Hverfjall

Hverfjall, also known as Hverfell, is a 396-meter tephra explosion crater, located in the south-eastern region of Vogahverfi in Mývatnssveit. Located very close to the Ring Road, south of Vogar, vehicles ply on the passable roads during the summer but are restricted during the winter. It is a tuff ring volcano which erupted about 4500 years ago in the southern part of Krafla, with a crater about 1 km in diameter. 

Hverfjall, also known as Hverfell, is a 396-meter tephra explosion crater, located in the south-eastern region of Vogahverfi in Mývatnssveit. Located very close to the Ring Road, south of Vogar, vehicles ply on the passable roads during the summer but are restricted during the winter. It is a tuff ring volcano which erupted about 4500 years ago in the southern part of Krafla, with a crater about 1 km in diameter.

The tephra is said to have been carried from Hverfjall to Mývatn region due to the landslide in the southern side of the crater when the eruption occurred. During the settlement period Hverfjall was nearly engulfed by lava that flowed from Svörtuborgir to Námafjall. At the same time an eruption occurred on the slopes above the valley of Hlíðardalur. The view and scenery from the altitude is amazing and hikes towards the crater’s rim can only be allowed through two designated paths, from the northwest and south. The authorities forbid hikers to use any other paths due to safety and environmental reasons.

The crater, which was formed as a result of a series of volcanic eruptions known as Hverfjallseldar, has been a protected natural monument since 2011. Hverfjall is considered among the most beautiful and regular tephra crater formations in Iceland and ranks as one of the biggest of its kind in the world.

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