Parking
Developed car park west of Dettifoss on paved Road 862 (Dettifossvegur), with bathrooms and signed access to the viewpoints and river path.
Overview
About Dettifoss–Selfoss Trail (West)
This short loop links two very different waterfalls on the glacial Jökulsá á Fjöllum: powerful Dettifoss and graceful Selfoss. Starting at the developed west-side car park, the full mapped loop is about 4.2 km (2.6 miles) and usually takes around 1.5 hours of walking.
Why go
- One continuous loop links both waterfalls from the developed west-side car park
- Short route with dramatic canyon and waterfall viewpoints
Heads up
- Spray near Dettifoss can soak hikers and cameras
- Rocky, uneven footing and exposed canyon edges require care; the west bank shows only part of Selfoss
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Vatnajökull map
Full mapElevation295–323 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
1 active Vatnajökull alert
- ClosureFosshvammur permanently closed at DettifossFosshvammur at Dettifoss is permanently closed to all traffic; do not enter.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Vatnajökull Tour Guide
Your drive to Dettifoss–Selfoss Trail (West), 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
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Dettifoss–Selfoss Trail (West)
Trail ExperienceFrom the car park, follow the signed path to Dettifoss and its viewpoints, then continue south…
From the car park, follow the signed path to Dettifoss and its viewpoints, then continue south along the riverbank toward Selfoss. The route returns by the more westerly path and closes the circle at the car park. Dettifoss is the dramatic centerpiece, with heavy spray and a strong sense of the river’s power; Selfoss offers a quieter series of cascades and a different perspective on the canyon.
The tread is mostly natural, rocky and uneven, with some steps and exposed canyon-edge viewpoints. Stay on the signed route, keep well back from the rim, and expect slick footing near spray. The west-bank route does not provide the broad east-side view of Selfoss’s full horseshoe.
LogisticsThe trailhead is the car park west of Dettifoss on paved Road 862 (Dettifossvegur).
The trailhead is the car park west of Dettifoss on paved Road 862 (Dettifossvegur). The lot is developed and has bathrooms. Winter snow can restrict access on the west approach, so check road and park information before setting out.
What You’re SeeingThe Jökulsá á Fjöllum drains glacial meltwater from Vatnajökull and has carved the…
The Jökulsá á Fjöllum drains glacial meltwater from Vatnajökull and has carved the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. Dettifoss drops roughly 44 meters, while Selfoss is a lower, more intricate waterfall just upstream. Bring a waterproof layer and protect camera equipment from spray.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Vatnajökull
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 mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Vatnajökull. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
