Iceland Trip

Iceland F-roads

F910 Austurleið / Askja approach (east)

Closed

Road notes by · Iceland Lead & Content Curator· Updated

F910 Austurleið is two very different roads. Its eastern part, reached from Route 901 and F905 near Möðrudalur, is the gentler self-drive approach to Askja with predictable small streams. Its western part, Gæsavatnaleið along the north side of Vatnajökull to Sprengisandur, crosses massive glacial meltwater rivers and quicksand and is for modified super-jeeps in convoy. It opens in July and closes in September.

Key facts

Connects
East: Möðrudalur (Route 901, F905) to Drekagil. West: Drekagil along Vatnajökull to F26 Sprengisandur
Length
160 km, about East section 2 to 3 hours; west section a full day in convoy in good conditions
Opens
July
Closes
September
Rivers
Yes. Water tier 4: large and unpredictable water crossings
Car
Modified super jeep, a highland bus or a tour; not a rental 4x4
Region
Northeast / East Highlands
Schematic map of F910 Austurleið / Askja approach (east): East: Möðrudalur (Route 901, F905) to Drekagil. West: Drekagil along Vatnajökull to F26 Sprengisandur
Where F910 runs and what it connects. Schematic, not for navigation.

Status today

Closed

  • Sprengisandsleið – HoluhraunClosed
  • Möðrudalsleið – Jökuldalsv. (Þríh.leið)Closed
  • Upphéraðsvegur – SnæfellsleiðClosed
  • Snæfellsleið – KárahnjúkarClosed
  • VikursandurClosed
  • Öskjuleið – KverkfjallaleiðClosed
  • Kárahnjúkar – ÞríhyrningsleiðClosed
  • Kverkfjallaleið – KreppaClosed

Source: umferdin.is (Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration), as of 29 Oct 2026, 08:46. Re-check road.is on the morning you drive.

The facts

F910 at a glance
FactValue
ConnectsEast: Möðrudalur (Route 901, F905) to Drekagil. West: Drekagil along Vatnajökull to F26 Sprengisandur
RegionNortheast / East Highlands
Length of the F-road sectionabout 160 km
Driving timeEast section 2 to 3 hours; west section a full day in convoy
Status nowClosed
Typical openingJuly
Typical closingSeptember
Difficultyextreme
4x4 requiredYes, by law
River crossingsYes · water tier 4
Car that fitsModified super-jeeps only — 35-inch+ tyres, snorkel, and an experienced driver.
F910 at a glance. Live status from umferdin.is as of 29 Oct 2026, 08:46, refreshed every 30 minutes.

Reaches: Möðrudalur farm · Drekagil and Askja · Holuhraun lava field (2014 eruption) · Gæsavötn and Tungnafellsjökull (west)

The road

From the Ring Road near Möðrudalur, Route 901 and F905 lead south to F910, which runs across the sands to the Drekagil hut below Askja. Beyond Dreki the western F910 continues past the Holuhraun lava field from the 2014 eruption and along the northern edge of Vatnajökull to the Gæsavötn lakes and Sprengisandur: the most remote drive in the country.

River crossings and the car

East section: second water tier, small to medium streams a standard 4x4 handles in normal summer conditions. West section: fourth tier, unmanaged glacial rivers and quicksand, modified super-jeeps only and never alone. Rental contracts that allow F910 east still exclude the Gæsavatnaleið.

Water tier 4: Large and unpredictable water crossings. Modified super-jeeps only — 35-inch+ tyres, snorkel, and an experienced driver.

When it opens

July, among the last roads to open, and it closes in September. The western part is sometimes not opened at all in a wet year. Recorded dates are below.

F910: first and last day recorded open, by year
YearFirst day openLast day openDays openDays sampled
2026not yet–011
F910: 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

The eastern section is the self-drive way into Askja for plans with a standard 4x4 and a night at Möðrudalur or Dreki. The western section appears only in expedition-style trips with a guide or a convoy of super-jeeps.

Itineraries that use F910

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 F910

Questions about F910

Is F910 the easy way to Askja?

The eastern part is: from Möðrudalur via Route 901 and F905, with small, predictable streams a standard 4x4 handles in summer. Do not confuse it with the western F910 along Vatnajökull, which is super-jeep only.

Can I drive F910 west to Sprengisandur?

Only in a modified super-jeep with a second vehicle and an experienced driver. The Gæsavatnaleið crosses large glacial rivers with quicksand on the approach to Nýidalur, and every rental contract excludes it. The eastern F910 from Möðrudalur to Askja is a different road, and the one a high-clearance rental 4x4 can drive.

When does F910 open?

Usually in July, closing in September; the western part toward Sprengisandur may stay closed in a wet year. Askja itself is reached on the eastern section via F905 and F910 from Möðrudalur. Check the live status above and road.is; the Dreki rangers post the state of the Lindaá and the other fords each morning in season.

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