• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer

ZigZagonEarth

Plan unforgettable road trips!

  • FRANCE
    • CORSICA
    • NORMANDY
    • PARIS
  • EUROPE
    • ANDALUCIA
    • CANARY ISLANDS
    • CRETE
    • ICELAND
    • ICELAND WINTER
    • MADEIRA
    • MALLORCA
    • MENORCA
    • PORTUGAL
    • SANTORINI
    • SCOTLAND
    • SLOVENIA
  • REST OF WORLD
    • NEW ZEALAND
    • OMAN
  • TIPS
  • EBOOKS
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • English
    • Dutch
    • Italian
    • Danish
    • Portuguese (Portugal)
    • Swedish

Skutustadir Pseudocraters (Iceland, Myvatn) – tips + photos

Last updated on November 1, 2023 by Claire Robinson - this article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I get a small commission (more)

The pseudocraters at Skutustadagigar, Lake Myvatn, are one of my favorite geological features in Iceland.
But those are not real volcanic craters! 
Below is my guide to visit the Skutustadir craters, Iceland, with tips, map and photos.

Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Iceland:

My favorite platform to rent a car in Iceland: DiscoverCars

The unmissable boat tour: Whale Watching

Fun activity: Swimming in Silfra Fissure

My favorite places to stay:

  • Reykjavik: see best rated hotels – e.g. Vintage Boutique Hotel
  • Lake Myvatn: see best rated hotels – e.g. Hotel Laxa
  • Vik area: see best rated hotels – e.g. Hotel Vik i Myrdal
Skutustadir Iceland Lake Myvatn Pseudocraters
Content
Why visit the Skutustadagigar pseudocraters in Iceland?
Planning tips & Maps – Skutustadir, Iceland
Walking up the first Lake Myvatn pseudocrater
The geology behind the Skutustadir pseudocraters – formation
Walking along the Stakholstjorn pond
Skutustadir craters in Winter

Why visit the Skutustadagigar pseudocraters in Iceland?

Skútustadagígar is the area South of Lake Myvatn around the pond Stakholstjorn where the famous pseudocraters can be found (see next section to understand why they are not real craters).
The Skutustadir Farm is named after an ancient hero called Viga-Skuta and allows us to get up close and climb some of those beautifully shaped pseudocraters.

Skutustadir Pseudocraters, Iceland
Skutustadir Pseudocraters, Iceland

The Skutustadir pseudocraters made it to my list of the 10 best landscapes in Iceland and my top 5 things to see in Myvatn.

How to pronounce the name?

To facilitate the reading of this article, you can listen to the pronunciation of Skutustadir here.

More photos after the planning tips.

Planning tips & Maps – Skutustadir, Iceland

Skutustadir Location – Map

  • North part of Iceland
  • South shore of Lake Myvatn, 
  • Akureyri to Stukustadir = 1h05 drive
  • Egilsstadir to Stukustadir = 2h15 drive
  • Reykjahlid to Stukustadir = 15min drive
  • Below is a map to help you get oriented and locate the pseudocrater walk:
Skutustadir pseudocraters in Iceland - location map
Skutustadir pseudocraters in Iceland – location map

All my favorite locations are included (with GPS coordinates, map of region and planning tips) in my travel guide eBook to help you easily plan your Iceland road trip (for 5 days, 7 days, 10 days, 14 days…)

Plan your dream trip to Iceland with my guides!
  • 8 easy-to-plan maps
  • 100+ pre-selected locations
  • GPS coordinates 
  • Useful planning tips
  • 130+ large photos 
Discover it
  • 2 easy-to-plan maps
  • 30 stops, 10 detours
  • GPS coordinates 
  • Useful planning tips
  • 70+ large photos 
Discover it

How to get to Skutustadagigar

  • Very easy to stop along the road that goes around Lake Myvatn
  • Large carpark across from the Skutustadir farmers guesthouse
  • Accessible to standard cars
  • Some organised tours may stop there but you won’t be given time to walk around the pond as the main stop is Dimmuborgir
Need to rent a car in Iceland?

