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Dimmuborgir, which means "dark forts" in Icelandic, is an area of volcanic arches, pillars, caves and bridges along the east shore. The black lava formations are the result of a 2000-year-old lava flow, and numerous trails lead through the area. Cracks in the ground here often hide deep and dangerous crevices; stay on the marked trails.
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This 2500-year-old, nearly symmetrical tephra crater rises 463 m high and is 1040 m across. It is accessible via a trail that runs from Reykjahlíð to Dimmuborgir. Access to the bottom of the crater is not permitted in order to prevent erosion - please obey signs and remain on the marked paths.
Take a bath at the Grjótagjá fissure. The water is extremely hot (completely at own risk). The roof has become unstable and visitors are now warned not to enter.
Something of a "Blue Lagoon lite", the Mývatn Nature Baths was opened in June 2004 and offers mineral-rich geothermal waters drawn from depths of up to 2500 m. Facilities include a reception area and cafeteria, changing rooms and showers, three natural steam baths accommodating up to 50 bathers at a time, and a 5000-m2 geothermal bathing pool maintained at a constant temperature of 38-40ºC.
The area north of Vindbelgjarfjall is a protected nesting area, and access during nesting season is forbidden; do not hike or drive off road to avoid disturbing the many birds present.
Fuglasafn Sigurgeirs
A collection of birds collected by a local, Sigurgeir Stefánsson, who died in an accident on the lake in 1999. The museum has been built to honor his memory. It houses 300 birds of 180 species as well as some eggs. From the dining hall there is a nice view of the lake.
The shores along the south side of the lake are home to many pseudocraters, formed during volcanic eruptions when lava flowed over wetlands, eventually resulting in steam eruptions and forming these medium-sized craters. There are a series of trails in the town of Skútustaðir that lead through these craters and provide further information about the geology behind these formations.