About the walk

• Mountain views and mirror reflections
• Ancient West Coast rainforest
• Wheelchair accessible option

Lake Matheson/Te Ara Kairaumati is famous for its mirror reflections of:

• Aoraki/Mount Cook
• Mount Tasman/Te Horokōau
• the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.

The reflections are thanks to Lake Matheson’s dark waters, coloured by organic matter from the forest floor. You’ll see the best reflections: 

• on a sunny, windless day
• at dawn and dusk, when the lake is stillest.

The first section of the track, to Jetty Lookout, is suitable for wheelchairs.

Car park to Jetty Lookout

45 min / 2.4 km (return) 
Wheelchair-accessible short walk

From Lake Matheson car park, it’s a short walk to the beginning of the track and the suspension bridge over Clearwater Stream.

The gravel path to Jetty Lookout takes you through the magnificent native rainforest of Westland Tai Poutini National Park. You’ll see ferns and towering kahikatea, rimu and tōtara trees.

At the lookout there’s a bench seat to enjoy the mountain views and reflections.

From here, you can return to the car park or complete Lake Matheson Circuit.

Lake Matheson Circuit

1 hr 30 min / 4.4 km (loop)  
Easy to intermediate walking track

Most people complete Lake Matheson Circuit clockwise, but you can walk it in either direction.

From Jetty Lookout, walk for 15 min through forest to View of Views Lookout at the top end of the lake. A signposted side track with steps leads to the lookout. Take a seat and enjoy magnificent mountain views framed by native trees.

It’s another 5 min from Jetty Lookout to Reflection Island. Steps lead down to a viewing platform over the lake. On a fine day, there are clear views of the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.

From Reflection Island, it’s 35 min to the car park via the wetland at the eastern end of the lake.

Directions

Lake Matheson car park is a short drive from Fox Glacier/Weheka. Follow Cook Flat Road for 5 km, then take the signposted road on your right to Lake Matheson.

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Travel times (by car)

• Fox Glacier (5 min)
• Franz Josef (30 min)

Parking

Lake Matheson car park has:

• free parking for cars and campervans
• three marked mobility spaces. 

When to go

• Dawn and dusk are the best times to see mirror reflections in Lake Matheson. Reflections are best on a fine, windless day.
• This is a popular walk. It gets busy during the summer season (November to April).
• New Zealand weather changes quickly. Check the weather forecast before you go, and be prepared.

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Be prepared

Plan your visit

• Bookings are not required for Lake Matheson/Te Ara Kairaumati Walk.
• Toilets and an accessible toilet are located at Lake Matheson car park.
• Drinking water is not available. Bring your own.
• Seating and a picnic table are provided along the track.
• The nearest DOC campsites are Gillespies Beach Campsite (30 min by car) and Otto/MacDonalds Campsite (45 min by car).
• Food and petrol can be found in Fox Glacier.
• Mobile phone coverage can be unreliable.

What to take

Sandflies can be fierce here. Bring insect repellent. 

Short Walks gear list

Care for nature

• Rubbish bins are not provided. Take your rubbish with you.
• No boating, kayaking/canoeing or watercraft of any kind are permitted on Lake Matheson.

Protecting nature in Aotearoa