Hallormsstaður Forest
Hallormsstaður is Iceland's largest national forest, a 740-hectare woodland on the eastern shore of Lake Lagarfljót near Egilsstaðir. In a country where trees cover less than one percent of the land, a proper forest is a genuine rarity, and Hallormsstaður has been growing and expanding since the birchwood remnants here were first protected in 1905. Today it is a popular hiking and recreation area with over 40 kilometres of marked trails, a remarkable arboretum containing 85 tree species from around the world, and two lakeside camping grounds.
Iceland's Oldest National Forest, Growing on the Banks of Lagarfljót Since 1905
Iceland was heavily forested when Norse settlers arrived in the 9th century, but centuries of land clearance for timber, charcoal, and grazing stripped the island of the vast majority of its trees. By the early 20th century, woodland covered only a tiny fraction of the country. The birch remnants at Hallormsstaður farm were among the most intact survivors, and in 1905 they became Iceland's first nationally protected forest. A forestry station was established in 1903 to experiment with replanting, and over the following decades foresters introduced tree species from across the northern hemisphere to test which could adapt to Iceland's climate and soil. The result is the Hallormsstaður Arboretum, an extraordinary collection of 85 species from over 600 locations worldwide, including larches, spruce, pine, and rowan varieties alongside the native birch. The oldest planted grove, Guttormslundur, dates to 1938 and is named after the ranger who tended it.
The forest covers around 740 hectares and sits within a varied landscape of birch woodland, planted groves, open meadow, and lake shore. Over 40 kilometres of marked hiking trails thread through the trees, colour-coded by difficulty and length. One of the most rewarding routes follows the blue trail through the Flat Forest area and up to the Falcon Cliffs, which give a panoramic view over the forest canopy and Lagarfljót below. A shorter and easier path leads to Ljósárfoss waterfall, a pleasant round trip of about an hour. The forest is also home to the Lagarfljótsormur legend, Iceland's equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster, said to inhabit the murky glacial waters of the lake beside the trees.
Hallormsstaður village sits in the middle of the forest and has a hotel with two restaurants, a spa, and summer facilities including an ice-cream shop. Two camping grounds, at Atlavík and Höfðavík on the lake shore, offer pitches among the trees with hot water and washing facilities. The forest is free to enter and open year-round. From Egilsstaðir, the main town of East Iceland, the shortest route takes Road 95 and then Road 931 along the east side of Lagarfljót, covering about 27 kilometres in roughly 25 minutes.
