Fagridalur: the Ring Road between Egilsstaðir and Reyðarfjörður
Fagridalur is the valley drive on the Ring Road between Egilsstaðir and Reyðarfjörður, according to Visit Austurland’s Fjord to Fjord route.
Fagridalur is the valley drive on the Ring Road that leads to Reyðarfjörður, and Visit Austurland translates the name as “Beautiful Valley”. Vegagerðin’s distance tool labels its 33 km all-paved Egilsstaðir to Reyðarfjörður row Fagridalur, with 31.08 km on Route 1 (Hringvegur) and 2.28 km on Route 92 (Norðfjarðarvegur). Visit Austurland (source checked 2026-11-10) Vegagerðin distance tool (source checked 2026-11-10)
Key takeaways
- Visit Austurland’s Fjord to Fjord route describes a valley drive through Fagridalur on the Ring Road, leading to Reyðarfjörður, then east to Eskifjörður and through a tunnel to Neskaupstaður. Visit Austurland (source checked 2026-11-10)
- Vegagerðin’s distance tool labels the 33 km all-paved Egilsstaðir to Reyðarfjörður row Fagridalur, with Route 1 (Hringvegur) for 31.08 km and Route 92 (Norðfjarðarvegur) for 2.28 km. Vegagerðin distance tool (source checked 2026-11-10)
- Visit Austurland places Höttur, 1106 m, in the mountain range between Vellir and Fagridalur, with the walk starting at a sign by road nr 1 east of the Gilsá river. Visit Austurland, Hottur (source checked 2026-11-10)
- An Ísland.is item dated 3 November 2020 reports that the Austurland Civil Protection committee activated its operations command because of wind, snowfall and ice on Fagridalur, and that seven people needed assistance. Ísland.is, 3 November 2020 (source checked 2026-11-10)
| Fact | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Valley drive on the Ring Road between Egilsstaðir and Reyðarfjörður | Visit Austurland and Vegagerðin (checked November 10, 2026) |
| Name | Translated by Visit Austurland as Beautiful Valley | Visit Austurland, Fjord to Fjord (checked November 10, 2026) |
| Egilsstaðir to Reyðarfjörður, Fagridalur row | 33 km, all paved | Vegagerðin distance tool (checked November 10, 2026) |
| Roads in that row | Route 1 (Hringvegur) 31.08 km; Route 92 (Norðfjarðarvegur) 2.28 km | Vegagerðin distance tool (checked November 10, 2026) |
| Another row in the tool | 53 km via Þórdalsheiði (28 km paved, 25 km gravel) | Vegagerðin distance tool (checked November 10, 2026) |
| Nearby mountain | Höttur, 1106 m; walk starts at a sign by road nr 1 east of the Gilsá river | Visit Austurland (checked November 10, 2026) |
| Road conditions | umferdin.is | Vegagerðin (checked November 10, 2026) |
What is Fagridalur?
Fagridalur is a valley drive on the Ring Road between Egilsstaðir and Reyðarfjörður. Visit Austurland’s Fjord to Fjord route calls the drive a visual treat and translates the name as Beautiful Valley, and Vegagerðin’s distance tool labels its 33 km Egilsstaðir to Reyðarfjörður row Fagridalur. Visit Austurland (source checked 2026-11-10) Vegagerðin distance tool (source checked 2026-11-10)
Which road goes through Fagridalur, Route 1 or Route 92?
Both appear in Vegagerðin’s row for Egilsstaðir to Reyðarfjörður via Fagridalur: 1 Hringvegur for 31.08 km and 92 Norðfjarðarvegur for the last 2.28 km, out of 33 km, all paved. The tool lists four other routes between the two towns, such as 53 km via Þórdalsheiði with 25 km of gravel. Vegagerðin distance tool (source checked 2026-11-10)
| Label or pass | Length | Paved / gravel | Roads listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fagridalur | 33 km | 33 km / 0 km | 1 Hringvegur 31.08 km; 92 Norðfjarðarvegur 2.28 km Vegagerðin (source checked 2026-11-10) |
| Þórdalsheiði | 53 km | 28 km / 25 km | 95 Skriðdals- og Breiðdalsvegur 28.26 km; 936 Þórdalsheiðarvegur 21.23 km; 1 Hringvegur 1.11 km; 92 Norðfjarðarvegur 2.28 km Vegagerðin (source checked 2026-11-10) |
| Breiðdalsheiði, Suðurfirðir eystri, Fáskrúðsfjarðargöng | 143 km | 116 km / 27 km | 95 Skriðdals- og Breiðdalsvegur 81.08 km; 1 Hringvegur 60.09 km; 92 Norðfjarðarvegur 2.28 km Vegagerðin (source checked 2026-11-10) |
| Öxi, Suðurfirðir eystri, Fáskrúðsfjarðargöng | 167 km | 143 km / 24 km | 95 Skriðdals- og Breiðdalsvegur 43.7 km; 939 Axarvegur 20.71 km; 1 Hringvegur 100.75 km; 92 Norðfjarðarvegur 2.28 km Vegagerðin (source checked 2026-11-10) |
| Breiðdalsheiði, Suðurfirðir eystri, Vattarnes | 179 km | 150 km / 29 km | 95 Skriðdals- og Breiðdalsvegur 81.08 km; 1 Hringvegur 43.68 km; 955 Vattarnesvegur 48.9 km; 1 Hringvegur 2.88 km; 92 Norðfjarðarvegur 2.28 km Vegagerðin (source checked 2026-11-10) |
What is near Fagridalur?
