Hike to and Swim at Seljavallalaug
Seljavallalaug, Iceland
Details
Distance
1.9 miles
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Alan Maxcy
Take a dip at Iceland's Oldest Swimming Pool and natural hot springs. Enjoy landscapes that are other worldly beautiful.
You will reach the trailhead by turning off of the Ring Road 1 onto road 242. You will see signs marked for Seljavellir. You will drive straight on this unpaved road until you reach a parking lot for an abandoned pool (little shack in photo above). From here it is only a 15-20 min walk along the rocky mountain valley. The hike will feature beautiful mountains, Icelandic sheep, and a small river coming down off of the Eyjafjallajökull Glacier. You won't miss the pool after the short hike, it is not difficult to find.
The pool was built in 1923 and has been maintained by volunteers over the years. While the pool is man-made the water in the pool comes from a natural hot spring. There is a primitive changing room that is available to use, but there are no showers or bathrooms. Relaxing in the warm water on a chilly, foggy Icelandic day feels more like a dream than reality. This little adventure is a must for anyone traveling to Iceland!
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Reviews
Hiked here in mid-Feb. It was nice to get out of the car and hike for a bit. The water wasn't too hot the day we were there, but I jumped in none-the-less. How many more times would I have the opportunity to swim in Iceland's oldest hot spring pool.
5.0
We ran 2 kliks in the pouring rain to get to the pool and it was well worth it. A beauty of a sight.
5.0
This was a nice short walk to a great hot pot! I went in the late afternoon and there were ~10 other swimmers. I'll echo the shoe statement- definitely no flip flops for the rocky portions! I found the cleanliness in line with what you'd expect from a natural hot springs (and totally acceptable for me!)
4.0
In a beautiful location, but it would appear that the secret is out as there were probably 50 people there at 5pm in early June. No showers + non-treated water with so many people grossed me out a bit, but it is in a beautiful setting so if you're not bothered by coliforms you may love it!
2.0
This has been the highlight of the trip so far. The path is very hard to follow when it's covered in snow and we probably wouldn't have found it without a few pairs of foot prints left behind. This was definitely the raisin at the end of the hotdog as the locals would say. Incredible views and we were fortunate enough to have the place to ourselves. We chose to swim, but it's worth mentioning that this pool is not nearly as warm in the winter when the snow melt from the mountain side runs into the pool.
5.0
Hiked out and swam in this pool during our road trip during June 2013. This is an amazing spot to relax in the hot spring and soak up the surrounding views.
5.0
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Explore Sólheimajökull
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