Mt. Keilir is the most prominent feature of Reykjanes Peninsula due to its distinctive shape. The mountain is an almost 400 meters high hyaloclastite volcano cone, dating from the last ice age. It can be seen from far away and sailors used to navigate by Mt. Keilir, as it rises tall, surrounded by rough block lava fields, like a natural lighthouse in the middle of a lava desert. The hike to the mountain from its car park is rough and takes around 2 hours, the terrain is loose, rugged and enough to pose as a challenge. To have Mt. Keilir in the background for various shoots, you need to head up a ridge (Oddafell) 3 kilometers away from the mountain, near the carpark, with a better chance of a panoramic view of the mountain and the awesome lava field. The ridge has a rough, muddy path suitable for 4-wheelers, 1.4 kilometres up that road you will get a fantastic view of Mt. Keilir.
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Accessibility
Driving towards the Mt. Keilir parking lot from the main road takes you a good 30 minutes in an average car, as the road is very rough, with big rocks, bumpy and very rugged. The road itself is only 7 kilometers but not easily driven. The hike to the mountain could take 2 hr, along a rough and narrow walking path in the middle of a coarse lava field. There is an old jeep road that leads from the car park to the top of Oddafell, a mountain ridge close to Keilir car park, but you need a special permit for that, and 4-wheelers are advised as the road is muddy.
Services nearby
40 minutes from the greater Reykjavík area so hotels, gas stations and convenience stores are nearby. Nearest hospital is in Keflavík, within 40 minutes away.
Permits
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Basecamp and facilities
There is a very small parking lot near the start of the hiking trail to the mountain, only to be used for offloading or a very small tech base. 1.5 kilometres further up the road, to the left at the entrance to Lambafellsgjá, is a big parking lot that could be used as a basecamp for larger productions. There are no facilities at this location or anywhere near this area. The phone coverage is average but could be problematic between camps and shooting area.
Risk factors
There are different risk factors depending on where you shoot. If you choose to hike to the mountain itself, the terrain is loose, rough, with big rocks and sharp scoria stones. The mountain itself is very steep, with lava gravel on its paths and slopes, making it easy to lose your footing. If you hike up the ridge (Oddafell) to get a view of Mt. Keilir, the terrain is muddy but it is easier to carry equipment.
Visitors
This location is a popular outdoor area for the locals, who often do the long hike to the mountain and back. Because of the size of the lava field, with its little valleys and block lava boulders, people are not easily spotted and should not ruin your shots easily. The area could be closed off with help of Vogar Municipality and park rangers.
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