Vesturdalur Campsite

Overview

About Vesturdalur Campsite

If you want to sleep in the heart of Jökulsárgljúfur’s geology, this is the spot. Vesturdalur is a simple, tent‑only campground that puts you right beside Hljóðaklettar’s “whispering” basalt formations and the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river. It’s one of the few official places you can camp along the classic Ásbyrgi–Dettifoss route, so backpackers treat it as the natural overnight.

Why stop

Tent-only base steps from Hljóðaklettar’s basalt formations
Cold drinking water and toilets on site
Perfect overnight stop on the Ásbyrgi–Dettifoss trek

Heads up

No electricity or hot water
Limited phone coverage

Map

Where it is

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Full map

CampgroundVesturdalur Campsite65.93268, -16.56148

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Vesturdalur Campsite

No reservations; pay the ranger on site when you arrive.
If hiking from Ásbyrgi, carry all the water you need for the day.
Pack sandals or water shoes for the shallow Stallá river wade toward Hólmatungur.
Bring a stove and a power bank—there’s no hot water or electricity.
Download offline maps; phone coverage is limited around the campground.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to go

Expect back‑to‑basics. You’ll find cold drinking water and toilets. There’s no electricity and no hot water, and mobile signal is weak. It typically operates from early June to mid‑September, with fees paid to rangers on site. Camping in this area is only allowed at designated park campsites.

Getting There & Conditions

Road 862 is the main access for Dettifoss, Hólmatungur, and Vesturdalur/Hljóðaklettar, but conditions and openings change with the season. Start at a park visitor centre for the latest on roads, weather, and services, and stick to marked roads and designated routes.

1 active Vatnajökull alert

ClosureFosshvammur permanently closed at DettifossFosshvammur at Dettifoss is permanently closed to all traffic; do not enter.Official details

Vatnajökull alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Vatnajökull Tour Guide

Your drive to Vesturdalur Campsite, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Vatnajökull National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

102 audio storiesacross Vatnajökull’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Seal, Harbor Seal, Caribou, and 13 more
Works offlinemaps, 16 trails, 72 places, and audio download before you lose signal
CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive

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Guide

More about Vesturdalur Campsite

Why Stay HereLocation is the whole point: you’re a short walk from Hljóðaklettar’s bizarre columnar basalt…

Location is the whole point: you’re a short walk from Hljóðaklettar’s bizarre columnar basalt and nearby features like Rauðhólar. For hikers, it’s an ideal staging area to explore the local loop trails or to split the Ásbyrgi–Dettifoss traverse into two comfortable days.

Hiking ContextÁsbyrgi → Vesturdalur: two options, roughly 12–13.6 km from the Ásbyrgi Visitor Centre.

Ásbyrgi → Vesturdalur: two options, roughly 12–13.6 km from the Ásbyrgi Visitor Centre. There are no streams between Ásbyrgi and Vesturdalur, so carry all the water you need for the day.
Vesturdalur → Hólmatungur: about 8 km, including a shallow, cold wade across the Stallá spring river.
Local favorites: loops to Hljóðaklettar and Rauðhólar, plus trails to the Karl og Kerling viewpoint and the deserted farm site at Svínadalur.

Best Time to VisitAim for late June through early September for the most reliable access.

Aim for late June through early September for the most reliable access. Early June can be delayed by lingering snow, and parts of the area close in winter. If you’re hiking the canyon, planning your overnight here keeps daily mileage reasonable and lets you explore the rock formations in quieter evening hours.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Vatnajökull

All Vatnajökull wildlife maps

22 sightingsGrey SealMost seen around 5 AMSighting map

258 sightingsHarbor SealMost seen around 11 AMSighting map

184 sightingsCaribouMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

62 sightingsArctic FoxMost seen around 8 PMSighting map

168 sightingsWhooper SwanMost seen around 5 PMSighting map

68 sightingsAtlantic PuffinMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Vatnajökull. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.