Waterfalls · Iceland
Kvernufoss
Kvernufoss drops about 30 metres into a green gorge a few minutes east of Skógafoss, and almost nobody goes there. You park at the Skógar Museum and walk in along the river — 20 to 30 minutes each way on a marked path. Like Seljalandsfoss, you can walk in behind the water.
I walked in around seven in the evening and had it completely to myself, which is the whole argument for this place: Skógafoss is fifteen minutes away with a coach park at the bottom, and here there was nobody. I went in behind the water too — the same trick as Seljalandsfoss, without the queue. Come late in the day if you can.
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 for the fall itself, but that number undersells the experience. The gorge is narrow and green and the water comes down clean into it — what makes it work is that you usually have it to yourself.
The waterfall is a short, easy hike from the Skógar Museum parking lot—about 20 to 30 minutes each way—with a clearly marked trail leading through rolling hills and along the river to the gorge.
Parking at the Skógar Museum is 750 ISK through the Parka app — a different car park from the Skógafoss one, which costs 1,000 ISK. The waterfall itself is free. Checked August 2026.
Due to its hidden location and relative obscurity compared to Skógafoss, Kvernufoss sees fewer visitors, providing a peaceful experience even in the high tourist season.
Before you go
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