crash down every second. You feel small here. That's the point.
Fed by Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, through the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river. The canyon continues north to Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped canyon legend says was formed by Odin's eight-legged horse.
East side (Route 864) has easier access and better views. West side (Route 862) is more dramatic but the road is worse. Visit Selfoss upstream too — it's just as beautiful. Don't lean over railings for photos. Seriously.
Map of Dettifoss
Dettifoss is in North Iceland at 65.8143°N, 16.3844°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.
Plan your visit
- Getting there
- West side via paved Road 862; east side via gravel Road 864
Best time- Road 862 not in winter service January–early April; Road 864 closed in winter, opens end of May
- Off the main road
- 17.9 km from Route 1
Nearest town- Reykjahlíð — 30.8 km away
- Distance from Reykjavík
- 320 km in a straight line
- What else is close
- 107 mapped places within 20 km
Most powerful waterfall in Europe- 100 m wide
- Water discharge ~200 m³ per second
- On the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum
Dettifoss weather and conditions
At Dettifoss in North Iceland, conditions as of 31 August 2026, 19:45 (Iceland time): 7°C (feels like 3°C), overcast, wind 5 m/s. Daylight today: 15 h 02 m (sunrise 05:35, sunset 20:37). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.
Data verified 31 August 2026, 19:45· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly
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KEF airport pickup 24/74.8
Transmission
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Nearby
km column = your drive
- 1
Selfoss1 km
- 2Hafragilsfoss2 km
- 3Réttarfoss8 km
- 4Hólmárfossar10 km
- 5Geldingafoss48 km
Waterfalls
4 waterfalls near North Iceland
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Campsites
The western valley has one of two camp sites in the national park its only for tents. The…
Asbyrgi is one of two camp sites in the national park in Jokulsargljufrum. The second…
North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…
A family friendly campsite in Öxarfjörður, playground and swimmingpool within walking…
Supermarkets
Krambúð supermarket — supplies
Nettó supermarket — supplies
Supermarket — supplies
Kjörbúðin supermarket — supplies
Gas stations
N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol
N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol
Orkan · 308.6 kr/L petrol
N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol
Tours
Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!
Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.
The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.
Data & sources
Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.
UnsplashHero & gallery photography · Richard Dorran / Unsplash
Visit North Iceland (northiceland.is)Visitor access & practical facts
WikipediaEncyclopedic description · CC BY-SA 4.0
VegagerðinLive road status & cameras · Icelandic Road Administration
Open-MeteoWeather forecast · CC BY 4.0
NOAA SWPCAurora (planetary Kp) forecast · public domain
OpenStreetMapInteractive-map data · ODbL
Esri, Maxar & Earthstar GeographicsSatellite imagery for the 3D terrain render · GIS User Community
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