Lake Quill

Expect a vivid turquoise tarn ringed by sheer rock walls, alpine tussock, and frequent patches of lingering snow. From the air—and on rare alpine landings—you can gaze across Fiordland’s peaks and down toward the Arthur Valley. The lake’s outflow immediately becomes Sutherland Falls, one of the country’s most dramatic waterfalls.

This is a classic glacial cirque—ice carved the bowl, and the lake now perches on the edge of a cliff. The fine glacial sediments give the water its striking turquoise color. It’s named after William Quill, the first European known to reach the lake in 1890 by climbing Sutherland Falls.

This is true alpine country: expect hardy tussock and mountain flora. Wildlife isn’t the headline here; the star is the dramatic geology and the lake-to-falls spectacle.

There are no amenities at Lake Quill—no toilets, shelters, or marked trails. Facilities exist down in the Milford Track corridor at huts and shelters, not at the lake itself.