Kerlingarflöll is a true pearl to all nature lovers and outdoor people. It is accessible all year round on 4 WD cars and with good conditions accessible in all types of cars.

Opening times in Kerlingarfjöll is from 15 June till end of September, but in winter open on agreement.

The bus company Sterna will be driving the Kjolur route (both from the South and the North)and stopping in Kerlingarfjoll daily during the summer of 2010.

Their schedule can be found at this link

Accommodation is available in houses and on camping sites for a fair price, included is the use of bathing facilities.
Hot showers, restaurant and gas station are at Kerlingarfjöll.

In short distance to the southwest of Hofsjökull, at the waterparting of Hvítá and Þjórsá is Kerlingarfjöll. Kerlingarfjöll is a group of mountains, covering an area of 150 km2.

The mountains can be seen from far away, the highest peaks reaching up to 1500m above sea level. The rivers Ásgarðsá and Kisa make a great breach through the mountains and divide them into two main goups, east and west.

A great hot spring area is situated in between the two rivers. Glaciers occupy an area of 8km2.
Glacier parts and snowdrifts are wide spread in valleys, passes and ravines and out of these the peaks tower. The mountains have many peaks and summits, steep landslides, torn apart by valleys, ravines and canyons.

The eastern part of the mountains, is the most rugged part of the area. The highest summits are Loðmundur (1432m) and Snækollur (1477m). From the top of Snækollur, in good weather conditions, you can see all the way to the ocean both to the north and south.

The Kerling, which means woman, in Kerlingarfjöll (woman´s mountains), is believed to have been a troll woman, according to ancient folk tales. The mountains take their name from a 25m high tuff stone pillar, standing to the south of the mountain Kerling in the western part. The story tells of a troll lady who didn´t make it into the mountain in time before sunrise and therefore turned to stone.

In the old age, people never went to Kerlingarfjöll, and the area remained unexplored. Folk tales describe kerlingarfjöll as a refuge or even sanctuary to cast outs like robbers and thieves.

The search for sheep in Kerlingarfjöll didn´t start until the 19th century, the reason being little continuous growth.

After the bridge over Hvítá was built in 1933, men started driving to Kjölur, and later to Hveradalir.

Kerlingarfjöll became accessible by car in 1936.

In 1937-1938 the travel association of Iceland build a cabin in Ásgarður being only the second one they build in the highlands.

In 1961 people like Valdimar Örnólfsson examine the possibility of building a ski resort in Kerlingarfjöll, which lead to the company Fannborg ehf, founded in 1963, after agreements had been signed with authorities of Hrunamannahreppur, allowing the use of the area.

Fannborg build up an efficient resort, with sleeping accommodation, canteen, water works, electric power, drainage, hot tubs, ski lifts, roads and more, needed, for this type of activity.
Today, skiing has been stopped, because of changes in the weather, there has not been enough snow especially during the summer, and therefore has the emphasis been to use the area for hiking and other types of outdoor activity.

Kerlingarfjöll were formed during a volcanic eruption in the later part of the ice age. The area might still be active although it has not erupted in present time.

Kerlingarfjöll is very different to the environment around, both in shape and color. They are mostly made out of liparite and both dark and bright tuff stone. There is also a lot of volcanic glass.
When Kerlingarfjöll was being created, there was a glacier over the mid highlands. In certain places it seems that pillars of tuff stone reached out of the melting glacier ice. That is why there are tuff stone pillars with a lava top.

Kerlingarfjöll are very weathered and have very little continuous growth, as the forces of nature, like glaciers, water flow, ice bursts etc. have been fast working in this rough mountain weather.
Kerlingarfjöll is the centre of system of volcanoes, with one of the most powerful hot spring areas in Iceland. Most subterranean heat is in Heradalir, with steam and clay geysers and their emission is mixed with sulphur. At the geysers there is creation of clay and the earth is boiled asunder. Where the glacier streams reach down into the valleys, the geysers have melted the ice and created impressive arches, caves and ice rocks.

The growth around the hot spring area is also quite special. The multi colored geyser clay, the dense clouds of steam, the liparite mountains and the glaciers, all add to the diversity and beauty of this very special place.