Biking and hiking to an alpine lake: Fossvatn near Ísafjörður, Iceland.

This is a wonderful bike ride from Ísafjörður, Iceland where you leave the city and enter quiet farmland with a moderate sized river. I did this trip in October when the colorful leaves of the willows were at their peak and a thing layer of snow had settled on the mountains. It was absolutely gorgeous and I saw no one the entire time. There is a small river crossing where your feet will get wet if you go exactly where I did, but you can avoid that by crossing the bridge on route 61 and turning into the area on the easterly side.

After biking out of town, you will get to the base of a gravel road that heads toward the lake. You can drop your bike at the base or choose to peddle uphill. My bike came out of a dumpster so I would never make it, I chose to hike that section. When you get to the top, there is a lovely reservoir surrounded by glacial fjord. It makes a perfect half day adventure if you’re a casual biker, and you can choose to do a little bit of moderate mountain biking if you follow the trail. Rent a bike at The Fjord Hub if you didn’t bring your own.

Coordinates of the alpine lake: 66.01073, -23.14787

Location: Engilsdalur, outside of Ísafjörður

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Distance and Duration: 22. km / 14 mi

Accessibility: The biking portion is accessible for all types of bike users as it is on a paved path. The hike portion is a gravel road so may not be as accessible for some.

Elevation Gain: 418 m / 1,370 ft

Trail Type: Out-and-back

Gear and Equipment: You will need a bike, good hiking shoes, and a backpack ready for a half day trek or longer depending on what type of adventurer you are.

Essentials: Always bring the 10 essentials!  I would recommend bringing lunch.

Permits and Fees: No permits or entrance fees for hiking or parking.

Weather Check: It’s Iceland, always check weather but be ready for anything. Local emergency number is 112. There is no open shelter in the area but a few summer houses are around.

Trailhead Description: You will see the beginnings of a gravel road across the river, no clear trailhead. Follow coordinates.

Seasons: In the wintertime, it’s only accessible by ski-touring equipment. In the spring, its only accessible when the snow melts but less muddy due to the path being mostly gravel. The best time to use this trail is in the summer or early autumn.

Scenic Points: The valley overlooking the ocean, the river running from the valley, and the alpine lake at the top of the hike.

Challenges: There is one deeper river crossing. I recommend wearing wool socks in case your feet get wet or removing your shoes completly You can also avoid this by entering Engildalur on the easterly side instead of following my path.

Wildlife Encounters: Be quiet and look for arctic foxes and spiders.

Sidequests: There are sidequests around here, look closely for more trails.

Hiking in the light snow of October