Driving the tricky 570 Road around the Snaefellsjökull glacier
Iceland, europe
18.3 km
658 m
moderate
Year-round
Get ready for a wild ride on Route 570 (Jökulshálsvegur) in western Iceland! This isn't your average Sunday drive; it's an off-road adventure across the western edge of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, and you'll definitely need a 4x4 to tackle it.
Hidden inside Snæfellsjökull National Park, this road is seriously steep and the surface is covered in loose gravel. Expect potholes, blind turns, and surprise hills that will keep you on your toes. Seriously, you NEED a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle for this one.
The road can be pretty rough, with plenty of big rocks to navigate. And if the clouds are low, you might find yourself driving right through them! But the views! You'll be surrounded by an almost lunar landscape that's as bumpy as it is beautiful.
Don't expect to see many other cars out here – it's a pretty secluded route. So, it’s best not to travel alone.
Even though Route 570 has been improved, it still feels like an F-road adventure. Google Maps might even still mark it as F570. You won't have to ford any rivers, but remember this is a mountain road, and snow can linger for a long time.
This 18.3km (11.37 miles) stretch connects Arnarstapi (or Stapi) on the south side of the peninsula to Ólafsvík on the north side, running between Faxaflói bay and Breiðafjörður fjord.
The views are insane, especially of Snæfellsjökull, the 700,000-year-old glacier-topped volcano. Lava is everywhere, in every shape and texture. You’ll feel like you’ve landed on another planet!
As one of Iceland's highest roads, topping out at 658m (2,158ft), it usually only opens during the summer months (late June to early September). This one's not for the faint of heart if you're afraid of heights, but once you reach the top, the panoramic views of the entire Snæfellsnes peninsula are absolutely worth it.
Where is it?
Driving the tricky 570 Road around the Snaefellsjökull glacier is located in Iceland (europe). Coordinates: 64.9651, -17.4509
Road Details
- Country
- Iceland
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 18.3 km
- Max Elevation
- 658 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 64.9651, -17.4509
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