Þingvellir: Choose the Rift Walk or the Waterfall Approach

At Þingvellir, choose your parking around the part of the landscape you want to walk through. P1 at Hakið puts you above Almannagjá, beside the visitor center and its viewpoint. P2 lies east of and below Öxarárfoss. The first suits a descent into the rift; the second puts the waterfall at the center of the stop.

Almannagjá is part of a landscape where fissures reveal the spreading of tectonic plates. It is also the setting of Iceland's historic assembly. That combination gives the walk a purpose beyond reaching a waterfall: the rock walls and the old meeting place belong to the same visit.

Start above the rift

For the gorge, arrive at P1 and use the viewing platform next to the Hakið visitor center. The path descends from here into Almannagjá. Choose how far to continue using the park's current trail information, then return along the permitted path to Hakið. The descent at the start becomes a climb at the end.

For a waterfall-focused stop, use P2 and the signed Öxarárfoss approach, returning to P2. Keep these as two separate walking choices unless the visitor center confirms the connecting paths for your day. This avoids making a river crossing part of your return without knowing its status. The park parking page identifies both starting points; one day's parking payment covers P1, P2 and P5.

Check which connections are open

An official February 2024 notice records damaged river walkways and an icy closure of Stutti stígur, as well as slippery conditions toward Öxarárfoss. It has no reopening date. It does not establish today's closures, but it is a reason to ask at Hakið which connections are available before attempting a longer circuit. Phone the park on +3544881800 if you need the answer before driving.

Read current park news and Safetravel alerts before leaving. On October 18, 2026, Safetravel warns of storm and rain across Iceland from 15:00 to midnight. A short walk is still an outdoor stop affected by that warning. If weather changes the day, the visitor center's exhibition offers a separate indoor visit during its opening hours.

Keep the walk back to your chosen car park in the plan before adding another path through the rift.