North IcelandSulfur fields
Hverir (Namaskarð)
One of Iceland’s largest and most accessible high-temperature geothermal areas. Boiling mud pots, steam vents, and sulfur-encrusted fumaroles spread across a barren landscape near Lake Mývatn.
Geothermal Areas
Geothermal Areas of Iceland: Hot Springs, Mud Pools & Fumaroles
Boiling mud, steaming vents, and natural hot springs: Iceland sits on one of Earth's most volcanically active hotspots, and its geothermal areas show it.
Safety warning
Stay on marked paths
Ground near hot springs can be thin and unstable. Boiling water lies just beneath the surface.
Sources and last reviewed
Last reviewed: 2026-03-03
This guide is for trip planning, not emergency guidance. Geothermal areas contain scalding water and unstable ground. Always stay on marked paths and boardwalks, and never touch geothermal water unless in a designated bathing area.
Pages are reviewed for practical usefulness, source quality, and volatile claims before publication.
Official sources to check
HighlandsHot springs + rhyolite mountains
Landmannalaugar
In the Highlands, a natural hot spring mixes with a cold river to form a bathing spot amid colorful rhyolite mountains. Starting point of the Laugavegur trek.
South IcelandSwimmable hot river
Reykjadalur Hot Spring River
A geothermally heated river in a valley near Hveragerði. A 3 km hike through steaming hillsides leads to a section where hot and cold water mix for comfortable bathing.
South IcelandHistoric outdoor pool
Seljavallalaug
One of Iceland’s oldest swimming pools, built in 1923 and fed by a natural hot spring. It sits in a narrow valley beneath Eyjafjallajökull. Free and open year-round but unmaintained.
HighlandsGeothermal oasis
Hveravellir
A geothermal area in the interior highlands between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. Hot springs, silica deposits, and a small bathing pool at a refuge used since saga times.
ReykjanesPowerful mud pools + steam
Gunnuhver
Iceland’s largest mud pool and one of Europe’s most powerful geothermal vents, located near the tip of the Reykjanes peninsula. Named after a ghost from Icelandic folklore. Boardwalk viewing only.
ReykjanesColorful geothermal area
Krýsuvík-Seltún
A geothermal field on the Reykjanes peninsula with bubbling mud pots, steaming vents, and soil stained yellow, orange, red, and green by sulfur and mineral deposits.
South IcelandSmall natural hot pot
Hrunalaug
A small natural hot pot near the village of Flúðir in South Iceland. Hand-built stone basin fed by a geothermal spring. A small donation is requested to help with upkeep.
Hverir: Boiling Mud and Sulfur by Lake Mývatn
Hverir (also known as Namaskarð) is a high-temperature geothermal field on the eastern shore of Lake Mývatn in North Iceland, on the Krafla volcanic system. The area is a wide expanse of clay and sulfur with no vegetation: bubbling mud cauldrons, hissing fumaroles, and steaming vents against a backdrop of rust-colored ridges.
The geothermal activity here is driven by magma just 2-3 km below the surface, which heats the groundwater. Surface temperatures at the vents can exceed 100°C. The mineral deposits (yellow sulfur, white silica, red iron oxides) color the ground, and the landscape has drawn comparison to Mars.
Hverir sits right off Route 1 and is one of Iceland's most accessible geothermal areas. There is no entrance fee. A small parking area serves visitors year-round, though the area can be icy in winter. No boardwalks are installed; visitors walk freely but must take care near boiling mud pots and steam vents. The Krafla caldera, Víti crater, and Mývatn Nature Baths are all nearby.
Planning help
Iceland geothermal areas FAQs
Quick answers with safety notes where it matters.