Stuðlafoss

East Iceland

Stuðlafoss drops over a face of hexagonal basalt columns in East Iceland's Jökuldalur valley, the columns stepping back at varying heights to form a tiered shape behind the falls. The waterfall is modest in scale, but the geometry of the surrounding stone is the draw — the same columnar jointing found at Stuðlagil canyon nearby, at a more approachable scale. From the Ring Road near Skjöldustaðir, Route 923 (gravel) runs roughly 14 kilometres to a bridge over the Jökla at the farm Klaustursel, where there is parking. A 2-kilometre walk reaches the falls. Stuðlafoss does not appear on all maps, so coordinates or an Iceland-specific trail app are useful. The road is passable without 4WD in dry conditions; check after rain. Most visitors pair this with Stuðlagil canyon nearby, where the same basalt geology lines the Jökla at a larger scale — revealed after the Kárahnjúkar dam lowered river levels. Together they make a half-day excursion from Egilsstaðir, about 70 kilometres east. June through September is the practical window.

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