Hvítá River

The Hvítá is the glacial river that runs through the heart of the Golden Circle, from Hvítárvatn lake at the foot of Langjökull, over Gullfoss and down through the farmland of Árnessýsla to Selfoss. Its name means "white river", after the pale, silty colour of glacial meltwater. If you have stood at Gullfoss, you have already seen it at its most dramatic.

According to the municipality of Flóahreppur, the river is about 160 km long and drains a catchment of up to 6,100 km². Just above Selfoss it meets the Sog and changes its name to the Ölfusá for the final 25 km to the sea.

Where does the Hvítá river flow?

The Hvítá rises in the highlands at Hvítárvatn, a lake of about 30 km² that lies 420 metres above sea level, 45 km north-east of Gullfoss. Meltwater from Langjökull feeds the lake, which is why its water is cloudy and white. From there the river flows south for about 40 km across the uninhabited interior before it reaches Gullfoss.

At Gullfoss the river drops in two stages into a narrow gorge, then runs between steep walls for several kilometres. Below the canyon it becomes the boundary between the old districts of Biskupstungur to the west and Hrunamannahreppur to the east. Here it picks up three big tributaries (the Tungufljót, the Brúará and the Stóra-Laxá), which together roughly double its volume.

Lower down, the Hvítá widens out through the flat farmland near Grímsnes and swings behind the mountain Ingólfsfjall. Just north of Selfoss it joins the Sog, the river that drains Þingvallavatn, and from that point it is called the Ölfusá. The Ölfusá reaches the sea a little west of Eyrarbakka.

The Hvítá and the Ölfusá

The two names describe one river system. The conservation group Landvernd describes the Hvítá as Iceland's third-longest river, and once the Sog has joined it, the Ölfusá is the largest river in Iceland by volume. Its average discharge is about 423 m³ per second, from a drainage basin of some 5,760 km².

That volume has always shaped travel here. Laugardælir, just outside Selfoss, was one of the busiest ferry crossings in the country until the first bridge over the Ölfusá at Selfoss opened in 1891.

Why is the Hvítá white?

Glacial rivers carry huge amounts of fine rock flour, ground off the bedrock by moving ice. That silt stays suspended in the water and turns it a milky grey-white, especially in summer when melt is at its peak. The Hvítá is actually a mix of three types of river: glacial meltwater, surface run-off and clear spring water from tributaries, which is why its colour shifts along its course.

You can see the contrast clearly where clear rivers join it. The Brúará, which forms the famously blue Brúarfoss upstream, stays far clearer than the cloudy Hvítá it flows into.

Where to see the Hvítá on the Golden Circle

You do not need to leave the loop to see the river. Several of the stops are on it or beside it, and each shows a different side.

Gullfoss

Gullfoss is the obvious place, and the reason most visitors meet the Hvítá at all. The upper viewpoint looks down over both drops, and a lower path leads along the canyon edge towards the falls. If you would rather not drive, our Golden Circle tour with Gullfoss gives you time at the falls alongside Þingvellir, Geysir and Kerið.

The waterfall and the gorge below it have been a protected nature reserve since 1979, managed by the Environment Agency of Iceland. Inside the reserve, building or earthworks need the agency's permission and driving off marked roads is banned. Drones also need a permit.

Our page on Gullfoss on the Hvítá covers viewpoints, parking and winter conditions in detail.

The Hvítá canyon below Gullfoss

Below the falls the river cuts a deep canyon, Hvítárgljúfur, which you can follow by eye from the road. Route 35 runs south-west from Gullfoss close to the gorge, and from the air the road and the canyon run almost side by side. The canyon is part of what Landvernd lists as natural heritage worth protecting along the river.

To understand why the gorge is there, read our explainer on how the Gullfoss canyon formed.

Brúarhlöð

About 12 km downstream of Gullfoss, the river squeezes through a narrow rocky gorge at Brúarhlöð, beside Route 30. It is one of the best places to see the force of the water close up. The bridge here links the Gullfoss road with Flúðir, so you can include it on the drive between the two.

Laugarás and the lowlands

Further south near the hamlet of Laugarás, the river is wider and slower as it flows past wetlands. The Iðubrú bridge near Laugarás gives a good open view over the water. Landvernd lists wetlands along the lower river, such as Pollengi and Tunguey, as important for birds, and this stretch is far quieter than the main stops.

Skálholt and the river meadows

Skálholt, the old bishop's seat, stands on a tongue of land between the Hvítá and the Brúará. Landvernd describes Skálholtstunga and the nearby Höfðaflatir as little-disturbed wetlands beside the Hvítá, a rarity in South Iceland, where most wetlands have been drained. It is a good place to see the lowland river in its quieter mood after the noise of Gullfoss.

