Kerlingarfjöll Hot Pool (Ásgarðsá)

What to expect

Kerlingarfjöll is a range of colourful rhyolite mountains in the central highlands, a short way east of the Kjölur road. The peaks top out at 1,477 m, and the ground is streaked yellow, red and green by minerals from hot springs. The Environment Agency of Iceland (Umhverfisstofnun) manages the area as a protected site. The base for visitors is Ásgarður, a valley at about 700 m where an old summer ski centre stood until 2000. Today it is the site of Highland Base, a hotel, lodge, hut and campsite complex.

This listing is the free hot pool beside the Ásgarðsá, the river that runs through Ásgarður. From the buildings it is a 15-minute walk, about 1.1 km (0.7 miles), along the river to a pool where you can bathe. The Environment Agency says the water comes from a borehole by the riverside and is around 86 to 104°F30 to 40°C. It is a simple pool with a wooden platform for changing and nothing else. You sit in warm water with the river running past and steep, bare slopes on both sides.

The pin on this page marks Ásgarður and Highland Base, where you park and start the walk.

It is easy to confuse two places here. The river pool is the free, natural option. The Highland Baths (Hálendisböðin), which opened in 2023 on the bank of the same river at Highland Base, are a paid, built facility with a warm pool, a cold plunge, a sauna and a bar.

Getting there

Kerlingarfjöll is about 190-200 km (118-124 miles) from Reykjavík, roughly 3.5 hours in normal summer conditions.

• To Kjölur: Drive to Gullfoss on the Golden Circle and continue north on Kjalvegur (Route 35). Kjalvegur is rough gravel with no river crossings. Fill up with fuel before you leave Geysir. There is nowhere to buy fuel in Kjölur.
• Onto F347: About 60 km along Kjalvegur from Gullfoss, turn east onto Kerlingarfjallavegur (F347). It runs about 10 km to Ásgarður. The drive from Gullfoss takes about two hours.
• The walk: From Ásgarður, follow the path upstream along the Ásgarðsá for about 1.1 km. Allow 15 minutes each way. Some guides measure it as about 1.5 km from Highland Base, roughly 30 minutes, so give yourself time.

Vehicles: F347 is an F-road. Icelandic rules restrict F-roads to four-wheel-drive vehicles, and rental companies do not allow two-wheel-drive cars on them. The Environment Agency says the road has no fords and is passable for all jeeps and larger vehicles. The southern and eastern tracks into Kerlingarfjöll, Leppistunguleið and Setursleið, are a different matter: rough, with unbridged rivers, and only for well-equipped 4x4s.

Without a car: Highland Base says you can reach it by summer bus or private transfer while the road is open. In winter, a booked super jeep with a professional driver is the only way in.

When to go

The pool is reachable by car only while the highland roads are open. Snow cover decides when that happens. Between 2021 and 2025, Kjalvegur from Gullfoss to Hveravellir opened between 30 May and 14 June. F347 is not in the Road Administration’s opening table. Guides say the roads usually open in June and close with the first autumn snow, typically late September or October. The Road Administration had not published 2026 opening dates in its table as of October 2026, so check umferdin.is or call 1777 before you leave.

Highland Base runs its summer season, with huts and the campsite open, from 15 June to 30 September. Late June to August gives long days and dry trails. In September the light is softer and there are fewer people, but snow can arrive early.

Rules and etiquette

• Shower before you bathe if you are coming from Highland Base, and keep soap and shampoo out of the pool.
• Swimsuits are the norm in Icelandic pools, including natural ones.
• Pack out everything. There are no bins or toilets at the river pool.
• Stay on the marked paths. Kerlingarfjöll is a protected area, and the geothermal ground is fragile.
• Never drive off the road. Off-road driving is banned in the highlands under the Nature Conservation Act No. 60/2013, with fines or prosecution.

Prices at the Highland Baths

If you want showers, lockers and a sauna, the Highland Baths are the paid alternative. In October 2026 adults pay ISK 5,500 and children aged 2 to 11 pay ISK 900. Entry is included for hotel and lodge guests. General admission is from 11:00 to 23:00, with the last booking at 21:00, from 15 June to 30 September. The minimum age is 2, children aged 2 to 8 must wear armbands, and children under 14 need an adult with them. Changing rooms have hooks, small lockers and showers with soap, shampoo and conditioner. Bring your own towel and swimsuit. Hut and campsite guests and day visitors are encouraged to book ahead.

Where to stay nearby

Highland Base at Ásgarður has the only beds in the area:

• Highland Base Hotel: deluxe rooms and suites, open year-round.
• Aldan: standard twin and family rooms.
• Highland Base Lodges: private houses.
• Huts: A-frame huts and a group hut with sleeping bag space, summer only.
• Campsite: by the river, summer only, booked through Parka. A service house has a shared kitchen, toilets and showers.

The restaurant has 80 seats. Hveravellir, further north on Kjölur, is the next place with a pool and beds.

Safety notes

• Unstable ground: Riverbanks and hot spring ground near the pool can be soft or undercut. Watch your step, especially after rain.
• Water temperature: The pool can sit anywhere between 86 and 104°F30 and 40°C. Test it before you climb in.
• Hveradalir: Springs in the geothermal valley reach about 284°F140°C. Stay on the marked paths there.
• Weather: At 700 m and higher, snow, fog and wind are possible in any month. Carry warm layers.
• Remoteness: Help is a long way off. Tell someone your plans and check safetravel.is.
• Children: The river pool has no barrier between it and the river, and the ground around it is uneven. It is not a good choice for small children.

Nearby stops worth adding

Hveradalir, about 5 km from Ásgarður, is the main reason most people come: a steaming valley of hot springs, fumaroles and coloured clay, with marked trails and boardwalks. The Environment Agency publishes a trail map of the area. On the way back south, Gullfoss and then Geysir are on Route 35. Hveravellir, with its own natural pool and geothermal field, is further north on Kjölur.