Skogafoss is probably the most famous waterfall in Iceland, and also one of the easiest to visit. You can even get a pretty good view of it from the road, although there’s nothing like getting close enough to feel the spray. It’s also even more beautiful with a good dusting of snow and if you’re lucky, maybe even some giant icicles too.
Getting to Skogafoss in the winter is still possible, but there are a couple of things to know to make your trip that little bit more special - particularly if you’re keen on photography
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Skogafoss in winter.
The walk to Skogafoss Waterfall
Before we get into specific tips for your visit, I wanted to include an overview on accessing Skogafoss. The good news, particularly for winter visits, is that it’s a very short walk from the car park. You can walk from the car park to the foot of the falls in less than five minutes.
The terrain is rocky, but it’s not difficult in anyway, just uneven. The walk is entirely flat all the way up to the falls.
The walk can get icy in winter, but more on that later.
What to expect when visiting Skogafoss in winter
It’s still very busy!
That’s right, even on the rainiest day in bleak mid-January, Skogafoss was busy! Everything we’d read online suggested that visiting in winter would be much quieter. And whilst that is true in the sense that far fewer people visit in winter, you also have fewer daylight hours.
This means that anyone visiting is condensed into the same small window of time. There’s no midnight sun to help you here!
There are still plenty of tour buses and independent travellers who make the trip along the south coast, and Skogafoss is one of the busiest stops due to the fact it’s both gorgeous and so easy to access.
Even on the windiest and rainiest day, it’s just a few minutes walk, so no weather conditions really put people off as we assumed it might.
The upper viewpoint will likely be closed
There is an upper viewpoint which can be accessed via a series of stairs. It’s relatively steep, but it’s not a long climb. Unfortunately due to winter conditions this walkway is often closed.
You’ll still see people climbing up, but it’s not technically allowed, and the entry to the staircase is roped off.
Luckily, the viewpoint doesn’t offer the best view of the falls, that’s definitely from the main walkway which is always open.
The final part of the walk can get very icy
Whatever shoes you have with you, you’ll still be able to get a decent view of Skogafoss because it’s so huge, and there’s an unobstructed, if distant view from the car park. However, if you want to get close to the foot of the falls, you will likely encounter ice.
There was quite a bit of thick and slippery ice on our visit. If it’s covered in snow you can get close to the falls with trainers or walking boots, but it’s icy you’ll be risking a fall if you don’t have traction devices.
We were the only people that had Yaktrax with us and everyone else was either staying well back from the falls, or slipping and sliding their way there.
Yaktrax are relatively inexpensive and a must for making your trip more enjoyable, not just to Skogafoss, but also the rest of Iceland. We recommend getting the metal cleat versions if you’re doing a long trip, as the standard ones with rubber underneath tend to break more quickly. You can see our recommendation on Amazon here or REI here.
You may luck out with little ice around, but it’s probably not worth the risk. We found we had to use them almost daily.
The good news about the ice if you do have some kind of traction devices for your shoes, is you can get photos with no one in them, which brings me on to the next point.
How to avoid the crowds
Your best bet for avoiding the crowds is to arrive at the car park just before sunrise.
Most people will arrive and walk to the falls at sunrise or later. If you’re a touch earlier, it’s generally still light out, but less people are around.
The downside is that this is a very small window and if it coincides with some really bad weather - as it did for us - then you are going to have to improvise.
And that’s where the icy conditions can work in your favour. We visited Skogafoss in the afternoon along with many other people. We still managed to get pictures with no one in them and that’s down to the Yaktrax.
As no one else had traction devices on their shoes, they didn’t venture too far over the ice.
We could move over the ice really easily, so we could get some shots ahead of all the crowds which was obviously a lot better than photos with lots of people in them, or trying to photoshop later.
I only ever stood in front of the falls very briefly so as not to ruin anyone else’s view, which is what i’d recommend doing so that you aren’t spoiling it for others.
Facilities at Skogafoss
There is a large car park which at time of writing is free of charge. There are also toilets if you need. Sometimes there is a well rated fish and chip van (Mia's Country Van) but sadly due to storms it wasn’t around either of the times we visited. Luckily they tend to comment on Google if they are closing, so you can see ahead of time if it will be there or not.
Other than that there is a cafe at the nearby museum and a few quite pricy restaurants scattered around, but not much else.
Getting to Skogafoss
The easiest way to reach Skogafoss is with your own car, and it’s just over a two hour drive from Reykjavik. It’s just over a 30 minute drive from Vik and 30 minutes from another very famous waterfall (the one you can walk behind) - Seljalandsfoss.
The road is paved all the way and plowed regularly in winter (though it can still be icy). The car park can also be icy, but if you have a car with studded tyres it shouldn’t be a problem. Plus it’s really busy, so the ice tends to get churned and dissolve anyway.
Although there are buses, including a hop on hop off bus that departs from Reykjavik, they don’t appear to operate in winter.
I couldn’t find a bus online that runs in winter, but it’s worth checking with your accommodation if you don’t have a car just incase it is possible.
Tours to Skogafoss
The final option is to take a tour to Skogafoss. Most operate from Reykjavik and include multiple stops along the south coast on route to Vik - including a glacier, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (with the hexagonal columns) and Seljalandsfoss - another photogenic waterfall.
We’ve booked tours with Get Your Guide before and always found them to be good. They have a few tours that include Skogafoss, this one and this one are well reviewed.
Where to stay near Skogafoss
The Garage Apartments
We stayed just under a 15 minute drive from the falls at the Garage Apartments. They were one of our favourite stays in Iceland, with a gorgeous mountain and waterfall backdrop. We stayed in a studio apartment, which is small but perfectly formed.
There’s a little kitchenette with hob (but no oven) which was enough to make basic meals. They’re styled with a cosy and quirky deco and have lots of homely touches and even candles, which I loved. There’s also a shared hot tub.
The wifi works well, but there’s little phone signal. You’re also around 30km from the nearest supermarket and the surrounding restaurants are pricy, so it’s good to bring everything with you.
We loved our stay and thought it was a great deal in winter - we probably couldn’t afford to stay in peak season, so took advantage of it in off season!
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