Parking
Use the managed parking area at Skaftafell Visitor Centre (Skaftafellsstofa). The signed route begins beside the centre and crosses the campground before climbing.
Overview
About Svartifoss Waterfall (Skaftafell)
Svartifoss (“Black Waterfall”) is a 20 m waterfall framed by dark, columnar basalt in Skaftafell, one of Vatnajökull National Park’s signature sights.
Why go
- Basalt-framed Svartifoss is a memorable waterfall destination
- Hundafoss and Magnúsarfoss add interest along the approach
- Well-marked route with a scenic bridge and viewpoint
Heads up
- Sustained uphill walking with wooden and stone steps
- Viewing area and narrow approaches can be crowded
- Wet or snowy surfaces can be slippery
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Vatnajökull map
Full mapElevation87–232 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 Svartifoss Waterfall (Skaftafell), 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Welcome to the Skaftafell Visitor Center AreaListen
“You're pulling into the Skaftafell area, which is the main basecamp for exploring the glaciers and waterfalls nearby. The large building is the visitor center, and it's the best place to start to get oriented.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Vatnajökull Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Hundafoss, The First Waterfall on the Svartifoss Trail
- Rivers and Sandstorms of Skeiðarársandur
- Skeiðarárbrú Bridge Monument
- Freysnes: Gas, Food, and Tour Hub
- 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 Svartifoss Waterfall (Skaftafell)
Route and highlightsStart at Skaftafellsstofa (the Skaftafell Visitor Centre).
Start at Skaftafellsstofa (the Skaftafell Visitor Centre). The signed trail first crosses about 250 m of campground, then turns uphill on a marked gravel and compacted-surface path. Hundafoss and Magnúsarfoss are notable waterfalls along the approach. The direct route finishes at the Svartifoss viewpoint and viewing area above the falls; a bridge and short steps provide the characteristic framed views. Stay on the marked path and behind barriers around the fragile basalt and waterfall gorge.
The direct out-and-back is about 2.4 miles (3.9 km) round-trip and typically takes about 1–1.5 hours, with roughly 145 m (475 ft) of ascent on the mapped corridor. The longer official S2 loop continues beyond Svartifoss to Sjónarsker and Sel; that is a different route and is not included in this line.
Logistics and conditionsThe route is well indicated and has a sustained uphill section, wooden and stone steps, and…
The route is well indicated and has a sustained uphill section, wooden and stone steps, and surfaces that can become slippery when wet or snowy. Parking is at the Skaftafell Visitor Centre area. Plan extra time for the popular viewing area, and remain on marked paths to protect vegetation and nesting birds.
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.
