Selfoss Waterfall, Iceland: A Wild Cascade in the Jökulsá á Fjöllum River
Selfoss waterfall is one of North Iceland’s most compelling natural sights, a broad, restless cascade on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river. Despite the name, it is not located near the town of Selfoss in South Iceland. The waterfall lies in Vatnajökull National Park, close to Dettifoss in the northeast of the country.
Experiencing Selfoss Waterfall
The approach to Selfoss has a wonderfully raw quality. From the Dettifoss area, the walking trail follows dark volcanic ground upstream, with the sound of moving water becoming increasingly dominant. There is no single, neat curtain of water here. Instead, the river breaks across a wide horseshoe-shaped series of ledges, spilling into a canyon edged by basalt.
Photo by William Duggan on UnsplashSelfoss drops roughly 10–11 metres, modest compared with many Icelandic waterfalls, but its width and volume create the drama. The water originates from the Vatnajökull ice cap, carrying glacial sediment that often gives the river a grey-brown colour.
Selfoss and Dettifoss
Selfoss sits approximately one kilometre upstream from Dettifoss, making it easy to combine the two waterfalls on the same visit. Dettifoss provides the overwhelming spectacle—a roughly 44-metre plunge and enormous volume of water—while Selfoss rewards a slower look at the river and the volcanic canyon it has carved.
The contrast is striking. At Dettifoss, the river seems to disappear violently over an edge. At Selfoss, it spreads outward, tumbling over numerous basalt steps before gathering itself for the journey downstream.
Best Time to Visit Selfoss Waterfall
Summer, particularly June through September, generally provides the easiest access, longer daylight and better hiking conditions. Even then, the terrain around the waterfall can be wet, slippery and exposed to rapidly changing weather.
Winter creates an entirely different landscape of snow, ice and frozen spray, but road and trail conditions can become difficult or inaccessible. Travellers visiting outside summer should check current road and weather conditions before setting out.
A Quieter Side of North Iceland
Selfoss is sometimes overshadowed by neighbouring Dettifoss, and that is precisely part of its appeal. Walking upstream reveals a waterfall with its own character: broad rather than tall, intricate rather than singular, and inseparable from the stark basalt landscape surrounding the Jökulsá á Fjöllum.
For anyone exploring Vatnajökull National Park, Dettifoss or the Diamond Circle, Selfoss waterfall deserves more than a passing glance.
Selfoss Waterfall, Northeast Iceland
Historical & Context Overview
Selfoss is a broad, horseshoe-shaped waterfall on the glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum in northeast Iceland. It is roughly 10–13 m high and lies immediately upstream from Dettifoss, within the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park.
There is no founding date or resident population: this is an uninhabited natural area rather than a town. The landscape was shaped by volcanic activity, basalt lava flows and enormous glacial floods; geological evidence indicates major canyon-forming floods roughly 9,000, 5,000 and 2,000 years ago.
The nearest settlements are small. The Lake Mývatn/Reykjahlíð area is roughly 55–65 km by road, Húsavík roughly 90 km, and Akureyri about 135 km away. Akureyri and its surrounding continuous settlement had 20,159 inhabitants in 2025.
One important distinction: Selfoss waterfall is not the town of Selfoss in southern Iceland, which is hundreds of kilometres away.
Getting Around & Mobility
A car is by far the practical way to get here. For most visitors, the sensible approach is Road 862 on the west side. It is paved and leads to the main parking area serving both Dettifoss and Selfoss. Road 864 on the opposite bank is gravel, slower and much more seasonal.
From the west parking area, the official combined Dettifoss–Selfoss circuit is approximately 2.5 km and one hour. The ground is rocky rather than a smooth paved promenade.
Cycling is technically possible on surrounding roads but isn't especially practical for an ordinary visitor because of distances, exposure to wind and the lack of services. E-scooters and mopeds are essentially irrelevant here.
Driving in Iceland requires particular care with weather. Normal maximum limits are 90 km/h on paved rural roads and 80 km/h on gravel, but conditions frequently demand considerably lower speeds. Vehicle lights must be on while driving.
Public Transport & Taxis
There is no useful everyday public transport directly to Selfoss waterfall. Do not plan on arriving and then calling a taxi home: this is remote countryside without an on-demand taxi supply.
If you're travelling independently, treat the waterfall as a car-access destination and make sure you have sufficient fuel before leaving the populated Mývatn/Húsavík area.
Costs & Everyday Prices
Access to the waterfall itself is generally free.
