Þingvallavatn
Lakes, National Park, Nature
Þingvallavatn, Þingvellir, South Iceland
Eldgjá (“Fire Canyon”) is the largest volcanic canyon on Earth, stretching about 75 km across the Highlands north of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. It was formed in one of history’s greatest volcanic eruptions around 934 AD, when a fissure eruption poured out enormous volumes of basalt lava — an event so catastrophic it triggered a climate-cooling event recorded across the Northern Hemisphere.
Today the canyon is a place of dark, elemental beauty: vast walls of lava tower over the canyon floor, moss and heather slowly reclaiming the ancient basalt. At the canyon’s heart sits Ófærufoss, a striking waterfall that once had a natural arch of lava rock spanning its middle gorge (the arch collapsed in 1993). The hike to Ófærufoss from the F233 road is a 6 km round trip through dramatic terrain.
Access is via the F233 (Eldgjávegur), a proper highland F-road requiring a 4×4, open approximately July to September. Eldgjá is often combined with Landmannalaugar on multi-day highland tours. No facilities at the site.
