Goðafoss

Goðafoss is accessed just off Highway 1 east of Akureyri. From the junction of Highway 1 and Route 828 at the south end of Akureyri, follow Highway 1 east for just over 43km and turn right where a sign points to Goðafoss, and park in the designated area. Trails lead to views along the rim of the gorge in a few hundred feet - use caution when scrambling on the rocks adjacent to the falls as they may be slick (and stay away from the river, as it is very swift). Following the trail downstream along the gorge and across the footbridge near the highway allows for access to trails on the opposite side of the falls for a different perspective (this will end up being a walk of about a kilometer from the main parking area).Because of its ease of access, size, and storied history, Goðafoss is one of the most well known waterfalls in Iceland. The Skjálfandafljót is one of the larger rivers originating from the Vatnajökull, and as such Goðafoss is one of the more powerful waterfalls in the country. The falls are formed where the river intersects a very symmetrical horseshoe-shaped cliff and plunges 37 feet in four distinct segments (outside of flood stage) across the 370-foot breadth of the horseshoe, with two of the four segments accounting for about 85 percent of the volume of the falls. Just upstream of the falls, a portion of the river splits off in a parallel channel which flows west, away from the falls. In a very geologically odd contrast, this channel features several small rapids and rifles, but has no distinct waterfall of its own. Just before this channel reaches Highway 1 it merges with another parallel river, and only after passing under the highway are there some small waterfalls to account for the elevation change found between the top of Goðafoss and the confluence of the two streams. This affectively means that perhaps 15-20% of the volume of the Skjálfandafljót actually bypasses Goðafoss and Geitafoss entirely.Goðafoss - literally "Waterfall of the Gods" - gets its storied name from a tale which tells of Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, the Lawspeaker (a political position in early Icelandic government) who was charged with determining an official national religion for Iceland in or around the year 1000. Christianity was ultimately chosen, and it is said that after the decision was made, he visited the falls and tossed his statues of the Norse gods into the river at the falls, while secretly maintaining his allegiance to the Norse deities. We should note that the name of the falls is often written in english as Godafoss, however this is phonetically not correct, as the Icelandic character "ð" (called eth) is more accurately pronounced like the "th" in the word "father", so the more accurate english spelling would be Gothafoss (pronounced GO-thah-foss).