Hiking The Kerid Volcanic Crater In Iceland

When we were in Iceland, because we were not familiar with the area, we did utilize a touring company (Gray Line, they were amazing and I will link their site below) for the beginning of the trip to kind of get a feeling for the region. Once we felt more secure about our location, we did rent a car and explore a bit on our own. One place that we noticed driving by initially on the tour bus was the expansive Kerid Volcanic Crater, so once we did have the car this was our first stop!

The Kerid Volcanic Crater

As you can tell from other posts, we really love nature, hiking, and exploring the land. The Kerid Crater seemed like the perfect day trip spot, and it did not disappoint. As we walked up to the edge of the crater, we noticed that even the landscape around this spot was so beautiful. Mountains were ever present in the distance, and there was a really pretty area full of pine trees too.

The Landscape Around The Kerid Volcanic Crater In Iceland

The Landscape Around The Kerid Volcanic Crater In Iceland

Once we were standing on the edge of it, the view was really spectacular. This land formation is about 180 feet (50 meters) deep and is about 560 feet (270 meters) wide, so the area is quite large if you think of the scale of it. It is estimated to be about three thousand years old, and is believed to have been a cone volcano that collapsed into an empty magma chamber. The lake at the bottom of it is a gorgeous aquamarine color due to the various minerals in the soil. (As a side note, at the time we went, swimming was not allowed, but the views and the hike definitely make it worth it!)

The Kerid Volcanic Crater

The Kerid Volcanic Crater In Iceland

The Kerid Volcanic Crater

Once we had walked around the top of it, there is a path that you can walk down that will take you right by the water to look at that more closely as well. When you are by the water, make sure that you look up, and you will see how deep this magma chamber really was at one point! It is interesting that this particular volcanic crater does have red volcanic rock, and this color really shines through with the green moss on it as well.

The Kerid Volcanic Crater

This is a really great day trip place to check out, and it is about an hour drive from the capital of Reykjavik. Let me know in the comments if you have also traveled to this location, and what your experience was like as well. Remember to click that subscribe button, and have a wonderful day!

My absolute favorite book that I have found about Iceland is appropriately also called “Iceland” and is written by Jenna Gottlieb. This book is so detailed with the landmarks in Iceland, and is such a great guide if you are looking to explore this magnificent country. It also reviews when the best times are to see the Northern Lights, the best wild-life watching spots, the best day hikes, and various weekend getaway spots, so make sure that you check it out!