Fagradalsfjall volcano

About Fagradalsfjall

Fagradalsfjall itself is an older table mountain, but the name is now used for the wider volcanic system that woke up in March 2021 after being dormant for roughly 6,000 years. It was also the first eruption anywhere on the Reykjanes Peninsula in almost 800 years. That first eruption drew hundreds of thousands of hikers to see fresh lava up close, and it was followed by two more at Fagradalsfjall in 2022 and 2023. Since December 2023 the eruptions have moved a few kilometres west, closer to the town of Grindavík and the Svartsengi power plant.

Because the system is still active, the landscape changes from year to year: new lava fields, new craters, sometimes new fissures near Sundhnúksgígar to the northwest. Trails, parking areas and access rules are adjusted by the authorities as needed, and can close on short notice if seismic activity picks up or gas levels rise.

The system is made up of old cones, lava fields and eruptive fissures, known together as a fissure swarm, in the southern part of the peninsula. It is rare to be able to walk this close to a recent eruption site, and that is what still brings people here: you can stand on a ridge and look down on craters and black lava that did not exist a few years ago.

Quick facts

A table mountain born under ice

Fagradalsfjall is a tuya, or table mountain: a volcano with a flat top and steep sides, a little like a table. A tuya forms when lava erupts up through a thick ice sheet or glacier, and this one dates from the last ice age. Tuyas are uncommon worldwide, because they only form where volcanoes were active under glaciers, as in Iceland. The highest point, Langhóll, is 385 metres above sea level, and the mountain's earthy brown and grey slopes blend in with the ridges around it.

Iceland sits on the boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates, which are slowly pulling apart, and the Reykjanes Peninsula is where that boundary comes ashore. Fagradalsfjall lies between the Svartsengi and Krýsuvík volcanic systems and is sometimes counted as a branch of Krýsuvík. Before 2021 the peninsula had been quiet for a long time: its last eruptions ended around 1240.

How to get to Fagradalsfjall

Because this is an active eruption site, always check safetravel.is and the Icelandic Meteorological Office (vedur.is) before travelling, and follow instructions from on-site staff or rangers. Trails and access points named here may no longer be open by the time you visit.

Geological activity, earthquakes and the eruptions

The eruptions at Fagradalsfjall were slow and steady, not explosive. Lava welled out of cracks in the ground with very little ash, which is why people could hike so close to them.

Hiking routes and parking at Fagradalsfjall

These are the marked routes listed by Visit Reykjanes, all starting from the two car parks on Route 427. Routes are re-marked when conditions change, so read the signs at the trailhead.

The ground is rough, loose and exposed to wind on every route. Allow more time than the distance suggests, and turn back if fog comes in: the trails are hard to follow in poor visibility.

Best time to visit Fagradalsfjall

Safety and practical tips

• Never walk on the lava. It looks solid but can hide hollow, red-hot sections underneath, even long after an eruption ends.
• Check gas readings before you go. Sulphur dioxide from the site can be dangerous, especially for anyone with respiratory conditions, and can pool in low ground with little wind.
• Follow the marked path and any ropes or signs. Rangers close routes for real safety reasons, not to be difficult.
• Bring proper hiking boots, a headtorch if walking in low light, and warm, windproof layers even in summer.
• If there is an active eruption, keep well back from the recommended viewing distance and be ready to leave quickly if told to.
• Conditions can change within hours. Check safetravel.is on the day, not the week before.

Facilities and accessibility

There are no permanent facilities at the site itself. Toilets, fuel and food are available in Grindavík when the town is open to visitors; check current status before relying on it.

On the map

Nearby places worth a stop

GrindavíkFishing town affected by the eruptions, access varies

Svartsengi geothermal areaPower plant and the area around the Blue Lagoon

Blue LagoonGeothermal spa, closures possible during activityKrýsuvíkHot springs and mud pots on Route 42GunnuhverSteaming geothermal area near the tip of the peninsulaBrimketillLava rock pool on the coast west of GrindavíkLeiðarendiLava tube cave off Route 42

Garðskagi lighthouseNorthern tip of the peninsula

Where to stay near Fagradalsfjall

Most visitors base themselves in Reykjavík or Keflavík and drive out for the day, since the eruption site itself has no accommodation and Grindavík's status can change.

Fagradalsfjall FAQ