Parking
Start at Hljóðaklettar car park in Vesturdalur; the park’s V3 listing identifies it as the trail’s starting point.
Overview
About Hljóðaklettar Circle Trail
This marked loop through Hljóðaklettar (Echo Rocks) starts and ends at Hljóðaklettar car park in Vesturdalur. The verified loop measures about 1.78 miles (2.86 km); allow 1–1.5 hours, and expect a challenging walk.
Why go
- Compact loop packs unusual basalt columns, caves, and river acoustics into a short visit
- Kirkjan and the other named formations make the route feel exploratory rather than repetitive
Heads up
- Uneven volcanic footing and short scrambly sections require careful steps
- Exposed canyon-edge viewpoints can be windy and uncomfortable in poor weather
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Vatnajökull map
Full mapElevation101–127 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 Hljóðaklettar Circle Trail, 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 Hljóðaklettar Circle Trail
What you’ll seeThe route threads through the Echo Rocks formations beside the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river.
The route threads through the Echo Rocks formations beside the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river. Look for unusual basalt columns, cliff acoustics, honeycomb weathering, narrow passages, and caves including the dramatic Kirkjan formation. This is the longer V3 loop; the shorter Tröllið walk and the Rauðhólar route are separate marked options.
Conditions and accessThe volcanic footing is uneven, with short steep or scrambly sections and exposed viewpoints…
The volcanic footing is uneven, with short steep or scrambly sections and exposed viewpoints near the canyon edge. Follow the marked route throughout: the park map notes that the formations are fragile. Keep dogs on leash, stay clear of drop-offs, and check posted park guidance before setting out.
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.
