Gullfoss (literally: golden waterfall) is one of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls. It is located in the Hvítá River canyon in southwest Iceland and is part of the hugely popular Golden Circle route. The waterfall is located at the gateway to one of the two most important roads through the center of the island, the F35 called Kjalvegur.
Building and history of Gullfoss Waterfall
The waterfall consists of two distinct steps. The first, shorter one is 11 meters, and the second is 21 meters. The walls on either side of the waterfall reach heights of up to 70 meters, descending into the great canyon of Gullfossgjúfur. Don’t be surprised if the mighty stream of the waterfall… gets you decently wet. In summer, about 140 cubic meters of water falls from it every second! The water splashed at the bottom of the waterfall is often carried by the wind directly to the path and parking lots for tourists, so if you want to approach the waterfall itself, you can come back soaked….
The origin of the name Gullfoss is not completely known. According to one theory, it comes from the golden evening light that colors the color of its water. Another says that the inspiration for the name was the rainbow that often appears in the sky when the sun hits the waterfall. Another comes from the travel diary of Sveinn Palsson (1762 – 1840; Icelandic naturalist, ethnographer and physician). The story Palsson heard from local people is that a farmer named Gygur once lived in nearby Gygjarholl. Gygur had plenty of gold, but he couldn’t bear the thought that it would pass into the hands of someone else after his death. To prevent this, he placed the gold in a trunk and threw it into a waterfall, which has since been named Gullfoss….
Gullfoss – practical information
- In 1979 Gullfoss and its surroundings became a nature reserve. Both the popularization of the waterfall and its subsequent inclusion under special protection were the result of the efforts of local activist Sigríður Tómasdóttir of Brattholt (1874 – 1957). The Environmental Protection Agency of Iceland is responsible for managing the reserve.
- A special nature trail named after Sigridur (Sigríður-Pfad) leads from the lower parking lot to the waterfall, with interesting plaques about the waterfall and surrounding nature. Of course, the path can also be reached from the upper parking lot.
- At the upper (slightly farther) parking lot is the Gullfoss Café, a locally run delicatessen restaurant that serves a wide variety of snacks and dishes (at prices appropriate to this country and place). The menu includes hot soups, sandwiches, salads and pastries. There is also a store on site where you can purchase traditional Icelandic souvenirs.
- Gullfoss is open year-round, but individual viewpoints are not always accessible.
- When visiting, follow the warning signs and stay on marked trails only, and if you visit the waterfall in winter, be very careful of the ice and the possibility of slipping and even sliding off the path.
How to get to Gullfoss
Gullfoss is the northeasternmost point of the Golden Circle. Further north, the F35 road – which is closed for the winter – already leads.
From Reykjavik you can reach Gullfoss via the park Thingvellir (via roads 49, 365, 37 and 35), but – especially in winter, when road 365 may be snowless, icy or closed at all – it may be more convenient and faster to get there from the south – via roads 1 and 35.
Either way, it’s about 120 km one way and a little more than 1.5h driving. However, other attractions of the Golden Circle await on the way, so the trip will take rather longer.
Getting to the Gullfoss waterfall does not require a 4×4 vehicle.
