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Dettifoss

The most powerful waterfall in all of Europe.

Iceland

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Dettifoss waterfall.   Superbass/CC BY-SA 3.0
Dettifoss from above.   Hansueli Krapf/CC BY-SA 3.0
The waters of Dettifoss are colored by a nearby glacier.   Tbc/Public Domain
Dettifoss waterfall.   Peter Heuveling/CC BY-SA 4.0
From Drone at Midnight   jeffrobertsonwmt / Atlas Obscura User
Rainbow   Dixontrips / Atlas Obscura User
  jeffrobertsonwmt / Atlas Obscura User
16 May 2025: sunny day and Rainbow at Dettifoss   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
14 May 2025: information sign at Dettifoss   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
  jeffrobertsonwmt / Atlas Obscura User
Dettifoss via Drone at Midnight   jeffrobertsonwmt / Atlas Obscura User
Dettifoss ất Midnight   jeffrobertsonwmt / Atlas Obscura User
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In Iceland's Vatnajökull National Park, the waters of the mighty Dettifoss are ever-crashing.

The waters of the falls comes from the nearby Vatnajökull glacier, whose sediment-rich runoff colors the water a greyish white. The superlative of "most powerful" comes from its water flow coupled with its height. The falls, fed by the wide River Jökulsá, fall a total of about 150 feet, causing a massive, crashing spray. 

This can make getting close to the falls difficult. The pathways surrounding are frequently slippery, and authorities warn visitors to maintain a safe distance due to frequent accidents on the paths. This doesn't stop visitors though. Dettifoss is the Niagara of Iceland and draws thousands of sightseers.

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The best view is by reaching the waterfall from the east. Bring rain gear if you want to get close!

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Published

October 26, 2016

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