Iceland Trip

Iceland F-roads

F225 Landmannaleið

Closed

Road notes by · Iceland Lead & Content Curator· Updated

F225 Landmannaleið is the western approach to Landmannalaugar from Route 26 near Hekla, about 50 km across the Dómadalur plain past the Ljótipollur crater lake, with several mid-sized river crossings along the way. It sits in the third water tier, so it needs a high-clearance 4x4 rather than a compact one, and it opens mid-June. Most self-drivers go in on F208 north and keep F225 for the way out in a capable car.

Key facts

Connects
Route 26 near Hekla (Landmannahellir side) to F208 just north of Landmannalaugar
Length
50 km, about About 2 hours in good conditions
Opens
mid-June
Closes
late September
Rivers
Yes. Water tier 3: medium to large water crossings
Car
Large 4x4 with 30 cm or more of clearance and river experience
Region
Southern Highlands
Schematic map of F225 Landmannaleið: Route 26 near Hekla (Landmannahellir side) to F208 just north of Landmannalaugar
Where F225 runs and what it connects. Schematic, not for navigation.

Status today

Closed

  • Landmannahellir – Fjallabak NClosed
  • Hekla – LandmannahellirClosed
  • Helliskvísl – LandmannahellirClosed
  • vestan HekluClosed
  • vestan HekluClosed

Source: umferdin.is (Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration), as of 29 Oct 2026, 09:51. Re-check road.is on the morning you drive.

The facts

F225 at a glance
FactValue
ConnectsRoute 26 near Hekla (Landmannahellir side) to F208 just north of Landmannalaugar
RegionSouthern Highlands
Length of the F-road sectionabout 50 km
Driving timeAbout 2 hours
Status nowClosed
Typical openingmid-June
Typical closinglate September
Difficultydifficult
4x4 requiredYes, by law
River crossingsYes · water tier 3
Car that fitsA high-clearance 4x4 — Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, or Toyota Hilux.
F225 at a glance. Live status from umferdin.is as of 29 Oct 2026, 09:51, refreshed every 30 minutes.

Reaches: Hekla views and the Rauðaskál crater · Dómadalur · Landmannahellir hut · Ljótipollur crater lake

The road

Landmannaleið leaves Route 26 on the eastern flank of Hekla and crosses the Dómadalur plateau, black sand and lava with the Hekla ridge behind, past the Landmannahellir hut to join F208 beside the Ljótipollur crater, a few kilometres from Landmannalaugar. It is a quieter, more varied drive than the F208 north and makes the loop with it.

River crossings and the car

Several mid-sized fords: third tier, a high-clearance 4x4 such as a Land Cruiser, Hilux or Defender, with F-road cover, and settled weather. Compact 4x4s are commonly excluded by the rental contract for F225 even when they are allowed on F208 north.

Water tier 3: Medium to large water crossings. A high-clearance 4x4 — Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, or Toyota Hilux.

When it opens

Mid-June most years, and it closes in late September. Recorded dates are below.

F225: first and last day recorded open, by year
YearFirst day openLast day openDays openDays sampled
2026not yet–011
F225: first and last day recorded open, by year. Daily snapshots from 19 Oct 2026 to 29 Oct 2026. A road still open shows the latest snapshot date as its last day open.

Download the data (CSV) · free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.

How itineraries use it

As the return leg of a Landmannalaugar day for travelers with a capable car: in on F208 past Sigöldugljúfur, out on F225 past Ljótipollur and Hekla, back to Hella. In a compact 4x4, return the way you came.

Itineraries that use F225

Editor-picked Highlands plans from real trips drive this road or reach the places on it. Duplicate one and make it yours.

See itineraries with F225

Questions about F225

Is F225 harder than F208 to Landmannalaugar?

Yes. The northern F208 has no fords before the car park; F225 has several mid-sized ones and needs a high-clearance 4x4. Use F208 in, and F225 out only if the car and the weather allow.

Where is Ljótipollur?

At the junction of F225 and F208 a few kilometres north of Landmannalaugar: a red crater with a blue lake, reached by a short rough track from either road. It is on the way in from the north and on the way out on F225.

When does F225 open?

Mid-June in most years, closing in late September, usually a week or two after F208 north because the Dómadalur fords stay high for longer. See the live status above and the recorded dates below. When F225 is closed and F208 north is open, Landmannalaugar is still reachable from the Hrauneyjar side.

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Deeper reading on iceland-trip.com

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