Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland Sep 24, 2024

Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland

In Iceland"s Skaftafell, fall isn"t just a season—it"s an experience. From glaciers to waterfalls, like the one featured here today, to northern lights, this area in Vatnajökull National Park is a showcase of nature"s raw beauty. Skaftafell"s dramatic landscape was formed over thousands of years by the fierce interplay of volcanic fire and glacial water. Here, the glacier Skaftafellsjökull, a branch of Iceland"s largest ice cap Vatnajökull, stretches out like a frozen river, inviting visitors for guided hikes. Then there"s Svartifoss, another waterfall in the park, fed by glacial meltwater. Surrounded by dark lava columns resembling a heart from afar, this waterfall inspired the design of Iceland"s National Theatre and the Hallgrímskirkja church in Reykjavík.

© Nopasorn Kowathanakul/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Sep 24, 2018Mooncake time
Sep 24, 2019With leaves this tasty, who cares about a view?
Sep 24, 2020Till the cows come home
Sep 24, 2021The crossroads of empires
Sep 24, 2022National Public Lands Day
Sep 24, 2023World Rivers Day
Sep 24, 2025Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 13, 2022Hallstatt, Austria
Feb 23, 2019A view from the top
Jun 27, 2022Lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau in Provence, France
Mar 8, 2021A notorious advocate for women
Jan 6, 2021Travels to the Oregon deep
Nov 16, 2023World Philosophy Day
Oct 4, 2025World Space Week
Feb 28, 2025Tibetan New Year
Feb 4, 2020Rock of ages
Oct 17, 2024Frost-covered dunes on Mars
Sep 23, 2021Last stop before leaving the solar system
Dec 2, 2023Angkor, Cambodia
Sep 29, 2024West Cornwall Covered Bridge, Connecticut
Jul 7, 2018The Grand Départ: Tour de France begins
May 2, 2025Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Oct 26, 2021Red fox
Aug 13, 2018Look to the north sky tonight for the Perseids
Apr 22, 2018Have a ‘beary’ good Earth Day
Jul 10, 2019Put your helmet on, we’re going for a hike
Nov 4, 2025Tower Bridge, London, England
Jul 17, 2025Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France
Jul 3, 2019Keep calm and drive on (slowly)
Feb 25, 2022 Legacy mural in Philadelphia
Aug 22, 2018Summer’s in home stretch
Jan 7, 2024Old Rock Day
Dec 22, 2018Night of the ‘Cold Moon’
May 19, 2018At ease, it’s Armed Forces Day
Oct 16, 2025A Eurasian lynx in Siberia
Jan 31, 2019A bohemian feline
Dec 20, 2025Christmas star lanterns, Germany