Jökulsárlón, or the Glacier Lagoon in English, began to form after Breiðamerkurjökull began to retreat in the year 1933. Jökulsárlón is the deepest lagoon in Iceland, with a depth up to 250 meters. The lagoon is now (in the year 2025) around 18 km2, but is constantly expanding as Breiðamerkurjökull continues to retreat.
The lagoon is named as part of Vatnajökull National Park, which allows the park service to inform the public, fund research projects, and protect the landscape, ecosystem, and cultural heritage of the area.
Due to the popularity of the area, there is now infrastructure for food trucks, zodiac and amphibian tours, and toilet facilities.
There are multiple paths to see the Glacier Lagoon. The first is by the main parking lot, near the bridge that separates Jokulsárlón from Diamond Beach. Mostly gravel, you can walk along the east side of the lake, going north towards Breiðamerkurjökull. A bit further away from the main paid car park, there is a free lot that connects to several paths that circle the lagoon. If you are trying to get away from large crowds, and don’t mind walking a bit more, this is your spot. You can find this lot here.
