Skógafoss, Waterfall in Skógar, Iceland
Skógafoss is a waterfall in southern Iceland that drops 62 meters over a sheer cliff, forming a 25-meter-wide curtain of white water. The Skógá River falls here in one unbroken stream, landing in a shallow pool surrounded by dark volcanic rock.
The cliff over which the water falls once formed the coastline of Iceland, when the sea broke directly against the rock face. Over the centuries, the coast withdrew southward, leaving the waterfall about 5 kilometers inland.
According to local tales, the Viking settler Þrasi Þórólfsson concealed a chest of gold behind the waterfall, with only a ring from the chest later recovered.
Visitors can climb 527 steps to reach an observation platform at the top, offering views over the southern coastal plain. The ascent requires sturdy footwear and some time, as the steep metal path can become slippery when wet.
When the sun shines, the dense water mist at the base produces one or sometimes two rainbows that appear directly in front of the falling water. The spray is so thick that visitors can become completely soaked within a few steps of approaching the pool.
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