Haukadalur Geothermal Field and Geysir
7 July 2019
The Haukadalur geothermal area sits along the famous Golden Circle route through Iceland. It’s close enough to Reykjavik to be a popular day trip stop for the tour groups, so we were expecting it to be fairly crowded. As we pulled into the lot and found the parking area lined with busses, our expectations were confirmed. Still, we set out to see the geothermal area and the famous Geysir!
As you walk up the trail toward Geysir, you pass through a yellow-brown landscape. Much of it is roped off, I’m sure for preservation as much as for people’s safety. There are warning signs that the water is all of boiling temperature; there are steam vents, bubbling pools, and little geysers all throughout the area. It’s an impressive sight for sure, as the Earth is essentially spilling its inside onto the surface. The yellow of course is due to the sulfur that is common in volcanic areas, though we aren’t getting too much of a sulfuric smell on the air.
We started our approach to the great geyser Geysir just as it began to erupt, spewing water high into the air before falling as a mist blowing to our direction. It was impressive for sure, but we still want to get closer!
Geysir is the first known geyser to Europeans, and as such the name Geysir is where the word “geyser” comes from. You have to wonder what the first people to see this must have thought! Much like the famous Old Faithful in Yellowstone, Geysir erupts at regular intervals, about every three minutes give or take. We found a spot among the crowd and waited for the eruption. It sounds a bit silly that this many people would gather around just to watch a gush of water shoot out of the ground, that is until you actually see it. A few moments before the watch hit three minutes, Geysir bubbled quickly then shot a burst of boiling hot water easily two-hundred feet plus into the sky before dispersing as steam and mist into the air. The concept of what you are watching is a bit mind boggling, and I try to imagine the rush of water underground before it surges with such power to the surface. Nature is truly an awe-inspiring force!
We watched Geysir go a few more times, including one fake-out eruption that just bubbled and died out. From there, we walked up the hill a bit more to see other parts of the geothermal park. There were pools that bubbled aggressively, but didn’t quite get to the full eruption of a geyser. In other parts, there were openings to the water tunnels below that were filled right to the surface with the most magnificent blue-grey water. It’s incredible the colors you find in these geothermal areas, and how the yellow and brown landscape makes the blue water pop just that much more. Looking down through the water you could see the tunnels disappear into the deep, and you can’t help but wonder where they go. You couldn’t even scuba though there considering the water temperature, and you would probably end up being shot out of Geysir anyway!!
We walked back through the barren landscape to the car, every few minutes hearing the surge of water rise into the sky accompanied by the cheer of the crowd, and then moments later feeling the mist brush us like a light rain. It was a great stop at an amazing landscape, one of the many diverse natural wonders of Iceland!