There are essentially no normal shops, cafés or restaurants at Selfoss itself, so your spending happens before or after reaching the area. For northeast Iceland, reasonable budgeting is approximately €4–7 for coffee, €8–15 for a simple takeaway/snack combination, €18–30 for a basic meal and €30–50+ for a conventional restaurant dinner. These are practical ranges rather than fixed prices.
Bring food and water rather than expecting to buy them beside the trail. Iceland is expensive enough that supermarket food makes a noticeable difference to a road-trip budget.
Food Culture & Eating Habits
There is no food culture specifically at Selfoss because there is no settlement or hospitality district. In nearby towns, lunches are commonly eaten around 11:30–14:00, while dinner typically starts from around 18:00.
Restaurants outside larger towns can have relatively short opening hours, particularly outside summer. Supermarkets in larger settlements may remain open into the evening, while small-town shops can close considerably earlier.
For this particular outing, buying lunch and snacks before setting off is much more reliable than planning around finding food near the waterfall.
Payments & Tipping Culture
Iceland is extremely card-friendly. Contactless debit and credit cards are accepted for almost everything, and visitors generally have little reason to carry much cash. Larger or automated transactions can occasionally require a PIN.
Tipping isn't expected. Restaurant and service prices already include the normal service component.
At unattended fuel pumps, payment procedures can sometimes be less straightforward with foreign cards, so know your card PIN and don't wait until your tank is nearly empty before trying to refuel in a remote area.
Safety
The main risks here are water, slippery surfaces, wind, cold and rapidly changing weather, not crime.
Stay on marked paths and well back from the river and canyon edges. The glacial river is exceptionally powerful. Spray can make paths around the waterfalls very wet and slippery, and winter conditions can create large accumulations of snow and ice. The national park specifically warns against approaching the canyon edge under severe winter conditions.
In 2026, information for the area also notes route changes around parts of the Dettifoss trail following rockfall and hidden cracks, so follow current signs rather than blindly following an old GPS track or downloaded hiking map.
Healthcare
There is no medical facility at the waterfall. Medical care is available in Iceland's larger towns and regional centres; pharmacies operate mainly during normal commercial hours. The national emergency number is 112.
For a minor problem, you're a significant drive from help, which makes a small first-aid kit sensible.
EEA visitors should carry a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) where applicable.
Practical Information
Toilets: The main Dettifoss parking area has toilet facilities according to the national park. Don't rely on finding toilets along the walking trail itself.
Drinking water: Icelandic tap water is safe to drink, so fill a reusable bottle before driving out.
Walking: Proper shoes are worthwhile even though the official combined trail is rated easy. Waterproof footwear with grip is much more comfortable than smooth-soled city shoes.
Weather: This is an exposed landscape with virtually nothing to shelter you from wind. Even in summer, bring a windproof/waterproof outer layer. Spring and autumn call for insulating layers, hat and gloves; winter requires full cold-weather clothing and careful road-condition checks.
Atmosphere: Summer afternoons are the busiest. Early morning and later evening are typically quieter, helped by Iceland's very long summer daylight. Outside summer the area can feel remarkably empty.
Opening hours: The landscape itself doesn't operate like a conventional attraction with admission hours, but road accessibility and facilities are seasonal.
Pitfalls & Things to Be Aware Of
The biggest mistake is simply typing “Selfoss” into navigation and ending up heading toward the town of Selfoss in southern Iceland. Check that your destination is Selfoss waterfall / Dettifoss in northeast Iceland.
Another common mistake is choosing the wrong riverbank. Roads 862 and 864 lead to opposite sides of the canyon and there is no bridge at the waterfalls. Changing sides after arriving involves substantial additional driving. Road 862 is the straightforward paved western approach; Road 864 is gravel and seasonally inaccessible.
Don't interpret an apparently short walking distance as meaning ordinary street shoes are ideal. The terrain can be uneven, wet and slippery.
Don't rely solely on a navigation app for road accessibility. In Iceland, a road appearing on the map does not necessarily mean it is currently sensible or open to your vehicle.
Fuel up before entering the area. There isn't a convenient filling station, supermarket or café waiting beside Selfoss.
Avoid walking beyond marked areas simply to get closer to the water. Glacial rivers are cold, fast and opaque, and the edges can be considerably less stable than they look.
Finally, Selfoss works particularly well as a short walk combined with the adjacent waterfall area rather than as an isolated stop: the official combined trail is only about 2.5 km and roughly one hour.
Formal notice: Prices, opening hours, road and trail conditions, regulations, toilet availability and other services can change, particularly with Iceland's weather and seasons. Check current national-park information and official road conditions shortly before travelling and before making final decisions about accessing the area.
