Hólmsárfoss is a waterfall on the Hólmsá river at the southern edge of Iceland's highlands, east of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. It lies right beside the mountain road F232, where the river marks the boundary between the Skaftártunga and Álftaver highland commons, about 64 km from Vík.
It's a summer-only, 4x4-only spot with a large shepherds' hut facing the falls, and a stop on the Mælifell super jeep tour from Vík. It's a different place from Hólmsárfossar, 15 km upstream.
Key Takeaways About Hólmsárfoss
- Waterfall on the Hólmsá beside F232 (Öldufellsleið), at the boundary of the Skaftártunga and Álftaver highland commons
- About 64 km (just under an hour) from Vík via Route 1, Route 209 and F232; 4x4 only, summer only
- A two-storey shepherds' hut with stables and space for 20 to 30 people stands opposite the falls
- The Hólmsá's islets are one of only two known barnacle goose nesting sites in Iceland (about 80 pairs)
- Not the same as Hólmsárfossar, a different set of falls about 15 km upstream
Why visit Hólmsárfoss
Hólmsárfoss is a waterfall on the Hólmsá, a river that rises in Hólmsárbotnar east of Mýrdalsjökull glacier and flows through the lake Hólmsárlón and on past Einhyrningur and Atley.
The fall lies right beside the mountain road F232 (Öldufellsleið), where the river marks the boundary between two highland commons, Skaftártunguafréttur and Álftaversafréttur.
The falls are well off the usual routes. It's a summer-only spot on a 4x4 road, with none of the crowds of the south coast waterfalls, and it's one of the later stops on the Mælifell super jeep tour from Vík.
Opposite the waterfall stands a large shepherds' hut built by the people of Álftaver for the autumn sheep round-up. It's no ordinary hut: two storeys, with stables for horses on the ground floor and sleeping space for 20 to 30 people above.
Nature and the barnacle geese
The Hólmsá is a spring-fed river dotted with islets (hólmar in Icelandic), and barnacle geese have nested on them since 1999. According to the conservation group Landvernd, about 80 pairs breed in the area, making the Hólmsá one of only two known barnacle goose nesting sites in Iceland.
No power plant has been built on the Hólmsá, but three hydropower ideas have been studied on it.
The one that would have dammed Hólmsárlón and diverted a large share of the water away from Hólmsárfoss has been placed in the protection category of Iceland's Master Plan for nature protection and energy use, while a scheme lower down the river near Atley remains in the holding category, according to Landvernd.
Hólmsárgljúfur gorge
Tour descriptions pair the waterfall with Hólmsárgljúfur, a gorge on the same river. The name isn't in the national place-name register, so we can't say exactly which stretch of the river it refers to. If you visit on the tour, your guide will show you; on your own, stay on solid ground well back from any edge, as there are no fences or paths.
Don't confuse Hólmsárfoss with Hólmsárfossar, a different set of falls about 15 km upstream near Hólmsárlón.
How to get to Hólmsárfoss
Hólmsárfoss is about 251 km from Reykjavík, roughly 3 hours 45 minutes' drive via Vík. Take the Ring Road (Route 1) east through Vík and continue about 38 km to Route 209 (Hrífunesvegur). Turn left, and after about 5 km turn onto F232, which runs north-west for about 20 km to the waterfall.
From Vík it's about 64 km, just under an hour.
F232 is an F-road, so you need a 4x4, and it's open only in summer. On the stretch from Route 209 to the falls, drivers report nothing worse than puddles; the road's one sizeable ford, at Bláfjallafoss on the Bláfjallakvísl, lies further on towards Öldufell and Mælifellssandur.
Rental agreements normally exclude water damage from river crossings, so read our guide to F-roads in Iceland before you go.
The nearest village with services is Kirkjubæjarklaustur, about 57 km away. There's no fuel or shop anywhere on F232.
Best time to visit
Come in July or August. F232 isn't listed in the Road Administration's opening statistics, but the neighbouring F210 section between Hvanngil and Skaftártunga opened between 23 June and 6 July in 2021 to 2025, and highland roads here close again when the autumn snow arrives. Check road.is for the current status.
The Mælifell super jeep tour from Vík runs from June to October.
Safety and practical tips
- Only drive F232 in a 4x4, and never try a ford you can't see the bottom of. Water levels in glacial rivers change through the day.
- There are no fences or marked paths at the falls. Keep well back from the edge, especially when the rock is wet.
- Fill up with fuel in Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur, and carry food, water and warm, waterproof layers.
- Off-road driving is illegal in Iceland. Keep to the track; moss and soil here take decades to recover.
- Leave a travel plan at safetravel.is and check vedur.is before heading into the highlands.
Nearby attractions
- Snæbýlisheiði, about 3.4 km: the heath just north-east of the falls.
- Öldufell Mountain, about 8.7 km: the mountain the super jeep tour descends on its way to the falls.
- Axlafoss, about 11.4 km: another waterfall on the Hólmsá, beside F210.
- Hrífunes Nature Park, about 12.8 km: the nature park at the farm Hrífunes, near the start of Route 209.
- Mælifell, about 14.6 km: the moss-covered volcano on Mælifellssandur.
- Hólmsárfossar, about 15.5 km: a different set of falls on the upper Hólmsá.
- Hólmsárlón, about 18 km: the lake the river flows through.
- Laufskálavarða, about 18 km: the cairn-covered lava ridge by the Ring Road.
Tours that visit Hólmsárfoss
This 10-hour super jeep tour from Vík crosses the southern highlands to Mælifell, then descends past Öldufell and stops at Hólmsárfoss and the Hólmsárgljúfur gorge before returning to Vík.
