Stuolagil Canyon

Stuolagil is a stretch of the Jokulsa a Bru in the Jokuldalur valley where the river has cut down through a thick basalt flow, leaving walls of hexagonal columns on both banks. For most of the twentieth century the water was heavy glacial grey and the columns were submerged; after upstream hydro works reduced the flow and the sediment load the level dropped, the colour turned blue-green and the canyon became visible. There are two ways in. A platform above the west bank gives a view from height after a short walk from the farm track. The east bank involves a rough track and about five kilometres on foot each way to reach the canyon floor.

Highlights

• The column walls - hexagonal basalt on both banks, exposed after the water level dropped.
• The river colour - blue-green water in cold conditions, turning brown in heavy melt.
• The west platform - the short walk from the farm to a viewpoint above the canyon.
• The floor route - the longer eastern approach that reaches river level inside the canyon.

When to go

June to September. Colour is the variable here: the water only reads blue-green when melt is low, which usually means early summer or a cold spell, and after a warm week it runs muddy. The eastern walk needs dry weather and several hours. Check conditions locally before committing to the long approach.

Things to know

The blue water it is known for is not reliable and many visitors arrive to find a brown river. The eastern walk is ten kilometres round trip on a rough track with no shelter. Parking is on farmland with limited space and access rules that change. Rocks at river level are slippery and the current is strong.

Nearby

Egilsstadir is the regional centre, with the eastern fjords beyond it.

Key facts