Bjarnarfell Mountain Hike

Bjarnarfell is the long, flat-topped mountain that rises directly behind the Geysir hot springs in Haukadalur, at the halfway point of the Golden Circle. It is a 727-metre ridge of hyaloclastite, the rock formed when lava erupts under ice, and climbing it is a half-day hike with no marked trail, for walkers who are comfortable finding their own way.

From the top, the view takes in Langjökull to the north, the farmland of Biskupstungur to the south and, on a clear day, Hekla on the eastern horizon. Very few Golden Circle visitors ever climb it, which is part of the appeal. Coach tours pass its foot without time for a climb this long, so the realistic way to fit it in is with your own car, and our self-drive Golden Circle options give you the freedom to set the schedule.

Where is Bjarnarfell?

Bjarnarfell stands on the west side of Haukadalur, behind Laugarfjall, the low hill directly above Geysir. The small valley of Helludalur lies between the two, and Sandfell, an old shield volcano, rises to the north. None of these volcanoes has erupted for more than 10,000 years.

The mountain fills the view as you drive towards Geysir from Gullfoss, and it is what you see from the upper viewing platform on Laugarfjall. The farm of Úthlíð sits on its western side, which gives the mountain two natural approaches: from the Geysir side in the east, or from the Úthlíð side in the west.

Is Bjarnarfell a marked hike?

No, and that is the most important thing to know before you go. There are no waymarks, no signposted path and no official trailhead on Bjarnarfell. Walkers follow faint sheep tracks and their own line up the slopes, and hiking clubs and individual walkers have posted several different GPS tracks rather than one agreed route.

That makes it a different proposition from the short, marked Laugarfjall loop above Geysir, or the forest trails in Haukadalur a kilometre up the valley. If you have never walked off-trail in the mountains, do one of those instead and enjoy Bjarnarfell from below.

Bjarnarfell hike routes

Two broad approaches are used, and both are long half-days rather than quick walks.

From the Geysir side

The direct line climbs from the Geysir end of Haukadalur straight up the eastern slopes. Community GPS tracks for this route run to around 5 km one way with about 620 metres of ascent, which makes it steep and fairly relentless. Allow four to five hours there and back, more if the weather turns.

From the south-west, near Úthlíð

Ferðafélag Árnesinga, the local hiking club, climbs from the south-west, starting near the turn-off to Lindartunga, just past the turning for Úthlíð. Their route is a longer round of 12 to 13 km with about 450 metres of ascent, taking five to six hours, and they recommend this side as clearly better than the east in winter. There is no car park at the start, so park considerately and never block a farm track or gate.

A third option is a traverse. Guided groups have walked from Úthlíð over Bjarnarfell and down to Geysir along the line of the old King's Road, which needs two cars or a lift back but saves retracing your steps.

How hard is the Bjarnarfell hike?

Moderate to demanding, depending on conditions. The height gain is real but manageable for fit walkers. What makes the climb harder than the figures suggest is the ground: dense birch scrub on the lower slopes, which is slow and scratchy to push through, then loose stony ground and patches of moss higher up.

Navigation is the other challenge. The summit plateau is broad and featureless, and in cloud it is easy to lose your bearings, so carry a GPS track on your phone and a paper map as a backup. The mountain has no shelter, and wind on the ridge can be much stronger than in the valley.

Best time to hike Bjarnarfell

June to early September is the season for most walkers. The ground is mostly free of snow, the days are long enough that time is never a problem, and the scrub is at its most passable once the worst of the spring mud has dried.

Outside summer it becomes a winter mountain. Hiking clubs do climb it in spring with crampons, but snow, ice and short days turn it into a serious outing, best left to experienced winter walkers or a guided group. Whatever the month, pick a clear day: the view is the reward, and in low cloud you see nothing.

What to bring

Treat it as a proper mountain day. You need walking boots with ankle support, long trousers against the scrub, waterproof and windproof layers, a warm hat and gloves, plenty of water and food, a charged phone with a GPS track and a map. Poles help on the steep descent.

Before setting off, leave a travel plan with SafeTravel or with someone who knows your route, and check the mountain forecast for wind. The emergency number in Iceland is 112.

Getting to Bjarnarfell

Bjarnarfell sits beside Route 35 at Geysir, about 115 km from Reykjavík by road. The south-western approach starts near Úthlíð, a few kilometres west of Geysir. There is no public transport to either start, so you need your own car.

Leave the car where it causes no obstruction. On the Geysir side the public car parks are by the Geysir Center, and the forest car park at Hákonarlundur is a short way up the valley road.

Things to do near Bjarnarfell

After the climb, the hot springs are at the foot of the mountain, and our page on the Geysir hot springs covers Strokkur, the Great Geysir and the rules on the paths.

Gullfoss is ten minutes east by car, and in summer the light at the falls in the late evening makes a good end to a long day on the hill.

If you want to plan more walking around the route, see our list of ten Golden Circle hiking trails, which covers distances and difficulty for each.

Photo: Alexander Grebenkov, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons