A road winding through a canyon, with waterfalls cascading on either side of you, and nobody else in sight.

This is what awaits you on the Öxi Pass, or Route 939, in eastern Iceland.

Search the Öxi Pass and you’ll find lots of warnings – steep, narrow, blind corners. One of the first sites that pops up is literally called “dangerous roads”.

But drive it in summer, in good weather, and it’s one of the most beautiful roads in the entire country – especially if you time it for the midnight sun, when the whole canyon glows pink and gold at 1 AM.

Let’s get into the Öxi Pass.

Where the Öxi Pass Is (and What It Connects)

The Öxi Pass is a mountain pass that takes you from the eastern coast up over a mountain into the interior, where it joins back up with the Ring Road.

Before you enter the Öxi Pass, you’ll be driving through the beginning of the Eastfjords. Fjords are basically these big inlets of water that creep into the land like fingers, if this is your first acquaintance with them.

The entrance to the Öxi Pass is located at the tip of one of the first big fjords, called Berufjörður.

Most people just continue along the Ring Road from here, around the rest of the fjord – but this takes you on a less (though still) scenic route and also adds about 40 minutes.

You can see how much more direct the Öxi Pass is below.

The Öxi Pass heads from the ‘A’ marker up to the left – a massive shortcut compared to the Ring Road, which wraps all the way down and around to the right.

What the Drive Is Actually Like

The drive is downright stunning.

The combination of a few factors (which I’ll get into) made this the most scenic road I drove in Iceland, with the F208 from Landmannalaugar to Vík being the only possible exception.

The road starts by the fjord, then steadily twists and turns up into the inside of a canyon.

On either side of you rise the canyon walls – layered in horizontal bands of rock, furred with green moss, and veined with waterfalls tracing every crease down to the valley floor.

You don’t know where to look.

Now, there’s one thing that’ll take this drive from amazing to the highlight of your trip: do it during the midnight sun.

The whole scene transforms. There’s nobody around – just you and a pink and orange sky that hits the pause button for hours. This is what made driving the Öxi Pass one of the most mesmerizing experiences of my life.

A couple of honest caveats, though. First, you’re at the mercy of the weather – a clear sky is never guaranteed in Iceland, and if it’s overcast, you won’t get the gorgeous sunset (you’ll still get a beautiful drive, just not that version of it).

Second, the midnight sun depends on when you go. You’ll only be driving the pass in summer regardless, since it’s closed the rest of the year — but the true round-the-clock light really only holds through late July. Come in late August or September and the midnight sun is gone; you’ll still get a sunset, just not a frozen one.

Either way, aim for that golden window whenever it falls during your visit – just plan timing so you don’t end up driving the pass in the dark.

Note: Planning the whole trip? The Öxi Pass is just a tiny part of my 10-day Iceland camping route through the Ring Road and highlands – including the stops, campsites, and detours most itineraries skip. If that sounds like your kind of trip, check out the full itinerary here!

Stops Along the Öxi Pass

The Öxi Pass isn’t a road you rush. The whole point is to take your time – so commit to the late night, drive slow, and stop whenever something catches your eye.

The one stop I’ll mention specifically is Folaldafoss, a waterfall a few minutes off the road. We didn’t know it existed – we just spotted it from the road and went to take a look.

There’s a small pullout to the left, and it’s a short walk to the base. There are trails that lead right up to the waterfall itself. We were there around 1 AM, and there’s something absurd and incredible about hiking to a waterfall under a pink sky in the middle of the night. Don’t skip it.

Beyond that, there’s no need to overplan. Some of the best moments on this drive came from just pulling over at a random viewpoint or waterfall, getting out, and exploring for a few minutes. The pass is short, so you have the time.

Let the drive itself be the destination.

Note: The Öxi Pass is a hidden gem, especially when driven under the midnight sun. So I pinned it on Offpath, my interactive map app showing off-the-beaten-path spots around the world. If that sounds appealing, give it a download!

Is the Öxi Pass Safe? (Honest Answer)

From my searches online, people love to call the Öxi Pass a “road for the brave.” Nerves of steel. Not for the faint of heart and all that.

Here’s my honest take: the difficulty of this road is massively overrated – with a caveat.

The road itself is gravel, and steep in sections. There are some narrow sections with blind corners. But if you’ve done any driving in the highlands, this is no F-Road.

The difficulty comes when the weather is bad. Fog, rain, and low clouds are what turns the Öxi Pass from a stunning drive into a questionable choice. The gravel becomes slick, and visibility can become a major issue.

So the whole game is timing. Check road.is for news on the road, and vedur.is for the forecast the morning you want to go. If it’s clear skies, send it. If it’s lots of rain and fog, I wouldn’t recommend it.

With the right car (which we’ll get to next) and are a good driver, you would probably be fine. But the problem is you won’t have anything to see anyway. I’d go with the Ring Road.

What Car You Need

In Iceland, 4x4s are legally required for all F-Roads.

But this isn’t an F-Road.

While a 4×4 would certainly make your life easier on the gravel and some of the steeper inclines, having one is not necessary to drive the Öxi Pass.

We had a 4×4, but that was because we spent a lot of time in the highlands. Which I strongly recommend.

But a 2WD car can definitely handle the road, provided the weather is clear and dry. A competent driver would also come in handy. And I would highly recommend driving at a slow pace, so you don’t get surprised by sudden potholes.

Öxi Pass vs. the Ring Road: Which Should You Take?

As I mentioned in an earlier section, the answer comes down to one question: what’s the weather doing?

Taking the Öxi Pass saves you a real chunk of driving. Plus, you get a canyon and waterfalls. If the weather’s clear, the Öxi Pass is a no-brainer.

Take the Ring Road if it’s foggy, raining, the pass is closed – or if you’re a really bad driver. And here’s the thing: I’ve kind of been mean to this option, but it’s not like a stretch of coastal Ring Road is that much of a punishment. It runs through the Fagridalur valley and along the fjords, so I’m sure it’s beautiful in its own right.

Bottom line: in good weather, take the Öxi Pass every time. In bad weather, the Ring Road isn’t settling – it’s just probably the more rational decision.

The Öxi Pass earned a permanent spot on my list of favorite drives in Iceland – and if you catch it at the right time, I think it’ll do the same for you.