Thorufoss

Laxa i Kjos, Capital Region (Höfuðborgarsvæði), Iceland

About Thorufoss

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Thorufoss (Icelandic spelling is Þórufoss; pronounced “THOR-oo-foss”) was an obscure yet attractive waterfall we saw on the Laxá í Kjós River.

Not only did it have a pretty satisfying size in a raw and Naturesque landscape, but it also featured a somewhat trapezoidal shape.

Thorufoss_027_06212007 - Thorufoss
Thorufoss

I called this waterfall obscure because it didn’t seem to be well signposted (if at all) during our first visit in June 2007.

It basically came down to trusting our GPS with map software and hoping that the pre-trip waypoint was correctly put in.

The waterfall and ravine that it was in was not visible from the small pullout (see directions below).

So we had to walk a short distance towards the river (and the source of the noise of falling water) onto a wide bluff overlooking the river before the falls finally revealed itself.

Thorufoss_046_08052021 - Looking back at a group of tourists who managed to follow us to the base of Þórufoss after seeing how we followed one of the unofficial use-trails
Looking back at a group of tourists who managed to follow us to the base of Þórufoss after seeing how we followed one of the unofficial use-trails

On that first visit of the falls, we were content to with the elevated and contextual views of Thorufoss without getting a closer look at its base.

Anyways, when we came back in August 2021 (14 years after our first visit), we found that the obscurity of this waterfall was no more.

We observed that there was a dedicated signposted car park, and the once-obscure use-trails that weren’t so obvious back in 2007 now were quite pronounced.

I even stumbled upon a video showing a scene from the Game of Thrones (even though I’ve never watched the HBO series), which undoubtedly brought it more attention.

Laxa_i_Kjos_003_06212007 - Þórufoss is on the Laxá í Kjós River, which is said to be great for salmon fishing.  The waterfall is perhaps the largest of the many rapids and cascades that run towards Hvalfjörður to the north
Þórufoss is on the Laxá í Kjós River, which is said to be great for salmon fishing. The waterfall is perhaps the largest of the many rapids and cascades that run towards Hvalfjörður to the north

Speaking of the use trails, given the reputation of the river Laxá í Kjós (upon which Þórufoss flowed on) for its quantity of feisty Atlantic Salmon, I suspected these use-trails were probably started by anglers reaching the banks of the river.

So given the more obvious use-trails that we noticed on our second visit, we managed to scramble down one of these trails to reach the banks of the river.

Then, we were able to follow the narrow “trail” hugging the south side of the river towards the mist zone at the base of the falls.

There’s nothing official about this narrow and slippery trail so we really did this at our own risk.

Thorufoss_009_08052021 - Looking down along the narrow and eroded banks of this side cascade as we took it down towards the base of Þórufoss
Looking down along the narrow and eroded banks of this side cascade as we took it down towards the base of Þórufoss

Of course, after the lemmings effect of other people watching us do this, pretty soon many other people did the same, and I’d imagine these use-trails will continue to become more pronounced (and more eroded) over time.

Authorities

Thorufoss resides in the Capital Region of Iceland near Reykjavik, Iceland. It is administered by the municipality of Kjósarhreppur. For information or inquiries about the general area as well as current conditions, you may want to try visiting their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual members. See Membership Options.
Content is for members. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: thorufoss, porufoss, laxa, kjos, hvalfjordur, iceland, waterfall, reykjavik, west region, vesturland



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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
Read More About Johnny | A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls.