Hólmatungur in Jökulsárgljúfur canyon

Hólmatungur in Jökulsárgljúfur canyon north east region Iceland

Admission to Hólmatungur is free

Visitors hiking to Hólmatungur are not required to make any payment for entry or at the parking lot.

Hólmatungur is a fascinating part of the canyon Jökulsárgljúfur in the northeast region of Iceland. If there is still a hidden gem in Iceland, Hólmatungur is probably the place that fits that description. It is an eight-kilometer stretch situated at the west side of a small valley that is cut through the middle by the mighty glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum, just a few kilometers north of Dettifoss waterfall. For most people who visit Hólmatungur, it is one of the island's most peaceful places, with an almost dreamlike quality. Like many places in Iceland, it is a product of powerful geological forces that have swept through and molded the area over thousands of years, often originating in the fearsome volcano Bárðabunga in the Vatnajökull ice cap. For the moment, however, with most of these forces absent, Hólmatungur has developed into a beautiful oasis.

Iceland North East Region

Hólmatungur is a small gallery of natural wonders

Beautiful landscape in Hólmatungur Jökulsárgljúfur

Located within the Vatnajökull National Park, Hólmatungur has many elements that contribute to its identity and classification as a natural wonder: Abundant vegetation composed of small trees and a variety of interesting flowers that spread color from the bottom of the canyon up to the hills on the west side of the valley; beautiful small waterfalls that are fed by crystal clear spring-fed streams; and spring bubbles that form a series of short brooks, twisting, turning, and cascading as they find their way to the bottom of the canyon to join the mighty, murky glacial river.

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Amid it all, magical rock formations of small hills, stacks, and ledges decorated with mysterious basalt columns. In addition, many species of birds fly through this natural wonder, singing to celebrate its beauty. It is a geological marvel and gallery of natural spectacles that Mother Nature has decided to display for the few who visit Hólmatungur.

Hólmatungur hiking

Basalt column in Hólmatungur

Hólmatungur is strictly a hiking trail, as it is only accessible by foot. Years ago, when I visited Hólmatungur for the first time, we drove through the area on a dirt road in a 1969 Ford Bronco. That road was closed in the nineties and was moved a few kilometers up the hill to the west. The good news is that the hiking trail from the parking lot at Ytra Þórunnarfjall to Vesturdalur valley through Hólmatungur is one of Iceland's most beautiful hiking trails. It will be worth your while to take a day off from driving the Ring Road to hike along the trail and have a picnic at Hólmatungur. It would be a day well spent.

Dark folklore

In essence, Hólmatungur is strictly a hiking trail

Like many locations in Iceland, Hólmatungur is steeped in folklore. A rather grim story involves Þórunn the Rich, a female farmer from the nearby farm Ás in Kelduhverfi, who once resided in Hólmatungur with her servants. They relocated there to find refuge during an epidemic in Iceland in the late 16th century. They managed to live relatively comfortably in Hólmatungur until their food supplies dwindled. Having already slaughtered all the sheep and other domestic animals, and with no news about the plague, Þórunn resorted to slaughtering and cooking the sheepherder for sustenance. After he was prepared, she insisted on taking the first bite to assess its quality. After chewing for a few minutes, she spat it out, declaring it tasted awful and was poisonous, and decided to return to the farm. The real reason, however, was that Þórunn, being quite plump, feared she might be the next to be eaten. This truth was only revealed years later on her deathbed, where she confessed that the sheepherder was the most delicious meat she had ever tasted.

Finding your way to Hólmatungur

Hólmatungur has many elements that contribute to its identity and classification as a natural wonder

On the Ring Road, you need to drive north onto Road no. 862, and about a kilometer further than the turn to the Dettifoss parking lot, you turn east on Road no. 887. You drive to a hill and parking lot named after our female farmer, Þórunn. This is where you also find the hiking trail, but make sure you are on the lookout for Þórunn as she has been seen wandering the hills looking for the leftovers of the delicious sheepherder. It is also essential to note that this hike is only possible during June through September.

Location of Hólmatungur on the map of Iceland