Secret Waterfall Next to Skogafoss
Did you know there is another waterfall you can visit near Skogafoss? This “secret” waterfall is Kvernufoss.
While the location of Kvernufoss isn’t much of a secret, it’s a much lesser visited waterfall than Skogafoss, so you may be able to enjoy it in relative solitude.
Not only is Kvernufoss a peaceful waterfall to visit, it is also a walk-behind waterfall like the more famous Seljalandsfoss!
It does require a short hike to get to Kvernufoss, which may explain the fewer visitors. But the hike is easy for most visitors.
Read on to discover more about Kvernufoss and how you can visit this beautiful, somewhat secluded waterfall!
Kvernufoss Waterfall
Kvernufoss Waterfall has a single elegant drop of 30 meters (about 98 feet). It is a waterfall on the Kverna River, which originates in the meltwaters of the Eyjafjallajökull Glacier.
It is somewhat hidden away in a gorge, the Kvernugil Canyon, but you can see it from Iceland’s Ring Road as you drive east from Skogafoss.
The cliff over which Kvernufoss tumbles used to overlook the ocean at one time, but the water has since receded and a stretch of lowlands separated the cliff from the ocean.
In the summer when there is no ice on the ground, you can walk behind the Kvernufoss Waterfall and look out onto the silvery river cutting through the lowlands on its way to the ocean.
And if you visit Kvernufoss on a sunny day, you may be lucky and see not one but two rainbows across the waterfall in the spray created by the drop.
How to hike to Kvernufoss
Park at the parking lot of the Skogar Museum/Freya Cafe (the cafe is inside the Technical Museum, part of the Skogar Museum) and walk the path leading to the Kvernufoss Waterfall.
The walk along the gravel path is relatively flat, except that you have to climb over a fence to start the hike. There is a stepladder that assists with this climb over the fence.
The walk to Kvernufoss is about 1.5 kilometers (0.9 mile) round trip, and should take about 20 minutes each way.
Is there an entrance fee to Kvernufoss?
No, there is no entrance fee to visit Kvernufoss. Admiring this lovely South Iceland waterfall is absolutely free!
There is a fee to park at the Freya Cafe/Skogar Museum: ISK (Icelandic Kroner) 750, or USD 5.87. You can pay this fee on the Parka app.
If you plan to visit the Skogar Museum as well, parking is included with admission. You can also use the restrooms.