Kepler Forest: Photograph by Will Tenney

Kepler Forest

We headed south from Lake Te Anau on New Zealand’s South Island on a 5.5 mile walk on the Kepler Track, one of New Zealand’s “Great Walks.” The section we walked mostly paralleled the Waiau River to the Rainbow Reach Bridge. Much of this section is dense forest and just stunning. The forest floor was covered with lush ferns. Mushrooms poked their heads up through the leaf litter, while fallen trees were slowly being consumed by mosses. Just a magical place, so spiritual.