Photo spot in Hraunfossar & Húsafell
The Barnafoss footbridge
Five minutes upstream: blue water forced through a narrow chute and a natural rock arch, seen from directly above.
About The Barnafoss footbridge
Get directionsBarnafoss is the opposite of its gentle neighbour. The Hvítá squeezes into a rock channel and comes through fast and loud in a chute of extraordinary blue, past a natural stone arch that gives the falls their legend. A footbridge crosses right above it, putting the whole rush directly below you.
From the bridge, shoot straight down for an abstract of blue and white, or across for the arch and the rapids with the couple leaning on the rail. It is a five-minute walk from the main platform along the same path, which makes it a natural second scene in even a short session.
The bridge is narrow and other visitors need to pass, so this is a spot for a handful of frames rather than a set. Spray keeps the deck damp and it ices in winter; hold the rail rather than the pose. The rocks below and beyond the marked area are wet, undercut and genuinely dangerous — the bridge and the path are the whole of the site.
Best time to shoot
Any hour — the chute is shaded and the blue holds
Tips
Straight down from the bridge for the blue abstract, across for the arch. A handful of frames, then let people pass.
Other spots in Hraunfossar & Húsafell
The first viewing platform
Thirty seconds from the car park: the full band of white water running out of black lava into the turquoise Hvítá.
The west end of the falls path
A few hundred metres along the marked path, where the falls thin out and the crowd disappears.
Húsafell woods and the canyon baths
Ten minutes east: birch woods, the Hvítá, and the Giljaböð hot pools in a canyon — a guided, pre-booked visit.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know The Barnafoss footbridge — free of charge.