Hiking Trails – Reykjanes Peninsula

Find your own Hiking Challenge in the Reykjanes Area. As The Reykjanes Peninsula is located on the so called Rift-Zone of Plates (thoelite), the Geology of Reykjanes offers spectacular lava fields with beautiful nature and interesting historical and cultural sites. There are over 100 Volcanic craters on the Reykjanes Peninsula with over 200 Lava caverns.  Places of interest: Almenningar, Brennisteinsfjoll, Selatangar, Festarfjall, Gardskagi, Hafnaberg, Hafurbjarnarstadir, Herdisarvik, Kalmanstjorn, Keilir, Reykjavegur, Trolladyngja, Thrainsskjoldur, Ogmundarhraun.

Popular Hiking Trails in the Reykjanes Area

Vogar-Njardvik

An ancient route through the Reidskard Pass over the Vogastapi Headland and mound Grimsholl. (2-3 hours).

Vogar-Grindavik

This route is called Skogafellaleid (6-7 hours).

Vogar-Reidskard-Grimsholl-Snorrastadatjarnir-Habjallar-Vogar

Between the Snorrastadir Ponds and Habjallar the route follows a deep fault similar to the Almannagja in the Parliamentary Plains.

The Cliff (Bergid) in Keflavik

A recreational area with a hiking route to Cove Helguvik.

Fitjar – Grindavik

This ancient route is called Skipastigur (5 hours).

Hafnir-Hafnaberg

This hike starts at the parking lot by the road and takes about 40 minutes. A short distance from the Hafnir Cliff is the symbolic Bridge between the Continents, which can be crossed and the hike continued to the nearby craters, Stampar. The latest eruption in this area took place in the middle of the 13th century.

The Reykjanes Area

There are several hills and low mountains in this area which offer excellent panoramic views on a fine day (Mt Skalafell, Mt Haleyjarbunga, Mt Syrfell). A hike from this area via the crater area Eldvorp to the Blue Lagoon is relatively easy.

The Reykjanes High Temperature Area

All together there are five high temperature areas on the Reykjanes Peninsula, and the one closest to the lighthouse is among the most powerful of the country. Visitors enjoying this natural wonder have to be extremely careful within it. The most renowned hot spring of the area is “Gunnuhver”.

The number of hiking trails in Iceland is much greater than covered by this website.  The shorter and more local ones are left out for the most part.  Tourist information centres all over the country offer brochures covering the local areas in much more detail.  Many of the longer trails tempt the hikers to prolong the hike by staying an extra day in one of the many mountain huts just to explore the immediate vicinity.

The New hiking trail to Geldingadals eruption site

On March 19th, 2021, new volcanic eruption appeared on Reykjanes Peninsula in Geldingadalur. Since then, hiking to the volcanic area has become the most popular trail in Iceland. The paths have been chancing, but they are always challenging over uneven ground and steep hills. Here is more about Geldingadalur.

Geldingadala eruption number two

Remember:  Hikers only leave their footprints and only take memories back home!

Hiking Reykjanes in Icelandic

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons.