“A single Justin Bieber music video sent so many visitors to Fjadrargljufur that Iceland had to close the canyon to let the trampled moss recover.”
About Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Fjadrargljufur was carved over thousands of years by the Fjadra river cutting through soft palagonite rock left by glaciers. Little known internationally until 2015, it exploded in popularity after featuring in Justin Bieber's 'I'll Show You'. The flood of visitors damaged the fragile vegetation, prompting authorities to close access periodically and build managed paths.
Overview Fjadrargljufur is a serpentine canyon up to 100 metres deep and about two kilometres long in south-east Iceland, its mossy walls of palagonite rock twisting around the Fjadra river below. A rim path follows the edge to a series of viewpoints. The canyon went viral after Justin Bieber filmed his 2015 video 'I'll Show You' clambering around it, triggering a tourism surge that later forced temporary closures to let the vegetation recover.
Overview Fjadrargljufur is a serpentine canyon up to 100 metres deep and about two kilometres long in south-east Iceland, its mossy walls of palagonite rock twisting around the Fjadra river below.
Fragile Ground The moss and thin soil on the canyon walls are easily destroyed and slow to regrow, so the path is now fenced and visitors are asked to stay on it.
The Experience
A trail runs along the rim to platforms overlooking the green, twisting gorge with the river threading the bottom. The walls are draped in moss, and in the right light the whole canyon glows. The damage from the viral years is why the route is now fenced — the appeal is the view from the edge rather than scrambling inside.
Why It Matters
Fjadrargljufur became a textbook case of social-media tourism overwhelming a fragile site, and of how a country responds — with closures, boardwalks and restoration. It is also simply one of the most striking canyons on the south coast, near Kirkjubaejarklaustur.
Fjadrargljufur became a textbook case of social-media tourism overwhelming a fragile site, and of how a country responds — with closures, boardwalks and restoration.
Why Visit
It is a dramatic, accessible canyon just off the ring road and a real-world lesson in responsible travel. Stay strictly on the marked rim path, go early to avoid crowds, and check that it is open, as it still closes seasonally to protect the moss.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Stay on the marked rim path — the moss on the walls is fragile and slow to recover from trampling.
- 2
Check ahead, as the canyon still closes seasonally to let the vegetation regrow.
- 3
It sits just off the ring road near Kirkjubaejarklaustur, easy to combine with south-coast stops.
- 4
Go early or late; the narrow viewpoints get congested with tour traffic midday.