My tips:

  • Compare prices on my favorite platform:  Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
  • Prefer a compact car for the narrow streets in villages
  • Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind! 
  • Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

See all my tips

See available cars

Visiting Skútustadagígar – the myvatn pseudo-craters

  • Large carpark,
  • Across the road is a cafe, a gas station and toilets as well as a hotel/restaurant
  • And around is a small settlement with a church slightly uphill – Skútustaðakirkja
  • The easy walk around the pond can be done in 1 hour (see map below). Some pseudocraters can be climbed, others are protected and cannot be approached
  • I think the beginning of the hike has the best views on the West side
  • I recommend the use of a fly net in summer. The area is famous for those annoying bugs especially so close to the water. I had some in September but it was bearable.
  • This area is also recommended for bird watching
  • And check out my complete article on what to wear and pack for Iceland to stay warm and comfortable

Skutustadir Walk Map

Below is the map of the path that takes you all the way around the Stakholstjörn pond to see most of the pseudocraters:

Skutustadir Walk Map
Skutustadir Walk Map

Accommodations around Myvatn

I think Lake Myvatn is a fantastic area to stay for a few days.
The town of Reykjahlid would be a great option to visit the area. Choose one of the lake Myvatn accommodations

The Dimmuborgir Guesthouse is one of my favorite places to stay in Iceland (I booked myself and paid entirely for my stay).
Right next to the lake and with the Hverfjall crater in the background… perfect! See more photos and check availability

Dimmuborgir Guesthouse
Dimmuborgir Guesthouse

Otherwise:

  • you can stay at Egilsstadir before or after your visit to Myvatn (connection with East Fjords) – see best rated accommodations
  • or you can stay at Akureyri, the capital of the North to explore the region – see best rated accommodations

And find more tips in my article about Where to stay in Iceland

Walking up the first Lake Myvatn pseudocrater

I started the walk around the pseudocraters early morning I was lucky that the wind was down and got rewarded with beautiful reflections.

Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, Iceland Photo 1

The first crater you encounter can be circled. See the people below, it gives you an idea of the size of the pseudocrater:

Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, Iceland Photo 2

From the top of 2 pseudocraters, you get nice views of the area and sometimes the company of sheep.

Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, Iceland Photo 3
Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, Iceland Photo 4
Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, Iceland Photo 5

The geology behind the Skutustadir pseudocraters – formation

These pseudocraters were formed around 2,300 years ago in the eruption of Ludentaborgir and Threngslaborgir. 

Here is the information I found at the Myvatn visitor center where they have very nice displays:

“The planet Mars has recently been found to harbor a large groups of craters that seem to have formed by steam explosions as glowing hot lava flowed over frozen ground. Such “pseudocraters” from on Earth as lava runs over wet sediment or into the sea. Most of Earth’s pseudocraters are in Iceland and they are rare elsewhere. Scientific interest in them has increased after the Mars discovery. The pseudocrater by lake Myvatn are amongst the largest and most beautifully shaped on Earth.

The Myvatn pseudocraters were formed as lava entered a large lake (a precursor of Lake Myvatn), trapping its wet sediment underneath. First, many eruptions take place and a platform of fine-grained material is built up. Later, a few eruption vents take over, the water supply diminishes, and well-shaped crater cones develop on top of the platform. The molten lava moves like a thin sheet inside a stationary crust. The lower crust breaks and the hot lava makes contact with the water-logged sediment underneath triggering violent steam eruptions. The lava continues to flow inside the crust envelope and feeds the steam eruptions.

Now the craters are covered by grass because midges fertilize the soil when they die.”

I don’t drink coffee

But I also like other drinks and sweets!
Do you like the free content you find on my blog? All my tips and practical information, without intrusive advertising…

Claire, I pay you a coffee!

Walking along the Stakholstjorn pond 

After that I walked down and continued on the path along the pond. Apart from the flies this is a very enjoyable walk. However, the first part had the best views as you can see in the pictures.

Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, iceland Photo 6
Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, Iceland Photo 7
Lake Myvatn pseudo-craters, Iceland Photo 8
Beach Lake Myvatn Skutustadir

Note: If you don’t want to book everything yourself, consider booking a Self-Drive Tour Package (see my article to help you choose)

Plan your trip to Iceland this Summer:

  • My itineraries : 5 days, 1 week, 10 days, 2 weeks
  • Where to stay in Iceland
  • Where to stay in Reykjavik: best hotels
  • 36 tips to rent a car in Iceland
  • Guide to driving in Iceland
  • How to plan a road trip in Iceland

Skutustadir craters in Winter

The first pseudo-craters of Myvatn remain accessible in Winter.
You cannot do the entire loop. walking, but the path and staircases to get on top of the first ones are easy to walk.

Skutustadagigar path in Winter
Skutustadagigar path in Winter

The view is just very different: the pond is covered in snow and the landscape is all black and white.
See my article about Myvatn in Winter

Skutustadir in Winter
Skutustadir in Winter

And here is a view of the Skutustadir church:

Skutustadir Church: Skútustaðakirkja
Skutustadir Church: Skútustaðakirkja

Want to see other highlights in the area? 

  • The large volcanic crater of Hverfjall on which you can climb – read article
  • The crazy lava formations of Dimmuborgir – read article
  • The orange geothermal area of Hverir Namafjall – read article
  • The lava pillars of Hofdi – read article
  • And, a bit further away, the Waterfalls of Godafoss, Aldeyjarfoss and Dettifoss
  • Or read my complete article about North Iceland

Planning a trip to Iceland? 

Check out my travel guide to help you plan:

Plan your dream trip in Iceland thanks to my guide
Small Mainland Portugal Algarve ebook cover
  • 8 maps to easily plan your itinerary
  • 100+ pre-selected locations
  • GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
  • Tips to make the most of your time
  • 130+ original photos to help you choose
Discover it!

And keep track of your own trip!

Iceland road trip Journal

Want to see more of Iceland’s beauty?

PREVIOUS LOCATION: 

ALDEYJARFOSS WATERFALL

NEXT LOCATION: 

DIMMUBORGIR LAVA FIELD

Tourism Iceland Travel Guide

Inspired? Share it on your favorite platform!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Indie says

    November 10, 2018 at 4:43 AM

    Hi Claire

    Thank you for the details and the map ! Beautiful pictures and helpful article ! I have a few questions:

    1. Is it easy to figure out which pseudo craters can be climbed and which are protected ?
    2. Does the walk around lake Stakholstjorn take an hour without climbing psuedocraters ?
    3. If we climb 1-2 pseudocraters, how long will the loop around lake Stakholstjorn take?
    4. The west side is the first parking lot near Kirkjumyn ?

    Thanks in advance !
    Indie

    • Claire, the Travel Planning Geek says

      November 10, 2018 at 10:31 AM

      Hi Indie
      1. Yes it is is, the paths are clear
      2. Depending on how many pictures you take 🙂 1h with the climbing (they are not tall)
      3. 1h / 1h1(
      4. yes

      • Indie says

        November 10, 2018 at 4:09 PM

        THANK YOU ! Really appreciate all the details in your blog.

  2. Joanna says

    December 26, 2018 at 3:03 PM

    Thanks for the map – verrry helpful!

Footer

  • English
  • Nederlands
  • Italiano
  • Dansk
  • Português
  • Svenska

Par Claire Robinson
Region Lovers SARL
76600 Le Havre
FRANCE
VAT FR21845103191

CONTACT ME

Search

Follow ZigZag on Facebook

Follow ZigZag on Pinterest

Website in French: ZigZagvoyages.fr

Website in German: ZigZagreisen.de

Website in Spanish: ZigZagviajes.com

And discover the French regions:

Normandielovers.fr
LoireLovers.fr
CorsicaLovers.fr
Provencelovers.fr

 

Privacy / Terms of Use / Disclosure Policies / Refund policy

Become an affiliate for the ZigZag road trip guides

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ZigZagOnEarth.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.uk and Amazon.ca

Copyright © 2025 ZigZag On Earth · Log in

If you continue browsing this site you agree with the use of cookies in this website.OkRead more