Exploring the Saxholl Crater – Iceland

The Saxholl Crater is the remains of a former active volcano on the Snaefellsness Peninsula. Here, you can climb a long stairway to the top of the crater and get some views of the peninsula — perhaps even all the way out to the Atlantic Ocean on a clear day. So is the Saxholl Crater one of the must-see stops on an Iceland road trip when looping around the Snaefellsness Peninsula? Is visiting the Saxholl Crater worth it? Let’s jump in and I’ll tell you everything you need to know about visiting the Saxholl Crater in Iceland!

Where is the Saxholl Crater?

Saxholl Crater is located on the western part of the Snaefellsness Peninsula of Iceland.

Related: Check out my one-day itinerary for driving the Snaefellsness Peninsula!

When to visit the Saxholl Crater?

Access to the Saxholl Crater doesn’t close and you can visit any time of day and year. Of course, you’ll have a more pleasant visit climbing up all those steps on a warm, clear day, but you can still visit in the dead of winter, if you wish. We visited the Saxholl Crater in early July and had okay-ish weather (overcast, a bit windy).

Related: Going to Iceland? I can help you plan – check out all of my Iceland posts!

How long do you need to visit the Saxholl Crater in Iceland?

This is a fairly quick stop on your Iceland road trip; you’ll need about 20 minutes to climb up/down as well as enjoy the view at the top.

Visiting the Saxholl Crater

The parking area for the crater is quite large and you shouldn’t have any issue getting a spot. Parking is free.

To reach the top of the 130-foot crater, you’ll need to climb a 384 step metal stairway that wraps up and around the crater. This stairway was put in place not only to enable curious visitors a way to reach the top, but to also prevent further erosion of the crater itself. For most of the hike up the stairs, there are no handrails.

At the top, you’ll see some interpretive signs giving you more information about this former volcano. You can look down into the crater, and of course, admire the view from the top.

Now, I’m going to be honest – this definitely wasn’t a highlight of my Iceland trip. I’ve seen my share of volcanic craters and landscapes before and this just wasn’t all that impressive. The view from here wasn’t that great either. There just wasn’t much to see except the land stretching out for miles and miles below you. In other words, you won’t get any remarkable photos from the top. Frankly, the crater itself is best viewed from afar.

Final Thoughts – Saxholl Crater in Iceland – Is it worth visiting?

This was a very ‘meh’ stop for me. I could take it or leave it. It was fun climbing the stairs, but once at the top, there just wasn’t much to see. If you need to cut something from your Snaefellsness itinerary, Saxholl Crater would get the axe from me. On the other hand though, it’s free to visit, won’t take up a lot of time, and you can get a little exercise in the process — and you can say you climbed a volcano!