Hrafnseyrarheidi Mountain Pass Travel Guide

Dýrafjörður from Hrafnseyrarheiði. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hrafnseyrarheiði is a 552 m mountain pass in the Westfjords between Dýrafjörður to the north and Arnarfjörður to the south. Until October 2020 it carried Road 60, the main road through the Westfjords, and was the highest point on that route and one of the highest pass roads in the country.

The Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel now takes through-traffic under the mountain, which has turned the old gravel road over the heath into a quiet summer-only scenic drive. The name means "the heath of Hrafnseyri", after the farm on Arnarfjörður at its southern foot where Jón Sigurðsson, leader of Iceland's independence movement, was born in 1811.

Key Takeaways About Hrafnseyrarheiði

• 552 m pass between Dýrafjörður and Arnarfjörður; the highest point of Road 60 until the Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel opened in October 2020
• Now Road 626 (Hrafnseyrarvegur), a 31 km summer-only road, of which about 19 km is gravel over the heath from Þingeyri to Hrafnseyri
• Steep gravel switchbacks on the Arnarfjörður side, with gradients reported at up to about 20 percent; 4x4 or high clearance recommended
• Best late June to early September; check road.is before going and use the tunnel if the pass is closed
• Combine with Hrafnseyri (Jón Sigurðsson museum, about 8 km by road from the summit) and Dynjandi waterfall (about 22 km by road from Hrafnseyri)

Why visit Hrafnseyrarheiði

The attraction is the drive itself and the views. From the Dýrafjörður side the road climbs a broad glacial valley between flat-topped basalt mountains, with the fjord shrinking behind you until the water is framed by the valley walls.

On top, the heath is a wide, open plateau of moss, gravel and small tarns, often with snow patches into July. The Arnarfjörður side is the dramatic one: the road drops in tight gravel switchbacks, with gradients reported at up to about 20 percent, looking straight down the fjord towards the Dynjandi side.

Sheep on the Hrafnseyrarheiði plateau. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hrafnseyrarheiði was for decades the weak link in Westfjords transport.

Snow on the heath has been reported more than 20 metres deep, the road was closed for much of each winter, and the gorge on the southern side is called Manntapagil, roughly "the gully of lost men", a reminder that winter crossings on foot cost lives in earlier centuries.

Avalanche danger near the summit was one of the main arguments for the tunnel.

Even before the tunnel opened, locals including the museum director at Hrafnseyri argued in 2017 that the old road should be protected and kept open in summer as a heritage route and viewpoint, which is in effect what has happened.

For hikers, the heath is a starting point for walks towards Kaldbakur, at 998 m the highest peak in the Westfjords, which stands to the west of the pass, between the same two fjords.

How to get to Hrafnseyrarheiði

The pass road is now numbered Road 626 (Hrafnseyrarvegur). The road is 30.8 km long in the national road register: about 19 km from Þingeyri on Dýrafjörður over the heath to Hrafnseyri on Arnarfjörður, then along the fjord to rejoin Road 60 near the southern mouth of the tunnel.

The section over the heath is gravel and is only open in summer. A normal car can manage it in dry conditions when the road is open, but the switchbacks and loose surface on the Arnarfjörður side make a 4x4 or at least a high-clearance car a sensible choice.

Hrafnseyrarheiði road above Dýrafjörður. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

From Ísafjörður, drive Road 60 south through the Vestfjarðagöng tunnel to Þingeyri (about 49 km, 50 minutes), then turn onto Road 626, which leaves Road 60 at Þingeyri and climbs south towards the heath; Road 60 itself continues along Dýrafjörður to the Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel.

From Reykjavík, Þingeyri is roughly 385 km by Road 60 via the Dynjandisheiði heath, about 5.5 to 6 hours of driving. Dynjandi waterfall is about 22 km by road from Hrafnseyri at the southern foot of the pass, so the two combine naturally.

Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the crossing with photo stops. There are no formal car parks, but there are pull-offs on the summit plateau and at the top of the switchbacks. An emergency shelter stands on the heath.

Best time to visit

Late June to early September. The road is cleared only once the snow has melted sufficiently, usually in June, and is not maintained once autumn snow arrives; check road.is before you go, as the opening date varies by several weeks from year to year.

July and August give the best chance of a dry, firm surface and clear views down both fjords. Snow patches on the heath in early summer are part of the scenery. Avoid the pass in fog or strong wind; the switchbacks have no barriers.

August snow on Hrafnseyrarheiði. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

Safety and practical tips

• Check the status of Road 626 on road.is or in the Vegagerðin app before setting out. If it is marked closed or impassable, use the Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel on Road 60 instead.
• Drive in low gear on the descent to Arnarfjörður, keep right on blind bends and give way to uphill traffic. The surface is loose gravel.
• There are no services on the heath. Fuel, food and toilets are at Þingeyri; Hrafnseyri has a café at the Jón Sigurðsson museum in summer.
• Weather on the plateau can be several degrees colder and much windier than in the fjords. Keep a warm layer in the car.
• The emergency shelter on the heath is for emergencies only.