Háifoss
Háifoss, meaning High Waterfall, is a 122-metre plunge waterfall in the Fossárdalur valley, the innermost section of Þjórsárdalur in South Iceland. It falls almost vertically into a narrow volcanic canyon and is ranked among the four tallest waterfalls in Iceland. Beside it stands Granni, meaning Neighbour, a slimmer cascade falling from the same canyon rim. The two waterfalls are both fed by the Fossá river, which flows into the Þjórsá, the longest river in Iceland. The area was used as a filming location for the final season of Stranger Things, which aired in January 2026.
A Twin Waterfall Dropping 122 Metres into a Volcanic Canyon on the Edge of the Highlands
Háifoss was not formally named or widely known until the geologist Dr. Helgi Pjeturss wrote about it in 1910, at which point it was believed to be not only the highest waterfall in Iceland but in all of Europe. Taller falls have since been identified elsewhere in the country, but Háifoss retains its standing as one of the most dramatic precisely because of its near-vertical drop and the canyon that surrounds it. The canyon walls expose layers of volcanic rock formed over millions of years, and the sheer vertical face of the cliff makes the fall look particularly powerful in periods of high water flow. Granni falls alongside it from the same rim, slightly narrower and with less volume, but striking in the contrast it creates with its more powerful neighbour. The two falls together have been the subject of Icelandic folklore for centuries, with the area said to have been home to an ogress who fished trout from the river and threatened travellers who came too close.
The closing scene of Stranger Things Season 5, which aired on 1 January 2026, was filmed at Háifoss. The sequence shows the character Eleven walking through the Þjórsárdalur valley with the waterfall visible in the background, a setting chosen for its scale and sense of total isolation. The production filmed on location the previous summer. The waterfall itself has not changed as a result, with no visitor infrastructure added and no entrance fee in place, but interest in the site has increased substantially since the episode aired.
Reaching Háifoss requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. From Reykjavik, take Route 1 east, then Route 30 after Selfoss, then Route 32 into Þjórsárdalur. The final section to the car park is on a gravel road that is not maintained in winter. The viewpoint from the car park above the canyon requires only a short walk and gives the most complete view of both waterfalls. A longer trail descends into the canyon to the base of the falls, taking about 1.5 hours. The road is generally accessible from June to mid-September. Háifoss is about 140 kilometres from Reykjavik and pairs naturally with the nearby Viking farm ruins at Stöng and the lush Gjáin valley, both within a short drive.
