Waterfalls · Iceland
Barnafoss
Barnafoss, the 'Children’s Waterfall,' is a place where raw power meets haunting folklore. Unlike the delicate veils of its neighbor Hraunfossar, Barnafoss is a turbulent surge of bright turquoise water forced through a narrow, jagged lava gorge. Its name comes from a tragic legend of two local boys who vanished from a natural stone bridge that once arched over the falls. Today, the bridge is gone, but the waterfall remains—a churning, frothy spectacle of glacial meltwater carved into the Hallmundarhraun lava field. It’s a striking example of how Iceland’s landscapes are as much shaped by stories as they are by geology.
Same stop as Hraunfossar, and worth walking the extra hundred metres. The contrast is the point: one place where water leaks quietly out of a lava field, and right beside it a river squeezed into a slot and going through at speed. Fifteen minutes covers both.
My rating
Scale 1–5. On Cost, 1 means free and 5 means pricey. On Crowd level, 1 means near-solitude and 5 means tour-bus central.
Three out of five. Bright turquoise water forced through a narrow lava gorge, and it is genuinely loud. It loses out to Hraunfossar next door because plenty of Icelandic rivers do something similar — this one just does it in a tight space.
Roughly two hours from Reykjavík, sharing a car park and a short marked loop with Hraunfossar a hundred metres away. The path is easy and suitable for most visitors.
Parking is free and you have free access to the waterfall.
Barnafoss is less visited than many south coast waterfalls but attracts steady visitors because of its proximity to Hraunfossar. The area generally offers a peaceful experience, even in high season.
Before you go
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