Svöðufoss

Snæfellsnes

Svöðufoss drops over a basalt column cliff into the Hólmkelsá river on the northern edge of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, with Snæfellsjökull glacier filling the skyline behind it on clear days. The combination of dark volcanic rock, white water, and the ice cap in the distance makes this one of the more photogenic small waterfalls on the peninsula. Access is via a dirt road branching off Route 574 between Ólafsvík and Rif, near a farm called Foss — not near Hellnar as some sources suggest. A small parking area sits at the trailhead, and the walk to the falls is about one kilometre, taking 15 to 30 minutes. The path is uneven in places with lava rock underfoot; sturdy footwear is worthwhile. A short path also lets you reach the top of the falls. Svöðufoss sees far fewer visitors than the famous glacier and coast stops on Route 574, so it rewards an early or late-day visit when the light hits the glacier backdrop well. The nearby waterfall Kerlingarfoss lies roughly two kilometres west if you want to pair the two.

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