Hoffellsjökull Glacier Lagoon – Hiking a hidden hidden beauty

Hoffellsjökull Glacier Lagoon is located on the southeastern end of the Vatnajökull Ice Cap in Iceland and is a little more difficult to reach. This means that this small glacial lagoon is quiet and peaceful. In some ways the proximity of the glacier to the shoreline of the lagoon and the narrow valley makes it feel all the more intense.

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The UNESCO-listed Vatnajökull ice cap dominates the skyline of the south of Iceland producing more meltwater than any other glacier in the world. There are a number of lagoons where the meltwater collects before tumbling away to the ocean in a brown mass of energy. One small lagoon, at the base of a glacial outlet called Hoffellsjökull, is tucked away from the mass of tourism that the more famous Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon and Diamond Beach see each day.

The road to Hoffellsjökull

The track from the main Road 1 is rough, just a dust track heading inland. The glacier is not visible, it is a journey of faith and belief that the signs are right. Small incline after small incline leaves you wondering if the next will show you the glacier. Eventually, the road ends and you have to walk over the final rise of the moraine.

Below is the most beautiful glacial lake. Even in the half-light of a grey summer evening, the beauty of this area is undeniable. The ice breaking away from the glacier is a deep blue with streaks of black ash, contrasting with the murky brown meltwater flowing from the glacier in a continual stream.

All that can be heard is the distant flow of water, nothing more as the sunlight dances across the curve of the glacier tongue in the distance. No bustling tourists, no buses or convoys of cars. Just natural calm and beauty.

History of Hoffellsjökull

Hoffellsjökull formed during the Little Ice Age as an outlet from Vatnajökull, advancing over the plains and blocking drainage from the Hoffellsfjöll and Núpar mountains, creating lagoons like Gjávatn and Múlavatn. These lagoons drained through annual glacial floods, known as jökulhlaups, until Hoffellsjökull began retreating. By 1985, the ice dams had disappeared, draining the lagoons, though remnants of Gjávatn’s former surface level can still be seen.

In recent years, Hoffellsjökull’s meltwater flow has shifted, with the Austurfljót glacial river ceasing in 2008 and meltwater now escaping through the western ice tongue. Hoffellsjökull reached its largest size around 1890, when ice was harvested for use in Höfn, but since then it has retreated significantly due to climate change. A deep lagoon is forming in the glacier’s depression, which is expected to evolve into a large lake in the future.

Hikes around Hoffellsjökull

Hoffell and the surrounding landscape is a beautiful place to hike. There are a number of trails. The easiest is the 10-minute hike to the viewpoint over the glacier lagoon. It is just under 1km for the round trip from the parking area, but worth the steep incline over the moraine.

The hikes beyond the viewpoint become quite challenging and need planning as there are no facilities and some of the trails are not marked.

All of the hikes are on an information board in the parking area and on the national park website making planning easy in advance.

Wildlife around Hoffell

The Hoffellsfjöll mountains east of Hoffellsjökull are home to rare plant species such as silver saxifrage and green spleenwort. Lichen varieties thrive in the birch woods and shrubby areas.

The region supports a diverse wildlife population including foxes, reindeer and birds like redpolls, snow buntings and ptarmigan.

Additionally, 7,000-year-old walrus teeth and sea urchins have been discovered on the gravel flats, indicating that a fjord once existed where Hoffellsjökull now lies.

How To Get To Hoffellsjökull Glacier

The glacier can be reached by taking a rough signposted road from Route 1. This passes the village of Hoffell and the Hoffell Hot Tubs before crossing a cattle grid.

In Hoffell there are a number of small places to stay including chalets that are cosy but basic and provide a great start for exploring the area.

Once the cattle grid has been crossed the road becomes a track. This is an easy drive in good weather in a 4WD but can become difficult in a 2WD vehicle and should not be attempted in the winter months without experience.

The road ends in a small car park with an information board and a clear track to follow to view the glacier. This path leads down to the edge of the lagoon.

• Off Road 1, 20km north-west of Höfn
• Hoffellsjökull Viewpoint on Google Maps
• Visit the Vatnajökull Website