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By Monika

Múlagljúfur Canyon – a Step-By-Step Guide to an Amazing Hike.

Are you looking for a spot in Iceland where you won’t see crowds of other tourists? If so, you must visit the Múlagljúfur Canyon in Iceland. 

It’s a true off-the-beaten-path destination and a wonderful hike rewarding you with breathtaking views for moderate effort.

This guide will give you all you need to know about the Múlagljúfur Canyon hike – where to find it and how to hike the trail plus photos and tips for the best experience.

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What is Múlagljúfur?

It’s a magnificent canyon in South Iceland, with steep rugged cliffs, two waterfalls (Hangandifoss and Múlafoss) and a river fed by Öræfajökull – one of the outlet glaciers of Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in Iceland and in Europe.

Its name translates to “the Mules Canyon” though no one really knows the story behind that name.

Where is Múlagljúfur Canyon?

As I said above, Múlagljúfur is located on the South Coast of Iceland, in Vatnajökull National Park, near the glacier lagoons.

It is only a 25-minute drive away from the famous Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and even closer (15 minutes, 6 km) to its quieter neighbor, Fjallsárlón Lagoon.

How to get to Múlagljúfur Canyon?

In short – you need a rental car to get there. There are no guided tours to bring you to this amazing spot.

Finding the trail can be a little tricky. 

Múlagljúfur is still a hidden gem. Its existence isn’t as well-known as that of other South Coast attractions, and the turn from the Ring Road to the access road for the trailhead isn’t marked at all. Pay attention to your GPS!

If you type “Múlagljúfur Canyon” into your navigation, it will bring you to the right place.

I use Google Maps in Iceland and it had no problem finding the canyon’s location.

It will take you about 5 hours to drive there from Reykjavik so I wouldn’t recommend it as a day trip from the capital city.

How to find the trailhead

After you turn from the Ring Road, you’ll start driving on a bumpy gravel road.

Follow it for 2 km all the way to the end, where you’ll see a small parking area. 

The trail starts at the end of the parking lot.

After you park, you’ll find yourself facing a gravel ridge and an incredible view of the Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the Vatnajokull Glacier. The trailhead will be on your left.

Don’t miss the incredible views during your drive to the parking lot!

Helpful tip: this road is REALLY BUMPY and rocky! If you have a smaller car without the appropriate ground clearance, you can park it in a small pull-off area shortly after you turn from the Ring Road (it will be on your left side) and hike the 2 km to the trailhead.

Update: When I visited Múlagljúfur, the parking was free, but it is now paid via parka.is app or online and the cost is 1000 ISK for a standard car. I was also told but recent visitors that the access road had some improvements and is not as bumpy.

Múlagljúfur Hiking Trail

It’s an “out and back” trail and there are two versions of it you can choose from. 

To the main viewpoint (Hangandifoss waterfall)

The first, shorter one takes you to the main and most popular viewing spot for the Hangandifoss waterfall.

This part is about 2.5 km long and on average will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour to hike.

To the higher viewpoint (Múlafoss waterfall)

There is also a second viewpoint, higher up and closer to Múlafoss waterfall, and it will take another 30-45 minutes to reach it.

Hiking to Múlagljúfur Canyon:

I hiked this trail with my dad on a sunny, but very windy September morning.

After you cross the gravel ridge, find the narrow path marked with wooden yellow-top trail markers and simply follow it.

The trail is a little overgrown (part of its charm!) but you can easily see the markers – stay on the trail!

You’ll see some parts of it blocked off with stones – respect the barrier and do not go that way.

The trail is rather mellow at first and offers some stunning views of the nearby glacier and the lagoon.

Shortly you’ll have to cross two shallow streams – nothing difficult, just hop over the stones!

Then the trail starts climbing a little more uphill and you’ll get to a narrow ridge. 

I knew about this part setting off for the hike, and quite frankly was a little nervous about it with the wind but I was assured by a wonderful staff member at our hotel that it’s perfectly safe, and – amazingly enough – the higher up we were hiking, the less windy it got!

So we got through this portion without an issue.

