Mývatn · Iceland
Ásbyrgi
Ásbyrgi is a horseshoe-shaped canyon about 60 km north of Lake Mývatn, with cliffs of roughly 100 metres sheltering a birch forest and the small Botnstjörn pond at the head of it. Geologists put the shape down to catastrophic glacial floods from Jökulsá á Fjöllum. The older explanation is that Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir set a hoof down here.
You do not have to come here. It is 60 km each way from Mývatn and the canyon alone does not repay that. What made it work for me was sleeping there: the campsite sits inside the canyon under the cliffs, and having the evening and the early morning in the forest is a different thing from parking for an hour and driving back. Treat Ásbyrgi as an overnight stop or as something you take in while heading further north — not as a day trip.
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.
Green and quiet in a region that is mostly black and steaming — that contrast is the appeal. It is a pleasant place rather than a spectacular one, and the three says so.
Located about 60 km from Húsavík and part of the popular Diamond Circle route, Ásbyrgi is accessible by car with ample parking near the main visitor center (Gljúfrastofa). The area features well-marked trails for various fitness levels, a campground, and a visitor center with exhibitions on the region’s geology and ecology.
No entry fee, and no parking charge when I was there. Vatnajökull National Park has been introducing fees at its busier sites, so check before you count on it. The campsite inside the canyon is paid and bookable through Parka.
While not as heavily visited as southern Iceland’s major sites, Ásbyrgi attracts steady tourism, especially in summer. The spacious canyon and many trails help avoid crowdedness, allowing visitors to find quiet spots and enjoy the nature peacefully.
Before you go
Planning your own Ring Road trip?
Iceland Ring Road Campervan Guide
My full 14-day route — roughly 2,500 km, every campsite I used, what I actually spent, and the stops worth the detour. The plan I drove, in one PDF.
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How I booked my campervan
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