Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge Trail

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Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge Trail: Short Gorge Walk on Snæfellsnes

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 1 July 2026

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HikeList Score

Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge Trail scored 73/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Very Good

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 53
Balanced challenge 100
Scenery & wildness 98
Varied terrain 71
Accommodation 45
Food & support 38
Path quality 98
Season flexibility 89

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge Trail is a short out-and-back walk on the south coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in west Iceland. It is about 1.1 km return, usually taking 30 minutes to 1 hour, and starts from a free gravel car park off Route 574. The approach is easy, but the walk becomes moderate if you scramble inside the wet, narrow gorge. It suits travellers wanting a quick nature walk, a light scramble and a striking stop between Arnarstapi and Hellnar.

Route Overview

The route starts and ends at the small free gravel car park just off Route 574, roughly 4–5 km north of Arnarstapi, with Hellnar also nearby. From the car park, walk uphill for about 500 m across grassy, rocky and sometimes muddy ground to the visible cleft in Botnsfjall. The return is by the same path; this is not a loop. Inside Rauðfeldsgjá, the river Sleggjubeina runs along slick rock and boulders, with ankle-deep water in places. Most walkers continue only a short way to the small hidden waterfall, then turn back. For other short Icelandic landform walks, compare the Eldborg Crater Loop or the Hverfjall Crater Loop.

Saga History of Rauðfeldsgjá

Rauðfeldsgjá is named in the medieval Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss. In the saga, Rauðfeldur and his brother Sölvi pushed Helga, daughter of Bárður Snæfellsás, out to sea on an iceberg; she drifted unharmed to Greenland. In revenge, Bárður threw Rauðfeldur into the gorge and cast Sölvi from Sölvahamar near Arnarstapi. Bárður later vanished into the Snæfellsjökull ice cap, becoming the guardian spirit of the peninsula.

Notable highlights

The gorge entrance: A narrow cleft in Botnsfjall framed by steep, moss-covered cliffs. It is visible from the car park and usually reached in about 10–15 minutes.

Interior passage and stream: Inside the gorge, the river Sleggjubeina runs over slick rock and boulders. The enclosed slit, cold air and filtered light make this the most atmospheric part of the walk.

Hidden waterfall: A small waterfall drops down the inner wall a short distance into the gorge. Reaching it usually involves wet scrambling, sometimes with help from a fixed rope, and it is the normal turnaround point.

Snæfellsnes coastal and glacier setting: The walk sits beneath Snæfellsjökull glacier on the south side of the peninsula. Outside the gorge, you get open views over lava fields and the coastline.

Saga history: Rauðfeldsgjá is tied to Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss, linking the landscape around Arnarstapi, Sölvahamar and Snæfellsjökull with Icelandic folklore.

Challenges to expect

The main difficulty is not distance but footing. The approach can be muddy, and the gorge interior has slick rock, large boulders, a shallow stream and ankle-deep water. Expect wet feet if you go beyond the entrance. A rope is sometimes fixed at a higher boulder, but do not rely on it. Summer is safest; winter ice makes entering the gorge inadvisable. For a much longer Icelandic mountain day, see the Fimmvörðuháls Trail.

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Ranked #833 of 974

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