Visit Austurland’s Fjord to Fjord route continues from the Fagridalur drive to Reyðarfjörður, then east to Eskifjörður and through a tunnel to Neskaupstaður, the main town of Norðfjörður. The mountain Höttur, 1106 m, lies in the range between Vellir and Fagridalur. Vegagerðin’s Fagridalur row ends at Reyðarfjörður and gives no distance to the other towns. Visit Austurland (source checked 2026-11-10) Visit Austurland, Hottur (source checked 2026-11-10) Vegagerðin distance tool (source checked 2026-11-10)
For services and overnight stops at either end, use the Egilsstaðir and Reyðarfjörður guides.
Can you hike Höttur from Fagridalur?
Visit Austurland describes the walk up Höttur (Hátúnahöttur), 1106 m, from a sign by road nr 1 east of the Gilsá river, towards the Grjótá river by Víðihjalli, up along the river and to Hattarhólar, then inland to the top. The page gives no walking time or length, so none is stated here. Visit Austurland, Hottur (source checked 2026-11-10)
Has the Fagridalur road been dangerous in winter?
An Ísland.is news item dated 3 November 2020 reports that the Austurland Civil Protection committee activated its operations command because of great wind, snowfall and ice on Fagridalur. Several cars left the road between Eyvindarárdalur in the north and Grænafell in the south, and a total of seven people needed assistance. The item is marked as more than a year old. Ísland.is, 3 November 2020 (source checked 2026-11-10)
In a news item dated 15 October 2024, Vegagerðin said it would start sending SMS alerts about avalanche danger that autumn to subscribing travellers on the Ring Road (1) over Fagridalur. The item listed four levels: a warning of avalanche danger in the coming hours; an uncertainty level, with avalanche danger persisting and travellers urged not to travel unnecessarily; a danger level with the road closed; and the danger level lifted with the road open. Vegagerðin, 15 October 2024 (source checked 2026-11-10)
The Icelandic Meteorological Office’s website carried a landslide-watch item dated 27 October 2026 that said intense rainfall had been recorded in several areas, including the East Fjords. The item did not name Fagridalur. Icelandic Met Office, 27 October 2026 (source checked 2026-11-10)
Vegagerðin says its watch stations update information on driving conditions and road conditions on umferdin.is; see current road conditions there. Vegagerðin (source checked 2026-11-10)
Sources checked November 10, 2026: Fjord to Fjord; Hottur; Vegagerðin’s Egilsstaðir to Reyðarfjörður distance table; the Ísland.is item of 3 November 2020; the Icelandic Met Office website.
Planning help
Questions about Fagridalur: the Ring Road between Egilsstaðir and Reyðarfjörður
Quick answers with safety notes where it matters.
Is the road through Fagridalur Route 92?
Mostly Route 1 (Hringvegur). Vegagerðin's 33 km Egilsstaðir to Reyðarfjörður row labelled Fagridalur lists 1 Hringvegur for 31.08 km and 92 Norðfjarðarvegur for 2.28 km, so Route 92 is part of the route (checked November 10, 2026).
Does the valley drive include Neskaupstaður?
Visit Austurland's Fjord to Fjord route continues from Reyðarfjörður east to Eskifjörður and through a tunnel to Neskaupstaður. Vegagerðin's Fagridalur row ends at Reyðarfjörður and gives no distance to Neskaupstaður (checked November 10, 2026).
What does Fagridalur mean?
Visit Austurland says the name Fagridalur translates as Beautiful Valley (checked November 10, 2026).
Where does the Höttur walk start?
Visit Austurland says the walk starts at a sign by road nr 1 east of the Gilsá river and ends on the summit of Höttur, 1106 m. The page gives no walking time (checked November 10, 2026).
Where do I check road conditions on Fagridalur?
Vegagerðin says its watch stations update information on driving conditions and road conditions on umferdin.is (checked November 10, 2026).
Country reference: Iceland statistics.