About Skogafoss
Skogafoss (or more accurately Skógafoss; “SKOH-ga-foss”) probably rivals Gullfoss as Iceland’s most famous waterfall.
This was a classically-shaped rectangular waterfall that dropped 60m with a width of 25m, and it was this feature that prompted Julie to call this her favorite waterfall in the country.
Adding to its allure was that it had a high volume of water thanks to the flow of the Skógá River, which made the falls thunder and produce rainbow-yielding mist that often would make it a photographer’s dream under sunny skies.
In addition to its aesthetic qualities, perhaps the main reason why the falls was so popular was that it was very easy to access as it’s easily seen from the Ring Road.
Thus, it wasn’t surprising to see lots of people as well as tour buses both during our July 2007 visit and especially on our August 2021 visit.
The presence of camping also helped its popularity, I’m sure, but its very flat and tame walk along the river’s banks leading right up to its wall of water further enhanced its accessibility.
Heck, it was almost as if there was like a compulsory ritual where we joined dozens of people doing the same thing in a sort of cult-like trance.
Getting so close to the base of such a large waterfall was quite rare in our waterfalling experiences, and that further added to the bucket-list quality of Skógafoss.
In addition to reaching the wall of water at its base, there was an official path climbing up the cliffs alongside the waterfall’s drop.
At the brink of the falls, we managed to get precarious top down views of not only the waterfall but also the view towards the Atlantic Ocean as well.
As if that wasn’t enough, this trail continued further upstream along the Skogá River where there were many more waterfalls.
During the three days we were staying in Skógar on our July 2007 visit, we were hoping for a little bit of morning sun so we could get that classic photograph of the falls with a rainbow.
Unfortunately, we were pretty unlucky with the weather and we never able to get that nice photo of Skógafoss with blue skies and bold rainbows.
When we came back in August 2021, we didn’t have much better luck with the weather (we were actually getting rained on) so this just attests to the temperamental nature of the weather in this part of Iceland.
Finally, I looked up my Icelandic dictionary to try to learn the meaning of the name of this waterfall, and it said that “skógur” meant “forest”.
If that’s the case, then this would be “Forest Falls”, but given the lack of trees in the area during our visit, it might suggest that perhaps the area once did harbor a forest.
I came across a book suggesting that around the Seljaland Caves nearby, there was indeed evidence of a birch forest that then disappeared soon after settlement in 874.
Therefore, the place name of this waterfall would appear to make a lot of sense, especially given the typically high rainfall climate of Southern Iceland.
Authorities
Skogafoss resides in the South Region near Vik, Iceland. It is administered by the municipality of Rangárþing eystra. For information or inquiries about the general area as well as current conditions, you may want to try visiting their website.
Related Trip Reports
Related Top 10 Lists
Related Itineraries
Trip Planning Resources
Nearby Accommodations
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Featured Images and Nearby Attractions
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Visitor Comments:
Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...
Skogafoss waterfall Iceland drone aerial August 31, 2016 6:46 pm - We visited Skogafoss this year and made aerial video ...Read MoreVisitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...
Skogafoss in February, 2012 October 6, 2012 10:07 pm - We visited Skogafoss in February this year, it's next to a very interesting museum of houses - we waded through the snow to get to them all! ...Read MoreNearest Waterfalls