You’ll then hike around the mountain…

… and eventually come to a “fenced in” part. 

This is where we got a little confused about which way we should go – it was almost like a fork in the road – you could go left or right. 

Finally, we decided to veer to the right and follow the trail along the “fence”. This turned out to be the right decision, as it led us to the main Múlagljúfur Canyon viewing spot. 

The other way would lead us straight to the higher, second viewpoint without stopping at this one.

From this vantage point, we could see Múlagljufur Canyon in all its glory! It’s incredible – narrow and very deep, with steep cliffs. There is a peaceful aura about it, maybe because it’s not crowded – there was only one other family there with us.

Also adding to the mystical atmosphere, there were birds just flying around inside the walls of the canyon and it may not seem like anything special but it sure felt special. I’ve never seen that before and it made this quiet place a lot more dramatic and mystical.

Watch this short video for a sneak peek of the stunning views of the canyon:

On a lighter note – there were also some adventurous sheep at the very bottom of the canyon – how did they get there?

Once we had our fill of the stunning views, we started heading back.

We did not go to the higher viewpoint, as we had a busy day ahead of us, getting back to Selfoss, nearing the end of our trip. 

But if you wanted to do that, just follow the dirt path along the canyon rim and the “fence” and you will join the trail from the left side of the fork.

Best time to visit Múlagljúfur Canyon

I definitely recommend visiting in the summer months or early fall, on a nice clear day if possible. 

This trail is the easiest to conquer when it’s dry. It can get muddy and slippery when wet.

We hiked it in September and it was amazing.

Photo tip: I am not a photographer but I do have some advice, just based on my experience. As you can probably see from the photos, the bottom of the canyon is shaded. If it works with your itinerary, try to plan this hike a little later in the day, not in the morning, when the sun is a little higher and has a chance to reach the depth of Múlagljúfur. 

Tips for hiking to Múlagljúfur

• Wear sturdy, ankle-high hiking boots – this is not a trail for sneakers
• Make sure your boots are waterproof – the two water crossings are not  difficult but in case of a mishap or if the creeks are deeper after the rain, you want to make sure your feet stay dry
• Bring hiking poles – not a must but I found them very handy on this hike
• Wear layers – I started off bundled up for the wind and was shedding layers at the top, where opposite to what I expected, it was much warmer and less windy!
• Bring a day pack to carry extra layers – Icelandic weather changes quickly

For a practical list of Iceland essentials follow my tried and tested PACKING LIST!

• Bring snacks and plenty of water for the hike, especially if you’re planning to reach the higher viewpoint
• Leave no trace – bring a bag for any trash you may have. Respect the untouched natural feel of this trail
• Use caution and common sense! There are no barriers here, please do not go too close to the edge of the canyon as the cliffs may be unstable.
• Check the weather conditions before you head out on the trail! If it’s not safe to hike, adjust your plans.

Where to stay near Múlagljúfur

You have some choices here: you can stay near the glacier lagoons, in Kirkjubæjarklaustur or in Höfn, depending on what fits better in your travel plan.

We stayed at Hali Country Hotel and I loved it – a spacious clean room, incredible views and delicious food at their restaurant.

Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon and Hotel Jökulsárlón are great choices as well.

To see how you can incorporate this wonderful hike into your Iceland adventure, check out my 7-day South Iceland itinerary.

👉 Don’t forget TRAVEL INSURANCE! I don’t travel without it. Get a quote from my personal #1 choice – Travel Guard – or check more options here!

🛜 Stay connected during your trip with an eSIM like Airalo, Saily or Sim Local!

Use promo code PLANPACK to unlock your 5% discount!

Nearby attractions:

• Glacier lagoons: Fjallsárlón and the more famous Jökulsárlón
• Diamond Beach
• Vatnajökull glacier with its various outlet glaciers – visit viewpoints and/or go on a glacier hike
• Vestrahorn (+ Stokksnes Beach & Viking Village)
• Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour
• Skaftafell Visitor Center (Skaftafellsstofa) and the Svartifoss hike
• Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

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