Lake Matheson is a short distance by road from Fox Glacier Village and is famous for its mirror reflections of Mt Cook , Mt Tasman and Mt La Perouse. The dark brown colour of the lake is caused by the natural leaching of organic matter from the forest floor. On a calm day the water creates an ideal reflective surface. The track is a very easy walk and takes you through ancient native forest including tall Rimu and Kahikatea trees. Long finned eels thrive in the darkness of the lake which is also home to many water birds. It is a 40 minute walk to the viewing pontoon that extends out into the lake and 1.5 hours to complete the circuit. The surrounding views are stunning and always dominated by the high mountains of South Westland.