![]() ![]() What you see are the remnants of broken off columns. And when they break, they break into the same geometric shape. This dried volcanic rock is known as basalt.ĭue to its chemical composition, the quickly-dried lava produces dark lava columns that form a hexagonal shape. This scorching hot liquid rapidly cools when exposed to cold elements like air, snow, and ice. When there’s an eruption, the magma that was churning deep inside the earth comes to the surface in the form of lava. Iceland has had volcanic activity for millennia due to its position between tectonic plates. This is a great question, and like many of Iceland’s unusual physical and geological features, the answer comes down to volcanic activity. Architect Guðjón Samúelsson actually drew his inspiration from the landscapes of Iceland, including the basalt columns in places like Svartifoss. In fact, even though many people think that the facade of Hallgrímskirkja Luthern church in Reykjavik was inspired by the organ inside the church, this isn’t true. They look a bit like the tubes of a pipe organ. ![]() You’ll find similar structures at Reynisfjara beach in along Iceland’s South Coast. The name comes from the dark, hexagonal basalt columns on the waterfall’s cliff face. It actually comes from something else, which I’ll explain. While the name “svartifoss” does translate to “black waterfall” in Icelandic, its moniker doesn’t come from having pitch-black rapids. So what exactly causes a black waterfall? Now before your mind starts conjuring up images of black water careening over the side of a cliff face, that’s not exactly what I mean. Svartifoss waterfall, located in the Skaftafell zone of Vatnajökull National Park, is indeed known as Iceland’s black waterfall. You may have heard that there is an Iceland waterfall that is black, and you’re absolutely right. With over 10,000 dramatic drops and chutes to choose from, where to begin? While a dozen or so have become the most famous ones, today I’d like to examine one of the top entries in particular. This is an awesome place to visit and we feel it’s worth spending some quality time at.Of the many splendors that Iceland has to offer, the country’s cascades are probably one of the most prominent. You will cross a bridge and find yourself in familiar territory, completing the trail loop! And from here, you will just walk down the original trail that brought you up and take you back to the parking lot. Just follow the trail and it’s a pretty leisurely walk back! Along the way there is a fast flowing river and a log that you can walk out on, which actually is what leads up to the first waterfall you saw on this hike. where then arrow points toward the Visitors Centre and not the way you originally came) to begin the loop back to the parking lot. We could not be happier that we took this 0.2 km side trail.Īfter you walk down to where the you originally left the trail marker, walk towards the right (i.e. Even the ones we took don’t give this attraction the justice it deserves. This lookout area provides incredible 360 degree views that simply cannot be captured within a photograph. After about 5 minutes or so, there is a trail marker that has a few different signage arrows on it (featured below) – we highly recommend taking a 30 minute round trip detour and making the short hike up to Sjónarsker. Once you get back to the bridge previously mentioned above, follow the path across the bridge and a slight climb up the rocks. We spent about 5-10 minutes admiring the falls and taking photos before moving on. You’ll know when you’re just about there when you reach a bridge and, instead of walking across initially, there is path up to the right that you’ll take to reach this majestic waterfall. As you continue walking on the trail, there are signs that you follow up to the right to take you to the main attraction, Svartifoss Waterfall, which you will see about 40 minutes into the hike. About 15 minutes into the hike, you’ll spot your first waterfall that juts out through a cliff and cascades onto the rocks below. Make sure to enter the visitor area to pay for parking! Remember to write down or take a picture of your license plate number, since that is needed to identify your car and pay for parking.Īs you leave the visitors center, walk to the right and follow the sidewalk to the trailhead – there are plenty of signs and it’s easy to find. The parking lot is about a 5 minute walk from the visitors center, which provides information about Skaftafell’s history and also has a well-maintained bathroom area. When you arrive, there is a parking lot with plenty of room to park, but not as big as other popular attractions we visited. ![]() To find more information and featured images related to this attraction, please visit the page linked above! Svartifoss Waterfall is an attraction that is found within Skaftafell (Vatnajokull National Park). ![]()
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