Quick Facts
Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 456′ / 139 m
Length of Hike: roadside
The Record
Iceland is truly a waterfall wonderland. During my first six days traveling the Ring Road in 2012, I photographed no fewer than 34 falls, and those were just the ones visible from the main path. In the northeast portion of the island, many of these are “hidden in plain sight”, not famous enough to be clearly marked back then, but far too beautiful to miss. One such gem is Ysta-Rjúkandi (also known as Rjúkandafoss), a towering 456 foot drop in the Jökuldalur valley. It is the most prominent of three “sister” falls, including Mið-Rjúkandi and Fremsta-Rjúkandi, which all cascade down the same rugged basalt cliffs.
When I visited in 2012, this stretch of road was so quiet that I could simply stop the car and shoot away. At that time, there were no designated parking areas or signs, making it feel like a private discovery. Today, the secret is out. The site now features a paved parking area and a marked hiking trail for travelers. While the accessibility has changed, the sight of these three white ribbons against the dark mountain remains just as captivating as it was on that quiet June afternoon.
Directions
- Rjúkandafoss is found along the Ring Road between Akureyri and Egilsstaðir, much closer to Egilsstaðir. It is on the left side of the road as I was headed east. The parking area is shown in the map below.
Waterfall Record 
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