Skógafoss Waterfall
The 60-metre curtain that anchors every South Coast itinerary. Skógafoss is the first truly postcard-scale waterfall you hit driving east from Reykjavík, and the reason most photographers stop twice — once from the base, once from the staircase above. The falls drop a clean 60 metres over the edge of Iceland's old sea cliffs, so the spray carries for a hundred metres and the frame shifts dramatically between morning, midday, and the low golden hours.
Overview
Skógafoss is a waterfall situated on the Skógá River in the south of Iceland at the cliffs of the former coastline
The 60-metre curtain that anchors every South Coast itinerary.
Skógafoss is the first truly postcard-scale waterfall you hit driving east from Reykjavík, and the reason most photographers stop twice — once from the base, once from the staircase above. The falls drop a clean 60 metres over the edge of Iceland's old sea cliffs, so the spray carries for a hundred metres and the frame shifts dramatically between morning, midday, and the low golden hours. Budget more time here than you think — this is a one-hour stop that turns into three.
Best time to shoot
Early morning (05:30–08:00 summer) for sidelight and empty frames. Late afternoon in winter for warm light on the cliff face.
- Summer: arrive before 08:00 — the parking fills by 09:30 and the foreground fills with tourists by 10:00.
- Winter: aim for 14:00–15:30 to catch the low angle of the sun striking the cliff to the east of the falls.
- Rainbow window: a clear midday with sun behind you produces the famous double rainbow from the base, roughly 11:00–13:00 in summer.
- Aurora: the staircase viewpoint works as a foreground on KP 3+ nights, but the spray will coat your lens — bring a cloth and a lens hood.
Gear
- Lens
- 16–35 mm for base shots; 24–70 mm for framed compositions with the staircase or rainbow
- Tripod
- Required — spray makes handheld shots risky at slower shutter speeds
- Filter
- 3–6 stop ND for silky water; polarizer to cut glare on the cliff face
- Protection
- Bring a lens cloth or two and a rain cover — the spray reaches much further than it looks
Difficulty
Easy to the base, moderate to the top (527 steps)
Wheelchair-accessible at the base. The staircase to the clifftop is exposed and steep — allow 15 minutes up.
Parking & access
Free gravel lot directly south of the falls. 2–3 min walk to the base, 8–10 min up the staircase.
- Overflow lot across the bridge if the main lot is full.
- Campervans welcome but no overnight stays in the lot — the official campsite is 300m south.
Keep walking. A 20-minute hike up the Skógá river from the top of the staircase reveals at least five more waterfalls that almost nobody photographs.
Questions & answers
Plan on 90 minutes minimum if you want both the base and the clifftop viewpoint. Add another hour if you hike upriver for the series of lesser-known falls above.
No. The parking lot sits directly off Route 1 (the Ring Road). Any rental car — including low-clearance economy cars — can reach it year-round.
Yes. The surrounding cliffs ice over in deep winter, the crowds thin dramatically, and the low-angle sun gives warmer light than you'll ever see in summer. Watch footing near the base — spray ices the rocks.
The double rainbow appears most reliably between 11:00 and 13:00 on clear summer days when you're positioned with the sun behind you at the base. It's weaker but still visible in the shoulder seasons.