Lake Matheson is famous for its mirror-like reflections of the Southern Alps, including Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. The walk around the lake takes about 1 to 1.5 hours and is accessible for most visitors.

The iconic mirror effect is best seen at dawn or dusk on calm, clear days. Even without perfect reflections, the trail itself is beautiful, winding through lush native forest and wetlands. The parking area is spacious, with wheelchair-accessible spots, and the flat gravel path allows wheelchair users to reach the Jetty View lookout.

Wildlife spotting is part of the experience; we saw a weka and several takahē along the trail.