Grafarlaug (Reykjadalslaug)

Which Grafarlaug this is

Several places in Iceland carry the farm name Gröf, and “Grafarlaug” simply means the pool of Gröf, so the name can be confusing. This page covers the pool in Dalabyggð, the Dalir district of West Iceland, on a track called Grafarland in the hills just east of Route 60 and south of Búðardalur. It is the only hot spring named Grafarlaug in OpenStreetMap, where it is also mapped as Reykjadalslaug after the valley and river beside it, and it is the Grafarlaug described by Iceland Review in its 2024 round-up of little-known hot pools. There is a second place called Grafarland in Borgarbyggð, further south, but no hot pool is mapped there.

Information on this pool is thin. The West Iceland tourism office does not list it, the municipality does not publish anything about it, and no one appears to run it. Treat everything below as a starting point, and check with locals in Búðardalur if you can.

What to expect

Grafarlaug is a man-made bathing pool, not a natural hot pot. According to Iceland Review it was built in 1956 and later seemingly abandoned, but the warm water never stopped. The magazine describes a steady flow at about 86°F30°C. That is lukewarm compared with most Icelandic hot pots, more of a long, cool soak than a heat-up on a cold day.

OpenStreetMap shows a slightly more detailed picture. Mappers who visited in September 2025 recorded three small pools side by side: one at roughly 104°F40°C, one at about 88°F31°C and a cold one around 66°F19°C. A few small buildings stand nearby, and there is a parking spot about 75 m (250 ft) from the water. None of this comes with an official stamp, and conditions in an unmaintained pool can change from year to year.

The appeal is the setting. The pool sits about 100 m (330 ft) above sea level in a quiet side valley, well away from Route 1. Traffic is light, and Iceland Review notes the feeling of being alone in the world here. Do not expect clear blue water, tidy stonework or anything that looks like a postcard. Expect an old pool in a farm valley, and you will not be disappointed.

Getting there

Grafarlaug lies just off Route 60 (Vestfjarðavegur), the road from the Ring Road to Búðardalur and the Westfjords.

• From Reykjavík or Borgarnes: Take Route 1 north to just past Bifröst, then turn left onto Route 60 and climb over the Brattabrekka pass. The pool is about 10 km (6 miles) north of the Brattabrekka saddle as the crow flies, in the hills to your right (east). Look for the turn near the farm Gröf.
• From Búðardalur: Drive south on Route 60. The pool is roughly 20 km (12 miles) south of the village as the crow flies, and the turn is on your left.

From Route 60 a gravel track called Grafarland runs east up the valley to the pool, which is about 1.5 km (1 mile) from the main road in a straight line. A normal car should manage it in dry weather, but take it slowly and turn back if it is soft or rutted. Park at the small parking spot near the pools and do not block any gates or farm access. If you are unsure where the track starts, an offline map with the OpenStreetMap coordinates (64.96077, -21.51655) is the easiest way to find it.

When to go

There is no official season and no opening hours. In practice, June to September is the sensible window: the track is dry, the weather is mildest and the long days give you time to find the place.

In winter, Brattabrekka can close in storms, and an unplowed gravel track in a side valley is not somewhere to get stuck. With water at around 86°F30°C, the pool will also feel cold once you get out into an Icelandic winter wind. Check umferdin.is and vedur.is before setting out at any time of year.

Rules and etiquette

No one publishes rules for Grafarlaug, which makes good manners more important, not less.

• Assume you are on someone’s land. The pool appears to sit on farmland, and one of the mapped pools is tagged as private, although a mapper saw no signs in 2025. If there is a sign, a closed gate or someone from the farm, ask before you go in, and leave if asked.
• Swimsuits on. It is a farm valley, not a remote canyon.
• Rinse first if you can. There is no shower. Wash before you set out, as you would before any Icelandic pool.
• No soap or shampoo in the water, and no glass.
• Park only where there is room. Never on the verge of a farm track or in front of a gate.
• Take everything out. There are no bins.
• Do not alter the pools or the pipework. Damming, digging or redirecting the flow can ruin it for the next visitor.

Where to stay nearby

There is nowhere to stay at the pool.

• Búðardalur: The service village for Dalir, roughly 20 km (12 miles) north, with a shop, fuel and places to stay.
• Laugar in Sælingsdalur: Further north past Búðardalur, Dalahótel offers rooms, a restaurant, a campsite and a swimming pool, right below the free hot pool of Guðrúnarlaug.
• Borgarnes: The nearest larger town to the south, back over Brattabrekka, with hotels and full services.

Safety notes

• Water quality: Nobody tests or cleans this pool. Keep your head out of the water, avoid it with open cuts, and skip it if the water looks murky or smells bad.
• Temperature: At around 86°F30°C, the main pool is cool enough that you can get chilled on a windy day. Keep a warm layer and a hat in the car.
• Footing: Old concrete and stone edges can be broken, uneven or slippery with algae. Step in carefully and wear sandals.
• Remoteness: It is a short walk from the car, but few people pass by. Tell someone where you are going.
• The track: Gravel farm tracks can wash out after heavy rain. Do not push on with a two-wheel-drive car if it looks bad.

Nearby stops worth adding

Combine Grafarlaug with Guðrúnarlaug at Laugar in Sælingsdalur, a warmer, better-kept pool with a changing house and a saga story attached. Búðardalur itself sits on the shore of Hvammsfjörður and is the natural place to stop for food and fuel. Heading south, the Brattabrekka pass gives wide views back over Dalir on a clear day.