19 Jan Kerid Crater in Iceland

Kerid Crater is one of many volcanic wonders located in Iceland. Scientists believe the crater formed when a cone-shaped volcano collapsed into itself thousands of years ago. It has a reddish color, which is due to its youth. Since it is only about 3,000 years old, the iron deposits have not yet turned black in color. Additionally, there is a small lake at the bottom of the crater. Feel free to walk right up to the water’s edge, but keep in mind swimming is prohibited. 

Maybe you would rather book a tour of the Golden Circle (which includes a stop at Kerid Crater) than plan out the logistics yourself? Then check out these best Golden Circle Tours in Iceland.

Contents:

1) Location of Kerid Crater

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

3) The Best Time to Visit

4) Quick Facts

5) Background

6) Recommended Items to Bring

7) Nearby Attractions 

1) Location of Kerid Crater

The Kerid Crater is located within the Golden Circle in Iceland, making it the perfect addition to your itinerary no matter whether you are in Iceland for a weekend or an entire week. For reference, it is only 40 minutes from Thingvellir National Park. Additionally, it is only one hour outside of the capital city of Reykjavík and one and a half hours from Keflavík International Airport.

While driving along the Golden Circle, you will find the crater right off of road 35. There should also be a sign along the road to indicate the attraction. 

Parking

The pull off for the parking lot is off the main road, which makes it fairly easy to spot. There is no parking fee. 

Nearby Lodging

For nearby lodging, check out Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast. We stayed here our first night in Iceland and could not have asked for a better experience. Additionally, we asked the owner for recommendations on nearby attractions, and they told us all about a nearby tarn in Flúðir (aka a lake on top of a mountain). We decided to check it out for ourselves, and we are glad we did. It was quite beautiful and even ended up being one of our favorite hidden gems of the trip. 

If you are looking for additional recommendations, then check out the best hotels in the Golden Circle. On the other hand, you can book a room at one of the most romantic hotels in Iceland (many of which are in or near the Golden Circle).

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

The opening hours of the crater depend upon the season. In the summer from June to August, you can visit the crater from 8:30am to 9:00pm. On the other hand in the winter from September to May, you can visit while it is daylight outside. 

Entrance Fee

There is an entrance fee to see the beautiful Kerid Crater in Iceland. The fee is 400 ISK or $3 per person. Although, children 12 years of age and under are able to visit for free. While it is not a large amount, the fee helps the owners of the property upkeep the area. The crater is on private land, and the owners are thus kind enough to let visitors come see the crater every single day for just a small fee. 

In my opinion, the small fee is well worth it to see the crater. 

View of Kerid Crater from the path around the top

3) The Best Time to Visit Kerid Crater

While Kerid Crater is a beautiful attraction, it is not as popular as other attractions located within the Golden Circle. That being said, you are likely to encounter minimal crowds during your visit. We only saw 10 to 20 other people there while we were visiting, and there is plenty of room for everyone to have their own space to snap some photos. 

Even though it is not as popular as other attractions, it is still recognized by many as worthy to include in your Golden Circle itinerary.

Best Season to Visit

In my opinion, the best season to visit the crater is summer. First, you can walk on the path around the top of the crater with no problem. However, in the winter there is likely to be snow or ice along the trail. Second, you can walk down the stairs to the water’s edge at the bottom of the crater. However, the stairs might become dangerous in winter due to icy or snowy conditions. 

Nevertheless, I will say that the crater looks magical in the wintertime. The lake at the bottom freezes over, and snow often accumulates on the crater walls. Therefore, you will be rewarded with a beautiful attraction no matter when you visit. You just might be limited in where you can walk if you visit in winter. 

Estimated Visit Time

The trail around the top of the crater plus the stairs down to the water’s edge plus the trail around the water amount to about one mile (~1.6 kilometers) in length. An average visitor can complete the mile trail in approximately 30 minutes. However, we spent around 45 minutes here due to the fact that we took our time along the trail and stopped to take pictures at a few points. I would recommend that you thus plan for 45 minutes to one hour for a visit. 

4) Quick Facts on Kerid Crater

1. Kerid Crater is located within the Golden Circle in Iceland. 

2. The entrance fee is 400 ISK or $3 per person. 

3. There is a trail around the top of the crater, a set of stairs down to the water’s edge at the bottom, and a trail around the water at the bottom of the crater. 

4. The reddish color of the crater is due to the fact it is only 3,000 years old. As it grows older, it will start to turn black in color. 

5. The crater is approximately 180 feet (~55 meters) deep and 558 feet (~170 meters) wide. 

View of Kerid Crater from the path around the top

5) Background

While you can appreciate Kerid Crater without knowing much about its history or dimensions, learning a bit of information about it beforehand can make a visit even more special. 

