Dettifoss

Northeast

The Jökulsá á Fjöllum river delivers an average of around 193 cubic meters of glacial water per second over Dettifoss — a 44-meter drop across a face about 100 meters wide. Glacial sediment turns the water grey-brown, and the force is physical: the ground trembles at the viewing platforms, and spray hangs permanently over the canyon. This is where Ridley Scott opened Prometheus. Two roads reach the falls from opposite banks. Route 862 on the west is paved and open year-round; most visitors use it. The path from the car park to the falls is well-worn but gets muddy because most of the spray falls on the west side. Route 864 on the east is older gravel road, usually passable only in summer, with a slightly different viewing angle and less spray. Worth the extra walk: Selfoss is about a kilometer upstream, broader and quieter than Dettifoss, and most day-trippers skip it entirely. Hafragilsfoss sits downstream in the gorge. A waterproof layer is worth having on the west bank regardless of the forecast.

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