Kotagil Gorge is a beautiful, little known gem that makes a perfect pit stop when travelling to or from Akureyri in North Iceland. It’s located right by the main road and therefore really easy to find. The hike through the gorge isn’t difficult as such but you need to watch your step as it’s on very rocky and uneven ground. It’s a pretty short hike as it only takes about an hour to walk to the end of the gorge and back again. At the end of it you’ll even be rewarded with a small but beautiful waterfall.
A perfect place for a refreshing stop. To stretch your legs and possibly eat a little snack. My favourite kind of stop during a long drive.
The gorge is quite narrow and not very long. It’s beautifully rough and it’s walls have some red layers that truly add some cool colour to it. It kind of looks like it’s striped in some sections. Which by the way I don’t think the pictures I took really manage to show. So you just have to go there to see it for yourself 🙂
Small Gorge. Short Hike. Trickier than It Sounds?
I grew up in a tiny town in North Iceland called Sauðárkrókur. I’m pretty sure you haven’t heard about it. You might on the other hand have heard about a town called Akureyri. The “capital” of North Iceland. Kotagil Gorge is located between these two towns so I have driven by it countless times through the years and often thought it could be fun to explore one day.
First Attempt – Accompanied by Small Feet who Didn’t Really Feel Like It
Then one sunny day, seven years ago, I decided to check it out for the first time. I had my two kids with me, then 6 and 11 years old. It was an idea that came up on the spur of the moment so we weren’t really equipped to do this kind of a hike. It was a bit tough for small feet wearing just ordinary sneakers to stumble around on the rocky ground. And to be honest, they weren’t that interested either! Therefore we didn’t get very far into the gorge. Just got a glimpse of it.
But this short visit convinced me it would be worth coming back and walk all the way to the end of the gorge. Even though at that point I wasn’t aware of the small but beautiful waterfall at the end. A nice bonus I learned about later on.
Second Attempt – Water Levels Turned out to Be too High
Then seven years later, in mid June, I did a second attempt with my husband and some friends. Unfortunately we weren’t able to reach the end of the gorge this time around either. Now the reason being the high level of water in the river that runs through the gorge. As the gorge is very narrow, there are times when the river reaches the walls on both sides of it and then you aren’t able to walk along it. And as a result, unable to reach to the end of the gorge. Pretty disappointing, I have to say. But that’s how it is. You can’t argue with mother nature.
Come to think of it, as an alternative when the water level is too high, you might be able to walk along the gorge’s edge and view it from above. I haven’t tried it yet but that must be a completely different experience. If you can walk close enough to the edge that is. I’ll try it some day and let you know if that’s something worth doing.
An Adventurous (and Possibly Wet) Gorge Hike
Anyways, it wasn’t until my third attempt that I finally managed to reach the end of the gorge. This final attempt took place in late July when the water level in the river had decreased to such a level it was possible to walk along it. In most places at least. Some places it was very tricky and I had to be creative and even climb a bit. Nothing serious though. Just made the hike a bit more adventurous and memorable.
Bringing some Wading Shoes is a Good Idea
I do recommend though, to bring some shoes you can wade in. You can bring some special wading shoes with you or just some sandals or a pair of sneakers you are ok with getting soaked in. Depending on the water level, bringing a pair can make this hike much easier and prevent you from being forced to turn around if the water level is too high somewhere on the way.
Besides the wading shoes, I would say a pair of proper hiking shoes are a good idea for this hike. Maybe not essential but recommended for sure. You’ll be walking on a very rocky and uneven surface. It may also get a bit wet and slippery in some places, so steady shoe soles will help you stay on your feet.
Even though I was alone on my third visit, I don’t recommend it. It’s better to have a hiking partner that can lend you a hand when stepping on stones in the water or in other more demanding situations. Especially if you haven’t brought a pair of shoes to wade in.
Where is Kotagil Gorge Located?
The gorge is located in Skagafjörður in North Iceland, about 70 km from Akureyri (it’s coordinates are 65.4544444 -19.0569444).
You’ll see a small sign by the road that says “Kotá” (the name of the river that runs through the gorge). There you can exit the road and park your car. You’ll see the gorge from there. Actually you’ll see it from the road. Just walk under the two old bridges and you can’t go wrong.
Please note that the gorge seems to have two names. I have always known it as “Kotárgil” but on maps it’s called “Kotagil”. So when looking for it on a map you should look for the latter.
One Last Tip
One last tip or advice before hiking Kotagil gorge. It’s not recommended to go there on or after a rainy day as the gorge is very narrow and there is always a risk of a rockfall when it gets wet. When on my last visit there, there had obviously been a rockfall recently at the end of the gorge. A bit scary to be honest so please avoid going there when it’s wet. Even though the hike is beautiful it’s not worth the risk of getting hit in the head by a rock!
If you are interested in getting more historical and geological information about this place, there are a lot of information on this blog here:
An interesting Hike into the craggy Kotagil Gorge in North-IcelandIf you liked this post and think some of your friends might be interested in reading it too, please help me spread the word. I’d really appreciate it if you’d share it on social media by using one of the small icons here down below.
Until next time!
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