The Brúarfoss hike was one of my great discoveries of the past hiking year. It has already been almost a year since I was last in Iceland. I visited Iceland for the eleventh time then, and what made the biggest impression on me during that trip was the hike to the Brúarfoss waterfall. This waterfall, also known as the Brúarárfoss waterfall, is located in the same region as the Golden Circle, but receives considerably fewer visitors. You can visit it from the parking lot, but you can also walk to it along a 3.5-kilometer hiking trail. And that is, of course, exactly what I did.
Brúarfoss may not be the largest or highest waterfall in Iceland, but as far as I am concerned, it’s definitely one of the most special. The water of this waterfall has an almost unreal blue color. It looks as if someone added a generous splash of turquoise paint to the river, so to speak. In this article, I will tell you everything about the Brúarfoss hike: where the waterfall is located, why the water is so blue, how to get there, and what you need to know before you head out. Enjoy reading!
Getting to know Bruárfoss
Brúarfoss is a waterfall in the Brúará River. Unlike Skógafoss or Gullfoss, for example, Brúarfoss is not an enormous waterfall that plunges dozens of meters down. The waterfall is only about 2 to 3 meters high. Nevertheless, Brúarfoss is particularly impressive. Here, the water flows through a narrow, U-shaped gorge in the dark volcanic rock. From various small streams and rapids, the water eventually converges into the bright blue river.
The name Brúarfoss literally means something like ‘bridge waterfall’. The name refers to a natural bridge that used to span the river here. This stone bridge no longer exists, but the name has remained. From the small wooden bridge over the river that replaces the old stone bridge, you have a beautiful view of the waterfall. It’s the contrast between the almost bright blue water and the dark lava rock that makes Brúarfoss so photogenic.
Hiking to Brúarfoss
Most travelers go to Brúarfoss from the (paid) parking lot, which is about a 350-meter walk from the waterfall. You can also hike to the fall, save parking costs and have a special experience instead. The parking lot for the walking route to Brúarfoss is located on road 37 and there is room for a handful of cars.
The hiking trail is approximately 3.5 kilometers long. Not difficult at all, but sometimes adventurous because of the mud. I visited Brúarfoss at the end of September and it had been quite wet in the days before. This made the trail quite slippery at times. Sturdy footwear is absolutely necessary, I would certainly not take this walk in my white sneakers.
Along the way you will encounter two other waterfalls: Hlauptunufoss and Miðfoss. And above all: hardly anyone else and that is exactly what makes this walk in Iceland worthwhile. This walk to Brúarfoss is still relatively unknown, so you often have the trail to yourself. The hike ends at the bridge over the waterfall. From here you can return via the same trail.
Why is Brúarfoss so blue?
The color is the main reason why people visit Brúarfoss. The water is so blue that it seems almost unreal. The color is entirely naturaland this makes it the bluest waterfall in Iceland. The color occurs because the Brúará river is fed by water from the area around Langjökull, one of Iceland’s largest glaciers. Glacier water contains minuscule particles of finely ground rock. This is also known as glacial flour.
These tiny mineral particles remain suspended in the water and influence the way sunlight is scattered. Blue and blue-green hues, in particular, become visible, giving the water that characteristic turquoise color.
You see the same kind of phenomenon in other places where glacier water occurs, for example at some glacier lakes. At Brúarfoss, the effect is extra spectacular because the bright blue contrasts with the almost black volcanic rock. On a sunny day, the color can be truly intensely blue. But even in cloudy weather, the river remains strikingly blue, as you can see in my photos.
Hiking to Brúarfoss: how much time do you need?
If you choose the short walk from the parking lot, you can visit Brúarfoss relatively quickly and half an hour is more than enough.
I would allow at least a few hours for the longer walk from route 37. The total walk is about 7 kilometers and you will probably want to stop for photos regularly along the way. Moreover, Hlauptunufoss and Miðfoss are actually too beautiful to just pass by. It took me 1.5 hours one way. If you combine Brúarfoss with the Golden Circle, I would therefore not just reserve ‘fifteen minutes’ for it.
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Conclusion and further reading
Is Brúarfoss worth a visit? Yes, as far as I’m concerned, absolutely. Brúarfoss might not be the most spectacular waterfall in Iceland if you look purely at height or water volume. But it is precisely the combination of the bright blue glacier water and the dark lava rock that makes this place special.
Hopefully, you found this article about the Brúarfoss hike useful. If you want to read more about Iceland, you will might also enjoy reading the following articles:
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