Following the Hvítá by car

You can trace most of the river's lowland course in a single drive. Start at Gullfoss and take Route 35 south-west along the canyon, then turn onto Route 30 for Brúarhlöð, about 12 km from the falls. Continue south on Route 30 to Flúðir, roughly 19 km further, where the farmland opens out and the greenhouses begin.

From Flúðir, cross back to the west bank towards Reykholt and Laugarás, then follow the river past Skálholt and down through Grímsnes. Gullfoss to Selfoss is about 70 km by road, so the whole run takes around an hour and a quarter without stops. In practice, with viewpoints, lunch and a soak in one of the geothermal pools along the way, it fills an afternoon.

Along this route the river links several Golden Circle villages that grew up on geothermal heat: Flúðir on the east bank, and Reykholt and Laugarás on the west. All three sit within a few kilometres of the Hvítá.

The Flói irrigation canals

In the Flói district east of Selfoss, the river feeds one of Iceland's largest historic engineering projects. The Flói irrigation scheme (Flóaáveitan) began operating in 1927 and draws water from the Hvítá into some 300 km of canals, most of them dug by hand, with about 900 km of flood embankments. It still plays a big part in water management in the Flói district today.

The intake on the Hvítá has an information board about the scheme. From there a marked walking route of about 4.4 km (one way) runs east along the canals.

Rafting on the Hvítá river

Rafting trips on the Hvítá launch from Drumboddsstaðir in Biskupstungur, a farm about 12 km north-east of Reykholt and 14 km from Geysir. Operators rate it at about grade 2 on a five-point scale: a few lively rapids, but nothing technical, which is why it is popular with first-timers.

The season runs through the summer, usually from around May to September. The standard minimum age is typically 11, and some operators run gentler family trips from around eight years old. Allow about three hours for the whole trip, including kitting up.

Rafting is not part of our Golden Circle tours, so book it directly with an operator. If you are self-driving, Drumboddsstaðir sits roughly 108 km from Reykjavík, close enough to raft in the morning and see Geysir and Gullfoss in the afternoon.

Is the Hvítá dangerous?

Yes, treat it with respect. The Hvítá has long had a reputation as one of the most dangerous rivers in Iceland, partly because of floods, which are most likely in winter when ice can block the channel. The water is glacial and close to freezing. It is also fast and opaque, so you cannot see rocks or depth.

Never wade, swim or try to cross the river on foot, and keep children well back from the banks. At Gullfoss the paths near the edge can be wet and icy, and the lower path can be closed in winter. Rafting is safe in the hands of a licensed operator precisely because they control the risks you would face alone.

Hydropower and conservation on the Hvítá

Unlike the Þjórsá, its big neighbour to the east, the Hvítá has never been dammed for electricity. It flows almost unhindered from the glacier to the sea. Several power plants have been proposed over the years, and Iceland's energy master plan has sorted them into categories.

Two of the most controversial ideas, at Bláfell (up to 89 MW) and at Gýgjarfoss, would have been built above Gullfoss and could have changed the flow over the falls. Both sit in the protected category. Others below Gullfoss, at Búðartunga, Haukholt, Vörðufell and Hestvatn, are on hold. The Haukholt plan alone would dam the river about 2 km above Brúarhlöð.

The Hvítá also matters for fish. Salmon can run up the river as far as Gullfoss, about 75 km from the Sog confluence, and the Ölfusá supports a large salmon fishery.

The Hvítá in the highlands

Above Gullfoss the river runs through the interior, which you can reach only in summer. The Kjölur route (Kjalvegur) continues north from Gullfoss across the highlands between Langjökull and Hofsjökull, and it crosses the Hvítá near its source. Of the river's four road bridges, this is the only one in the highlands, and it is open only in the summer season.

The Langjökull ice cap that feeds it is also where Golden Circle snowmobile trips head from Gullfoss.

Best time to see the Hvítá

Summer is the best time for the river itself. Glacial melt peaks in July and August, so Gullfoss carries the most water and rafting trips are running. The highland road towards Hvítárvatn is usually open by then too. Long daylight means you can follow the river from Gullfoss down to Brúarhlöð and Laugarás in a single afternoon.

Winter brings a different spectacle. Ice builds up on the canyon walls at Gullfoss and along the banks, and the river runs dark between white edges. Check road.is before driving and expect some paths to be closed.

How long to spend at the Hvítá

Most travellers see the Hvítá in passing: 45 minutes to an hour at Gullfoss and a 15-minute stop at Brúarhlöð. Rafting takes about three hours, so it needs a half-day slot. Following the river from Gullfoss to Selfoss with stops is best given a full afternoon.

Photo: Steinninn, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons