Fimmvörðuháls Epic

South

The Fimmvörðuháls pass trail runs roughly 25 kilometers from Skógar on the south coast to the highland valley of Þórsmörk, threading the gap between two glaciers — Eyjafjallajökull to the west and Mýrdalsjökull to the east. The first section climbs alongside the Skógá river, passing around 26 waterfalls before the landscape turns entirely volcanic: a black plateau of ash and lava from the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, with two craters, Magni and Módi, visible right off the path. The pass itself sits at around 1,000 meters elevation. The full hike takes 8 to 10 hours at a steady pace; total elevation gain is roughly 1,000 meters, so fitness and proper footwear are not optional. Snow often lingers on the high sections into June, and weather near the glaciers can shift fast. The trail is in reliable condition from mid-June through September. The route is one-way, so most hikers arrange a bus back from Þórsmörk or continue onto the Laugavegur trail. The trailhead at Skógar sits right beside Route 1, about two hours from Reykjavík, with free parking at the Skógafoss car park.

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