Tungudalur: Waterfall, Forest and Ski Slope in Ísafjörður’s Backyard Valley

Most hikes around Ísafjörður climb steeply out of the fjord. Tungudalur is the exception: a low, green valley a few minutes from town where the walking is gentle and the payoff is a waterfall, a rare Icelandic woodland and, in winter, the local ski slope. It is the easiest nature outing a guest can do without a full day or a rental car.

What Tungudalur Is

Tungudalur (“Tongue Valley”) sits at the head of Skutulsfjörður, the fjord that holds Ísafjörður. The municipality runs it as a recreation area, so alongside the forest and waterfall you will find walking trails, a campsite and a small golf course. The valley floor is home to Tunguskógur, a mix of natural downy birch and planted trees that is unusual in a country with very little woodland. Sheltered from the prevailing wind, it feels calmer and warmer than the open coast.

The Waterfall and Forest Walk

The main walking loop starts near Bunárfoss and works up through the trees. The valley’s waterfall drops through open ground flanked by summer wildflowers before the path enters the forest, so you get water, meadow and woodland in one short outing. It is family-friendly terrain: broad tracks, modest gradients and plenty of shade, which is a real contrast to the steep town-side ridges. Give yourself roughly one to two hours for a relaxed round trip, longer if you carry on toward the higher tracks.

Winter Skiing

In winter the same valley becomes the Ísafjörður ski area. Tungudalur handles downhill skiing with lifts, while neighbouring Seljalandsdalur has groomed cross-country tracks, both about eight minutes’ drive from the town centre. Be honest with your timing: the ski lifts run only in the winter season, so if you are visiting in summer, come for the forest and waterfall rather than the slopes.

Practical Details

• Getting there: about a 5-minute drive from central Ísafjörður toward the head of the fjord; walkable in roughly 30–40 minutes if you would rather go on foot.
• Duration: allow 1–2 hours for the waterfall-and-forest loop; a full afternoon if you add the campsite area or higher tracks.
• What to bring: waterproof shoes or boots, a windproof layer even in summer, and insect protection on still, warm days near the trees.
• When to go: summer for the woodland walk and waterfall; winter for skiing (lifts operate in the ski season only).

Where to Stay

The Ísafjörður Inn puts you in the middle of town, walking distance from the harbour, pool and restaurants — and close enough that Tungudalur is either a short stroll or a five-minute drive at the end of the day. That makes it easy to fit the valley around the rest of a Westfjords itinerary rather than building a whole day around it. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: Greipur via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.