Iceland’s Secret Waterfalls: How to find Bruarfoss Waterfall
Iceland has many beautiful waterfalls but Bruarfoss Waterfall is one of the prettiest. It’s a little hidden but actually not so hard to find – if you know where to look! I discovered this little beauty on Unlocking Kiki’s Iceland Blog and after a chat with a colleague got some good directions – it’s not signposted but it’s an easy stop on your Golden Circle tour and a pleasant break from the crowds at Gullfoss.
UPDATE JUNE 2018
I have been informed that the below information is out of date and a private gate is being errected due to the overwhelming amounts of visitors and disturbance to locals. Guide to Iceland have published updated directions, parking on Route 37 and reccommend only visiting in summer.
How to find Bruarfoss Waterfall
Take Route 35 just before Selfoss up towards the Golden Circle, at the junction where you would turn right to go to Geysir turn left instead onto Route 37. Watch out for a road to some summer houses on the right called Brekkuskógur, just before Route 355 (on the left). Drive up the gravel road here keeping towards the left. There are some subtle signs and walking path markers. You’ll pass a parking space for one car on the right and then come to a Y-junction with enough space for four cars – there was actually a car waiting for a space so I joined the queue. Yes there are other parking spaces but bear in mind these are people’s private holiday home – don’t be that person who blocks the entrance. Or just put Bruarfoss Waterfall Access Bridge into Google Maps (not Bruarfoss Waterfall – that’ll bring you to the other side).
From the parking space follow a small track slightly downhill. There are high bushes, you’ll come to a barbed wire fence which is kinda broken so just hop over that. cross the bridge, up a steep and very muddy slope, through some more bushes, along a track until you get to two poles, to the left and you’re there. It’s really amazing how blue the water is, this is not some digital trickery. It’s definitely well worth the mud and a little searching and best of all, though there were more people than I expected, it’s almost a secret especially for a place bang in the middle of the Golden Circle. I just want to go back when the light is a bit better, or stormier, or just less grey.
On the way back I passed some Americans holding a GPS and looking very concerned asked me if they were going in the right direction for the waterfall. “Yes, it’s just over there.” “How far?” “A few minutes.” “Two minutes?” “A few minutes.” “She said three minutes to the waterfall.” Look it’s not that hard to find!
GPS coordinates according to Geeky Girl: Latitude: 64° 15′ 51.282″ N, Longitude: 20° 30′ 53.322″ W
11 Comments
Join the discussion and tell us your opinion.
Beautiful!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it Stella!
[…] are waterfalls everywhere. Literally everywhere. Some like Gullfoss are really famous, some like Bruarfoss are a bit harder to find – and totally worth […]
Hi,
Understand that the bridge no trespassing anymore..is there another road can access to the waterfall
You might be able to still walk there – it’s at least 3km from the main road I think. But not sure how close you can find parking on that road. It’s very busy and not safe to just stop. Was almost killed today by a couple who stopped in the middle of the road just after a hairpin bend through a tunnel!
Once you park in the parking space, how long do you have to walk to get to Bruarfoss? I read somewhere that it would take a three-hour hike (there and back). I hope I read that wrong :-/
Hi Yvette, unfortunately it probably is now (there and back at least) as they´ve closed off driving access to the waterfall along the small private road, so you need to find safe parking somewhere on route 37 and then walk about 3km each way. I think it’s worth it but it depends on how much time you have. It’s a pity but people were blocking access to peoples homes when they parked, leaving litter and going to the toilet everywhere which spoils it for everyone.
Oh, that’s too bad. I’m traveling with my two children, so this won’t be an option for me anymore. 🙁
[…] this place was a challenge. We read this blog to see how we could find this waterfall, but then couldn’t figure out where to park and where […]
[…] https://sibealturraoin.ie/icelands-secret-waterfalls-find-bruarfoss-waterfall/ […]
Nice