Hveravellir Geothermal Pool

What to expect

Hveravellir is a small geothermal area on Kjölur, the highland route that crosses the middle of Iceland between the Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. It sits at about 600 m (2,000 ft) and is a protected natural monument. Fumaroles hiss, blue pools bubble, and the Kjalhraun lava field spreads out around it. There are no towns for a long way in any direction, which is most of the appeal.

The bathing pool is next to the huts. It was made in 1950 by damming a hot stream, and it is now a small-to-medium natural pool that the operator keeps at 100-104°F38-40°C. The floor and sides are natural, the setting is open, and on a cold, windy evening the contrast between the water and the air is the point. It fits a group comfortably but gets busy when a tour bus stops, so it pays to come early or late.

Beside the pool is a service centre with a small shop, a restaurant, toilets and showers, and accommodation from camping to private rooms. The site is staffed in summer, so this is not a wild spring in the usual sense, but it feels remote.

The geothermal area

A boardwalk loops through the hot spring field next to the huts. Bláhver, a bright blue pool, is one of the best-known features. Other springs boil, steam and leave white and orange mineral crusts. None of these is for bathing. Water in the springs is close to boiling and the ground between them can be a thin crust over hot mud. Stay on the boardwalk and marked paths, and keep a hand on small children.

Getting there

Hveravellir is on Kjalvegur (Route 35), about 90 km (56 miles) north of Gullfoss and roughly 200 km (124 miles) from both Reykjavík and Akureyri.

• From the south: Drive the Golden Circle road to Gullfoss, then carry on north on Route 35 into the highlands. Most of the way is gravel.
• From the north: Leave Route 1 in Blöndudalur and follow Route 35 south across the highlands.
• Fuel: There is no fuel on Kjölur. The nearest station is about 100 km away, so fill up at Geysir in the south or before you leave Route 1 in the north.
• Bus: There is no scheduled bus on Kjölur at present.

Is it an F-road? Not any more. The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration says Kjölur lost its F-road designation after improvements, and it has no unbridged rivers. Hveravellir says most cars can drive it in summer but advises against the smallest types. It is still a rough, dusty, corrugated gravel road, and a car with good ground clearance makes it much more pleasant. Rental firms set their own rules: Blue Car Rental, for example, still treats it as F35 and expects a 4x4. Read your contract before you go, because damage on a road your contract excludes is not covered.

The F-roads that branch off Kjölur, such as F347 to Kerlingarfjöll, do legally require a 4x4.

When to go

The pool is a summer trip for most people. Kjalvegur opens once the snow has gone and the road has dried out. Between 2021 and 2025, the section from Gullfoss to Hveravellir opened between 30 May and 14 June, with an average of 1 June. The northern section, Hveravellir to Blönduvirkjun, opened between 26 May and 14 June. The Road Administration had not published a 2026 opening date in its table as of October 2026, and the road normally closes again with the first heavy autumn snow. Outside that window there is no access for ordinary cars.

July and August are the easiest months, with long days and the most services. They are also when tour groups pass through, mostly around the middle of the day. Early morning and late evening are the quiet times in the pool. On clear nights in late August and September, you may see northern lights.

Weather in the highlands changes fast. Snow is possible even in summer, and wind can make the drive tiring. Check vedur.is and umferdin.is the day before.

Rules and etiquette

• Pay at the service centre. Day visitors pay ISK 500 per person (2026) for the pool, toilets and showers.
• Shower before you get in, without your swimsuit, as at every Icelandic pool.
• No soap or shampoo in the pool, and no glass bottles.
• Keep the noise down. People stay in the huts right next to the pool.
• Stay on the paths. The geothermal ground is fragile and protected.
• Bring your own towel.
• Pack out your rubbish.

Off-road driving is banned everywhere in the Icelandic highlands under the Nature Conservation Act No. 60/2013, and offenders can be prosecuted and fined. Park only in the marked areas.

Where to stay nearby

Hveravellir itself is the place to stay. The 2026 price list gives:

• Old Hut: dormitory sleeping bag space with a shared kitchen, ISK 10,900 per person. Sheets cost ISK 2,400 extra.
• New Hut: private rooms with made-up beds for up to three people, ISK 36,900 per room including breakfast for two. A third person pays ISK 7,100.
• Campsite: a meadow with toilets, showers, picnic tables and grills.

The restaurant serves breakfast from 08:00 to 10:00, soups and light meals during the day, and dinner until 21:00. Book beds well ahead for July and August. The next options along Kjölur are mountain huts, and the highland resort at Kerlingarfjöll, reached by F347 from Route 35 (4x4 only).

Safety notes

• Boiling springs: Most injuries at geothermal areas come from stepping off the path. The water in the springs is near boiling.
• Remoteness: Help is far away. Carry warm clothes, food and water, and tell someone your route. Register your trip at safetravel.is if you plan to hike.
• Fuel and tyres: Start with a full tank and a good spare. Gravel is hard on tyres.
• Weather: Snow, fog and strong wind are possible at any time of year. Turn back if conditions get bad.
• Hot water: The pool is warm enough to make you lightheaded after a long drive. Drink water and keep soaks short.

Nearby stops worth adding

Hveravellir has marked hiking trails across the lava field and nearby slopes, with maps at reception. Kerlingarfjöll, a colourful rhyolite mountain range with the Hveradalir geothermal valley and a natural river pool, is a short detour off Kjölur on F347 for drivers with a 4x4. At the southern end of Kjölur, Gullfoss and Geysir are on the way back to Reykjavík.