History and Appearance

Kerid Crater is an approximately 3,000 year old volcanic crater in Iceland. There are many other volcanic craters in Iceland, yet they are around 5,000+ years old. These craters are often darker in color or even black. On the other hand, Kerid is more of a reddish color, which is an indicator of its youth. The iron deposits have not yet turned black simply due to time, though they will turn black eventually. 

Scientists have a couple of theories about how the crater formed, though one is more prevalent than the others. It is believed Kerid was a cone-shaped volcano many years ago. When it erupted, it utilized all of its magma reserves. With no magma reserves left, Kerid thus collapsed into itself and formed the crater you see today.

Basalt rock columns are another volcanic formation, and they can be seen in various locations throughout Iceland such as Stuðlagil Canyon and Svartifoss waterfall. On the other hand, you can even hike the Fagradalsfjall Volcano on Reykjanes Peninsula.

Kerid Crater Dimensions

In terms of dimensions, Kerid is about 180 feet (~55 meters) deep. Additionally, it is approximately 558 feet (~170 meters) wide with a circumference of 886 feet (~270 meters). 

At the bottom of the crater you will find a small lake. The lake is a beautiful blue color, which is due to the minerals within the rocks coloring the water. Depending on rainfall and other factors, the lake is around 23 to 46 feet (~seven to 14 meters) deep.

While Visiting Kerid Crater

I recommend walking around the top of the crater as well as down the stairs to the bottom and around the small lake while visiting. The stairs lead down to the lake, and you can then have a beautiful view at the water’s edge. However, please note that swimming is prohibited. 

By the water’s edge at Kerid Crater

6) Recommended Items to Bring 

For additional packing lists, check out my list of Iceland hiking essentials as well as my Iceland road trip packing list.

1. Water bottle: Please be sure to bring water with you while visiting Kerid Crater. Even though Iceland has cooler temperatures, you can still become dehydrated. I carried around my Yeti water bottle with me everywhere in Iceland.

Hiking Apparel

4. Hiking shoes: A pair of hiking shoes will come in handy as you walk around the crater as well as down to the water’s edge.

5. Hiking poles: Hiking poles provide a little extra support, which can go a long way.

6. Optional – crampons: These are only necessary in the winter months if there is snow or ice along the trail. Crampons are spikes that attach to the bottom of shoes.

7) Nearby Attractions to Kerid Crater

While you are exploring the Golden Circle and other nearby areas, I recommend checking out the below attractions. All of them are within an hour and a half of Kerid Crater in Iceland.

Thingvellir National Park

Thingvellir National Park was the first attraction we visited after arriving in Iceland. We drove straight from the airport to the park and then got ready for snorkeling in the Silfra fissure. The Silfra fissure is a widening rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. It was the perfect way to start off our Iceland journey! While in the park you can also visit Öxarárfoss waterfall and walk along a trail that goes between the tectonic plates.

Thingvellir is located only 40 minutes southeast from Kerid Crater. If you are in need of lodging for the night, check out the nearby Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast.

For more information: Everything to Know: Thingvellir National Park in Iceland.

Snorkeling in the Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park

Tarn (Mountain Lake) in Flúðir 

This was truly a hidden gem. We did not plan to visit this attraction before we arrived in Iceland. In fact, we only learned about its existence from the Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast owner when we checked in for the night. They said it was one of their favorite things to do in the area, so we figured we would trust them and give it a try. We followed their directions, found the start of the trail, and hiked up the mountain. We were greatly rewarded when we reached the top and saw an entire lake in front of us. 

The tarn is located only 35 minutes southwest from Kerid Crater. You can find the parking area at these coordinates: Skeiða-og Hrunamannavegur 64.118726, -20.317397. If you are in need of lodging for the night, check out the nearby Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast.

For more information: Discovering the Tarn (Mountain Lake) in Flúðir, Iceland.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss is one of the most well known waterfalls in the Golden Circle. It is an easily accessible waterfall, with a parking lot right next to the lower viewpoint. If you want a closer look, you can stroll down the 1.3 mile out and back trail to then walk beside the waterfall. With some luck you will even see a rainbow. 

Gullfoss is located only 45 minutes southwest from Kerid Crater. If you are in need of lodging for the night, check out the nearby Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast.

For more information: Visiting Gullfoss Falls in Iceland.

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Check out some waterfalls in Iceland: The 4 Best Waterfalls in Iceland.

Check out our Iceland itinerary: 9 Day Road Trip Itinerary for Iceland.