Quick Facts
Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 18′ / 5 m
Length of Hike: 0.1 mile / 0.15 km round-trip
The Record
Goðafoss is such an easy stop along the Ring Road in Iceland, where easy stops are abundant. Goðafoss is a beautiful waterfall, though for me, it isn’t in my top 10 Iceland waterfalls. There is a lot of history and mythology surrounding the falls, hence why it has its own stop. Further downstream, Geitafoss is a smaller, quieter experience. During my first visit in 2012, my photos seemed to have been taken on the right side of the river with mostly close-up shots.
Returning in 2024, the experience was definitely different. I don’t remember the pedestrian bridge across the river, though I think it was there in 2012. The pedestrian bridge provides a better vantage point from the middle of the river. This position allows for the basalt and the surrounding landscape to pop! Visiting both falls isn’t a difficult task. Many of the trails are paved, and views of the falls are accessible for nearly all people. It is also a great stop along the Ring Road, with restrooms, a cafe, and a gift shop next to the parking area for the falls.
Directions
- Head east on Ring Road 1 from Akureyri.
- Pass Road 842, and after a short distance, you will come to the parking area for Goðafoss. If you pass Road 844, you have gone too far. A roadside store is directly near 844, and is a good place to stop before continuing on the barren stretch of Ring Road 1.
Waterfall Record 
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