Hljóðaklettar Echo Rocks

Hljóðaklettar

North Iceland

Most basalt in Iceland stands in tidy vertical columns. Hljóðaklettar is different: the lava here cooled inside ancient volcanic conduits around 8,000 to 9,000 years ago, so the columns run vertical, horizontal, and radial — sometimes all within a few meters of each other. The result is a maze of honeycomb walls, arched caves, and twisted formations with no obvious parallel elsewhere on the island. Several clusters have been named: Kirkjan (the Church), Kastalinn (the Castle), and Tröllið (the Troll) among them. The site sits along the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river in Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, part of Vatnajökull National Park, roughly between Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi. Marked trails range from a 30-minute loop to two hours including the Rauðhólar crater row. Birch scrub fills parts of the valley, and the river runs alongside. The canyon road (Route 862) is gravel, no 4x4 needed, open generally June through September. Camping at the nearby Vesturdalur campsite makes this a good overnight base for the whole canyon.

Book & Explore

The links below are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — it helps keep this guide free. See our about page for how we keep recommendations independent.