No need to love geology to be impressed by the well-preserved volcanic craters of Grabrok Iceland. Just off the Ring Road, the site offers nice walks up to the Rim or through the lava field… well, nice until the wind starts blowing and you almost fall inside! Below is my guide to plan your visit to the Grabrok craters.
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About the Grabrok Craters
The Grabrok craters (also called Grabrokargigar) were protected as natural monuments in 1962 to preserve the 3 scoria cones that belong to the Snaefellsnes volcanic zone. They are believed to be somewhat younger than 3600 years.
- Stora (big) Grabrok
- Litla (small) Grabrok (mostly disappeared due to mining before the area was protected)
- Grabrokarfell
Grabrok Hike Map
Below is the map of the trail.
You start at the carpark (right of the image) and it allows you to hike up the first cone of Grabrok and then to walk in between the 2 major craters:
PLANNING TIPS - Grabrok Iceland
How to get to Grabrok
- 33 km north of Borgarnes right along Ring road no. 1
- Not far from the Glanni Waterfall
- Just next to the town of Bifrost – small carpark that you cannot miss with the big volcanic cones
- Grabrok is included in my eBooks that make planning a road trip fun and easy:
8 Maps, 100+ locations
110+ photos
LEARN MORE
2 Maps, 30 stops, 10 detours
70+ photos
LEARN MORE
Visiting the Grabrok volcanoes
- Even if you don’t have much time, I recommend a stop as you do not see many volcanoes so perfectly shaped.
- Hike up to the crater: a little bit steep, but good steady path with stairs for the most difficult parts. 10 min to get to the crater.
- Best view of both cone shaped volcanoes: Just walk 10 min along the path that goes in between
- No amenities
Where to stay near Grabrok
Located right by Road 1 it is a really great place to stay for the night. The landscapes are enjoyable.
There is a really great country hotel just a bit North on a working Farm: the Hraunsnef Country hotel - Check out latest prices and availability
Climbing to the rim of Grabrok crater
At the beginning of the Grabrok walk, you can climb one of the 2 volcanic cones.
The path is well maintained and a staircase helps you on the steep side of the crater.
During this, you get some really nice views of the valley and discover very rugged lava fields.
Stuck on the rim
Once on the rim, I got a very nice view of the inside. Although nothing bubbling . It is not the most impressive crater, but it is a nice walk with good views and easy enough for most people to reach it.
The path allows you to walk all the way round the crater. I started anticlockwise and after a few meters I got blown over by the wind. What a scare! The Icelandic wind can be really strong. I almost fell into the crater. So, I just folded myself up on my knees and waited. The wind did not stop, and I came back down on my bottom until I was protected from the wind. Fun memories!
Nice panoramas with both Grabrok volcanoes
As you saw on the map above, there is a path that deviates from the one up to the crater. It goes in between both craters.
I really recommend walking the beginning of the path to admire the beautiful shape of those volcanic cones. Here are 2 panoramas:
Need to rent a car for your road trip in Iceland?
- You can choose from some great local companies - Iceland has a lot of specificities and their offerings are adapted - you can compare cars and prices of quality local brands on this expert Icelandic website
- Otherwise you can compare offers from international companies on RentalCars.com
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Want to see more of Iceland's beauty?
Have you ever climbed a volcanic cone?
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Wow…that is very rugged scenery. I don’t think I’ve ever climbed a volcanic cone, but I have walked up Hanging Rock…which, I recall is the lava of an ancient volcano.
I did not know about Hanging Rock. I looked it up and I have now a new place on my list! Thanks
Amazing scenery, Claire and great photos. It must have been a scary moment when the wind blew you – glad to hear you didn’t end up in the volcano!
Iceland is on my bucket list so I’ll be bookmarking this page for future reference.
Thanks Carolyn. My 2 weeks in Iceland were amazing. I can’t recommend it enough.
Love this, we fell in love in Iceland when we went in the winter. Would love to go back and explore in the summer!
Thanks Becky