How To Travel The Road F249 (Þórsmerkurvegur)
Iceland, europe
31.9 km
N/A
moderate
Year-round
The infamous Þórsmerkurvegur (F249 Road) is a very exciting and challenging drive located in the Southern Region of Iceland. There are a lot of river crossings on the road. It’s one of the famous F Roads of the country.
The road is 31.9 km (19.82 miles) long, running from the Ring Road to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve. The road is better to be avoided if you don’t have a proper car, enough experience, and perfect knowledge of river crossing rules.
The road starts off as paved (249) and then switches to gravel (F249). It is a rough and challenging road. It's essential to have a reliable 4-wheel-drive vehicle with significant ground clearance to navigate the challenging terrains and river crossings of F249. There are some streams, creeks, and rivers you need to cross to get to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve. For those looking to explore Iceland with a rental car, ensure you choose a vehicle suitable for F-roads to guarantee a safe journey.
The final river crossing (Krossá river) is probably the biggest river crossing you may encounter on marked F-roads in Iceland. Crossing the river requires a large and a specially modified 4×4 vehicle and plenty of experience. This river can be very deep, and it also has loose gravel underneath, providing a very unstable path for vehicles. The river can be different from day to day, so there is no one way to cross it. It needs great experience with Icelandic mountain roads and a vehicle that is fit for these conditions to drive over this river. Even with a super-jeep, it’s not guaranteed you’re gonna pass.
The road is only open during the summer months, usually between late June and early September. Avoid committing your vehicle to what is in front of you until you are sure of what you are getting into because things could get worse. Crossing big rivers requires a bit of experience. You will have to cross 15-20 rivers. Only well-equipped jeeps and larger vehicles are able to cross the rivers. These rivers can be dangerous. Always check the river to ensure that it's not too deep. Car rental vehicles are forbidden to go on the road.
Tucked away in the Þórsmörk Nature Reserve, the moon-like road is very scenic with towering glaciers and volcanoes all around. It’s a popular tourist destination in the southern Icelandic highlands. There is absolutely so much to see on your way there that you can spend a whole day on this road.
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Where is it?
How To Travel The Road F249 (Þórsmerkurvegur) is located in Iceland (europe). Coordinates: 65.5939, -17.7618
Road Details
- Country
- Iceland
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 31.9 km
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 65.5939, -17.7618
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