The Earland Falls can be reached as a day walk from The Divide on the Routeburn Track. At 174 metres, the waterfall is one of the highest in New Zealand, although the top can’t be seen from the track due to its concave shape. The walk to the Falls takes about three hours (7.5 km). If you are starting from Te Anau, it is a full-day trip after adding an hour to drive each way.
From The Divide, the track climbs about 200 metres through forest to 800 metres and the intersection with the Key Summit side trip. Key Summit is highly recommended but adds about 40 minutes to return to the walk. After this, it is a short, easy downhill walk to pretty Lake Howden at 700 metres, then a gradual climb along the side of the Ailsa Mountains to the Falls at 1,000 metres. The views over the Hollyford Valley and the Darran Mountains are a superb distraction. There is plenty of room at the Falls for a picnic, and you can dip in the pool at the base.
As a day walk, this is best done in stable weather as safe access to the Falls is weather-dependent. As it is an alpine environment, be weather aware and prepared for sudden changes.
