Skógafoss
8 July 2019
The stretch of land between Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss was a stunning mix of beautiful green fields littered with browns and purples, then suddenly rising to the rocky walls of tall, shapely mountains. It is a beautiful route, one that doesn’t have enough stop off points to really have its own story to tell, but it must be mentioned. These posts all highlight the individual stops around Iceland, but much of the wonder of this beautiful island have been the little things in between, the magnificent colors and shapes of this unique terrain. I wish there was a way to show it all, but unfortunately you can’t just stop everywhere.
Like the Seljalandsfoss falls we just visited, Skógafoss sits right along the Ring Road in Southern Iceland. You can actually see the top of Skógafoss from the road, however, just a peek that adds to the anticipation. We found the turn into the busy parking area and picked our spot. The falls are a popular stop for sure, but this area also has a campground and is one of the trailheads for a popular hiking spot. We sure hoped that the people from all of these cars weren’t at the falls!
We made our way to the waterfall past hills and towering cliffs covered in the most beautiful green. People tend to think of Ireland when you think of magnificent green colors, but Iceland sure gives it a challenge! The color was captivating, so lush and alive. You have to wonder if it is the spray from the falls that enriches the plants that grow on these fields and cliffs. The color is so brilliant it almost looks artificial. I knew taking the pictures that people would look at them and assume the colors are enhanced or Photoshopped. They are just unbelievable!
When traveling through Iceland, it’s said that you can have waterfall overload by the end of your trip. There are a lot of falls in the fairly small country, Skógafoss will be the third we’ve visited since last night, so I can see where people may want to find something else eventually. However, each of the falls so far has been very different, and the wonder and awe of such a powerful and beautiful display of nature should be appreciated. There are some on this journey that we are going to bypass, but when we are in the presence of such a magnificent sight, we are surely going to appreciate it rather than tire of it.
Skógafoss is about the same height as Selalandsfoss at around 60 m (just under 200 ft), but the flow over Skógafoss is wider much more powerful. An impressive stream of water pours over the cliffside, plummeting to the rocks below. The spray is intense and sends so much mist into the air that it is common to see rainbows stretching across the falls. It is powerful, beautiful, and awe inspiring.
While there was a small collection of people at the base of the falls, we were happy to find it wasn’t as crowded as the parking area suggested. Still, I do wish I was able to get more pictures of just the falls themselves without the people. Getting close to the base was a sure way to get absolutely soaked, and I had to make sure I protected the camera from the water, but I was able to find a spot right at the edge of the spray where I was rewarded with the beautiful rainbows arching through the mist!
There is a trail that leads up the hillside to a viewpoint above the falls, so you can look down from that perspective. We decided not to hike to the top – a decision I do regret a bit now – and made our way back to the car. As we pulled to the Ring Road, we found an area across the road where we could pull over. From here, we found a field of the beautiful purple flowers that seem to be everywhere in Iceland, and looking the other way was an amazing distance view of Skógafoss.
Legends surround these falls and it is no wonder why. You can’t stand before them without feeling their power and being filled with a sense of awe at not just the beauty of the waterfall, but the beauty of the surrounding landscape as well.
