Sight · Fiordland National Park
Remote lake-outlet waterfall at the head of George Sound
Overview
Alice Falls spills from Lake Alice at the head of George Sound, a dramatic 56‑metre cascade set in classic Fiordland wilderness. It’s the kind of place that feels untouched: steep, forested slopes, granite boulders, and the constant hush of water running toward the fiord.
This is a rare lake‑outlet waterfall perched right at the inland end of a fiord. Fed by the Edith River from Lake Alice, the falls tumble through lush native forest and over granite—textbook Fiordland geology carved by ancient glaciers. It’s atmospheric in any weather and genuinely soulful after rain when the flow swells and mist hangs in the trees.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhat makes it specialMap
Local know-how
Arrange boat transport into George Sound or plan a multi-day tramp—no road access.
Pack waterproof layers and sturdy boots; trails and rocks get slick fast.
Bring everything you need—there are no services at the falls.
For photos, aim for early or late light; the scene pops after rain.
Carry offline maps or a GPS; signage and signal are limited in this backcountry.
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Fiordland Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Fiordland National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Fiordland audio tour“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Expect solitude over infrastructure. There are no services at the falls—no restrooms, no shelters, no road access. Reaching the area typically involves boat or kayak transport into George Sound, or committing to backcountry tramping routes. Underfoot can be slick and muddy, especially after frequent Fiordland showers.
Look into the clear rockpools around the falls and you may spot tiny galaxiids (small native fish). The surrounding forest hums with birdsong and is a showcase of mosses and ferns, with a thousand shades of green draped over granite.
Granite bedrock and glacially carved valleys define this landscape. The hanging valley feeding Lake Alice sets up the steep drop that becomes Alice Falls right above the fiord.
Wildlife
1,181 sightingsKeaMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
199 sightingsFiordland PenguinMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
228 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
32 sightingsBottlenose DolphinMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
247 sightingsNew Zealand Fur SealMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
58 sightingsKākāMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Fiordland. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
Parkwolf’s Fiordland ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
