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Hiking trails

The Wilderness Center is a gateway to North-Europe’s largest wilderness area and its marked hiking trails are connected to the net of trails within the Vatnajökull National Park, Europe’s largest national park. In centuries past, trails between the different regions lay by Egilsstaðir Farm and later the farm became the center for monitoring reindeer. The vast surroundings of the Center are unexplored by most and hiking through them, one is more likely to encounter reindeers than humans.

Amongst the hiking trails is the picturesque Falls’ Trail. You’ll set off at the Wilderness Center, walk along the River Jökulsá with its magnificent waterfalls, through some gorges and the remnants of a birch wood, right up into the highlands where you end the day by dipping into the natural pools at Laugarfell Highland Hostel.

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The Falls Trail

The river Jökulsá í Fljótsdal has many waterfalls of various shapes and sizes. The lowermost falls can be seen close to the abandoned farm called Kleif, and others occur all the way to Eyjabakkar. This 20 km stretch of river is rich with magnificent falls.

The Falls Trail starts at the Wilderness Center in Norðurdalur valley, an arm of the Fljótsdalur valley. It is an easy walk in a very beautiful area along the river Jökulsá í Fljótsdal and takes about six hours. The river flows through gorges in many places, and on its western side is Kleifarskógur – native birch woodland through which it is pleasant to walk. Hikers may even meet reindeer on the way. When the high plateau is reached, natural hot pools await hikers at the splendid new highland hostel at Laugarfell. For those who prefer walking downhill, it is excellent to begin at Laugarfell and hike down to the Wilderness Center.

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