Þingvellir Loop
Þingvellir National Park, Iceland, 2024
Man, I am just not pumped about this one... I read so many travel blogs raving about Þingvellir (pronounced Thingvellir) National Park... even the internet claims it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland (probably for Silfra Fissure). These claims lead me to AllTrails, where I found Þingvellir Loop.
I absolutely love National Parks, so I figured a trail that loops the entire park would be the perfect way to experience the park. And who knows, maybe under different circumstances, it really is a great park... but we got overcast, rain, mud, brutal wind, and 6 miles of the exact same terrain/view. Hiking is usually my happy place, this was not.
TRAIL DEETS
Length: 6.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,161 feet Max Elevation: 698 feet
Route Type: Loop
AllTrails Difficulty: Moderate
DARCY WANDERS' ROUTE
I downloaded the navigation for Þingvellir Loop from AllTrails. We started and ended the loop from Þingvellir Parking P5 (where we parked for the Silfra Fissure Snorkel tour - check out my post here).
If I could go back in time and replan our time spent hiking in Þingvellir, this is what I would do:
Walk up to P1 from P5 and stop at the Þingvellir Visitor Center.
Follow the boardwalk through the tectonic plate boundary from P1 to Öxarárfoss, follow the boardwalk back to P5.
GETTING THERE
We caught the Þingvellir Loop from Þingvellir P5 - use the navigation system of your choice with your destination set as Þingvellir P5. There is a parking fee for all of the Þingvellir parking lots (1000 ISK - 1200 ISK depending on passenger car size), but the fee authorizes parking for the day of payment in all the national parks' parking lots (P1-P5). I'm not sure if there is a payment kiosk in P5, we had cell phone service and paid via the website.
TO WANDER, OR NOT TO WANDER
This is hands-down one of my least favorite hikes of all time. Does that mean you will have the same experience? Absolutely not. That said, the tectonic plate boundary section of Þingvellir National Park, including Öxarárfoss, is absolutely worth a stop. If you're feeling up for a little longer walk, stop by Silfra Fissure and watch the snorkelers!
Comments