Driving the wild F223 Road in southern Iceland

Located in the Southern Region of Iceland, the F223 (Eldgjárvegur) is a challenging drive with breathtaking landscapes. 4x4 vehicles with significant fording capacity only. No service or network. It’s one of the famous F Roads of the country.

Where does F223 Road start and end?

The road is totally unpaved and runs from the southern part of F208 Road (Fjallabaksleið Nyrðri) towards a parking lot near Ófærufoss. The parking lot serves as a starting point to the Ófærufoss waterfall and to visit Eldgjá, a gigantic canyon created by the largest volcanic eruption on Earth in the last millennium.

How difficult is F223 Road?

The Eldgjárvegur (F223) itself is not a difficult track. It’s actually quite straightforward, with no river crossings or major obstacles along the way. The main reason it carries the F-road designation is that the only way to reach it is by traveling through other F-roads.

The real difficulty lies in the approach, particularly along the F208, which is known for its rough terrain. This route includes steep rocky slopes, uneven stretches, loose stones, and soft muskeg.

If you’re coming from the south, you’ll need to ford a medium-sized river, so a mid-sized 4WD vehicle is the minimum requirement.
Approaching from the north involves crossing several small to medium rivers, again making at least a medium-sized 4×4 essential for safe travel.

How long is F223 Road?

The road is 1.4 km (0.86 miles) long only. Once you reach Eldgjá, there’s a huge car park with a ranger’s hut and modern toilets.

Is F223 Road open in winter?

The drive gives way to some of Iceland's most epic landscapes. It’s only open during the summer months, usually between late June and early September.
Pic: By Borvan53 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29397805