Have you ever seen photos of New Zealand’s Southern Alps reflected in a lake so still it could be a mirror? It’s likely they would have been taken at Lake Matheson on the West Coast, a place famous for its mirror views of Aoraki/Mount Cook. This easy, flat walk winds its way through lush forest to circumnavigate the lake, which was formed 14,000 years ago when Fox Glacier retreated from the sea. Mo from MoaTrek loves this walk – “Mirror-like, towering mountain views and a flat, forested trail – the trail around Lake Matheson is hard to beat!”
Grade – easy. Length – 2.6km circuit (1.6 miles). Time – 1 hour 30 minutes.
There are also a couple of shorter options here too, to the first lookout (30-40 minutes return) or the "View of views" (about 1 hour return, less if you're fast!)