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Iceland

Skútustaðahreppur

Skútustaðagígar – View of Lake Mývatn loop from Skútustaðagígar

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Iceland

Skútustaðahreppur

Skútustaðagígar – View of Lake Mývatn loop from Skútustaðagígar

Easy

4.4

(63)

581

hikers

Skútustaðagígar – View of Lake Mývatn loop from Skútustaðagígar

00:25

1.61km

10m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: July 11, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Mývatn og Laxá

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

597 m

Lake Mývatn

Highlight • Lake

Lake Mývatn is located in the area of the Krafla volcanic system in northern Iceland

Translated by Google •

Tip by

922 m

This is the first platform when you walk counterclockwise and is actually facing the lake.
The pseudocraters at Skutustadagigar, the Myvatn lake, are one of the most interesting geological features in Iceland1. These pseudocraters are not real volcanic craters1. They form when volcanic ash covers a small lake. The water underneath evaporates due to the heat, but cannot escape through the layer of ash. Subsequently, under great pressure, an explosion occurs, creating a small crater.

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993 m

View of Lake Mývatn

Highlight • Viewpoint

Mývatn, located in the north of Iceland, is a beautiful lake surrounded by a very active volcanic area. The lake, which is the fourth largest in Iceland, has an area of approximately 37 km². Mývatn's landscape is unique and varied, with numerous small islands and skerries adorning the lake's surface. The area is rich in birds and insects, including the dancing mosquitoes (Chironomidae) from which the lake gets its name. Despite the name “mosquito lake”, these little flies do not sting.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

1.20 km

Mývatn Visitor Centre

Highlight • Rest Area

A very nice visitor center where you can learn about the area's special features. Free exhibits and restrooms are also very informative.

Translated by Google •

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1.44 km

Skútaís Farm Ice Cream

Highlight • Cafe

Skútaís is a family business that makes ice cream on the Skutustaðir farm in Myvatnssveit. They make their own ice cream from the milk from their farm. They also use their own recipes, designed by one of the family members who is a food scientist. The family also runs a guest house at the same location, called Skutustaðir Guesthouse. Skútaís is closed in winter, but opens again in May.

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1.61 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

973 m

332 m

155 m

144 m

Surfaces

1.17 km

221 m

111 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Sunday 19 July

22°C

13°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 12.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

August 27, 2024,Island, Skútustaðir Pseudokrater am Myvatnsee

Beautifully laid out path to view the pseudo craters.
The ice cream at the end was really delicious.

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June 9, 2024,0609/01 Skútustaðir

This walk is not a walk from Rother, but a popular spot on Lake Myvatn. I had prepared a tour of about 5 km around the Stakhólstjörn, but because of the snow it became the short circuit of 1.6 km that all tourists do. The advantage is that the paths here are somewhat free of snow.

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June 14, 2024,Spaziergang am Skútustaðagígar (Myvatn)

First stop in once again glorious weather: Skútustaðagígar at Myvatn (Mosquito Lake).

We came prepared and wore super-stylish hats with mosquito nets. Definitely recommended when visiting Myvatn. The lake is well-deservedly named... 😉

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August 28, 2022,Skútustaðir Pseudokraterfeld

Pseudocraters are formed by steam explosions in flowing magma. At Myvatn there is said to be the most beautiful and largest pseudo crater on earth. However, they are only available on Myvatn, Hawaii and the Azores. And beyond Earth on Mars.

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June 18, 2023,🇮🇸 8.Tag - Island - Skútustaðagígar Crater

The buses stop here, but we didn't find it that great except for the church.
The nearby Hofdi peninsula, on the other hand, is absolutely worth seeing.

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July 18, 2025,Skútustaðagígar

A short 1.5 km walk (a long walk would be 3 km) was lovely.

Free parking

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May 31, 2024,5. Tag in Island: Skutustadagigar (= Pseudokrater).

... around 5 p.m. the 3rd challenge for today. The pseudo craters in S.; formed many thousands of years ago. Several hiking trails lead around the area. We left it at 1.5 km because we had finished something today. Plus the wind whistled non-stop. 😊 But worth seeing and a great view. 👍

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Skútustaðagígar – View of Lake Mývatn loop from Skútustaðagígar

Lake Mývatn