Þórufoss Waterfall

Þórufoss is a waterfall on the Laxá í Kjós river, about 5 km north of Route 36 along Route 48, on the moorland between Reykjavík and Þingvellir at the western end of the Golden Circle. The river drops up to about 18 metres over a wide basalt ledge into a dark canyon, and the car park is right beside the road. Few coaches stop here, so Þórufoss is the waterfall self-drivers add when they want something on the way to Þingvellir rather than at the far end of the day.

It is a short stop with no facilities and no ticket. Twenty minutes is enough for most people, which is exactly why it fits so well into the start of a Golden Circle drive. Coach tours drive past the turning without stopping, so without a car the realistic option is a private tour with side trips, where the itinerary can be adjusted.

Where is Þórufoss?

Þórufoss lies in the Kjós district, on the high ground north of Mosfellsheiði. Route 36 (Þingvallavegur) runs east from Mosfellsbær towards Þingvellir, and on the moor it meets Route 48 (Kjósarskarðsvegur), the road that heads north to Hvalfjörður. Turn north onto Route 48 and the falls are about 5 km up the road, just over 100 metres from the tarmac.

The Laxá í Kjós starts at Stíflisdalsvatn, a lake about 1.5 km south-east of the falls, and Þórufoss is one of the first drops it makes. Further downstream the river passes another fall, Pokafoss, and then reaches the sea in Hvalfjörður. The salmon river is the reason most Icelanders know the name.

What Þórufoss looks like

What makes Þórufoss worth the detour is the shape. The river spreads out across a broad, almost straight ledge of dark rock and falls as a single curtain into a round pool, with the canyon walls rising steeply on both sides. Moss and grass cover the slopes in summer, and the bare hills around it give the place a remote, upland feel even though Reykjavík is not far away.

The height is usually given as 18 metres, though some sources put the drop at 12 to 18 metres, depending on where you measure from. It is wider than it is tall, so it reads more like a curtain than a plume.

Þórufoss and Game of Thrones

Þórufoss was a filming location for HBO's Game of Thrones, and West Iceland's tourism office lists it as one of the series' Icelandic sites. Fans come to match the canyon and the riverbank to the scene shot here, so expect the occasional visitor holding up a phone screenshot.

The Þingvellir area has more Game of Thrones locations a short drive further on, and we cover them in our guide to Game of Thrones scenes at Þingvellir. Þórufoss makes a neat first stop on that kind of day.

How to get to Þórufoss

Driving is the only practical way to reach Þórufoss, as no public bus serves it. From Reykjavík, take Route 1 north to Mosfellsbær and turn right onto Route 36 towards Þingvellir. You pass Gljúfrasteinn in Mosfellsdalur, climb onto the Mosfellsheiði moor, and reach the junction with Route 48 on your left. Turn onto Route 48 and drive about 5 km north, watching for the small car park on the side of the road.

From the junction, Þingvellir is a short drive further east along Route 36. That means the round trip to the falls adds little to your day, and you can visit on the way out or on the way back.

Parking at Þórufoss

Parking is free, in a small area directly next to Route 48. There are no toilets, bins or café, so stop in Mosfellsbær beforehand and take your rubbish with you.

Þórufoss on a tour

Standard Golden Circle coach tours stay on Route 36 and do not stop at Þórufoss. On a private tour, ask for Þórufoss when you book. The detour is short, but the guide needs to know in advance to plan the timing around Þingvellir.

Walking to the viewpoint

You cannot see the waterfall from the car park, which catches people out. Walk a few minutes towards the river and the canyon opens up below you, with the best view of the full drop from the rim above the pool.

From the rim, a rougher path leads down towards the river. It is steep, with loose stones, earth and wet grass underfoot. After rain it turns slippery, and in ice it is dangerous. Only go down if you have proper boots and are steady on your feet; the view from the top is the one most photos are taken from anyway.

Safety at the canyon

Þórufoss is an unfenced natural site. Keep back from the edge, where soft ground can give way, and keep children close. In winter, ice and snow on the rim and the slopes make the descent a bad idea for anyone without crampons.

The river itself is cold and fast below the falls, so do not wade in. Do not fish either: the Laxá í Kjós is a managed salmon river, and angling needs a permit from its fishing association.

How to fit Þórufoss into a Golden Circle day

The simplest plan is to visit on the way out. Leave Reykjavík early, stop at the falls before the main sights get busy, then carry on to Þingvellir. You are at the national park car parks soon after, and the detour costs you well under an hour in total.

If you prefer an early start at Þingvellir, save Þórufoss for the drive home instead. After a day at Geysir and Gullfoss, a quiet stop with nobody else around is a welcome change, and in summer the light at this end of the day is often the best. The one thing to avoid is squeezing it in at dusk in winter, when the rim and the path are hard to judge.

A good morning order from Reykjavík looks like this:

• Gljúfrasteinn in Mosfellsdalur (opens at 10:00)
• Þórufoss, 5 km up Route 48
• Þingvellir, back on Route 36
• Geysir and Gullfoss, further east

Photographing Þórufoss

The classic shot is from the rim on the near side, looking across the pool to the full width of the falls with the hills behind. A wide lens helps, because the canyon is narrow and you cannot step back far. Soft, overcast light suits the dark basalt and the white water better than harsh sun, which throws half the canyon into shadow.

If you want the slow, silky-water look, bring a small tripod and keep it well back from the edge. Wipe the lens between shots if the wind is blowing spray up the canyon.

Is Þórufoss worth visiting?

Yes, if you are driving yourself and want a waterfall on the Reykjavík side of the loop without a crowd. It does not compete with Gullfoss for size or power, and it does not try to. What it offers is a quick, free stop in open country, close to the road and to Þingvellir.

It is less worthwhile if you are short of time and already planning Öxarárfoss, Gullfoss and Faxi, or if the weather is so bad that the canyon is unsafe to approach. In that case, keep driving and save it for another trip.

Best time to visit Þórufoss

From June to September the canyon is green, the path to the rim is dry and you can usually walk down to the river if you want to. Long summer evenings also mean you can visit late, after the busier Golden Circle stops, and still have good light.

In winter Þórufoss often freezes over, which can make it the more striking visit. The trade-off is the road and the footing. Check umferdin.is road conditions before you leave Route 36, and treat the canyon rim with care when it is icy.

How long to spend at Þórufoss

Allow 15 to 30 minutes at the falls, plus the short drive up Route 48 and back. If you plan to scramble down to the river or take photographs from several angles, give it closer to an hour.

Things to do near Þórufoss

Þórufoss pairs naturally with the other stops on the Reykjavík side of the Golden Circle. On the way out, you pass the Laxness Museum at Gljúfrasteinn in Mosfellsdalur, the home of Iceland's Nobel Prize-winning novelist.

Further east on Route 36, Þingvellir National Park has Öxarárfoss. It is a waterfall you reach on foot from the Almannagjá gorge, and it falls over the edge of a tectonic rift rather than into a river canyon, so the two make a good comparison.

For the bigger picture, our round-up of the top waterfalls in the Golden Circle sets Þórufoss alongside Gullfoss, Faxi and the rest.

Photo: Anna Jonna Ármannsdóttir, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons