5 Things to Do in Eklutna Lake Alaska

If you want off-the-beaten-path places to visit in Alaska, but are close enough to Anchorage to make it a day trip, how about you visit Eklutna Lake? This huge lake is less than an hour from Anchorage and boasts a ton of outdoor activities you can do. Here are some suggested things to do in Eklutna Lake Alaska. 

Things To Do in Eklutna Lake Alaska #1: Hike Up the Twin Peaks or Pepper Peak Trail

Probably the most challenging thing you can do while at Eklutna Lake is to hike up the Twin Peaks or Pepper Peak Trail. It is strenuous to hike up but the views up top will reward you for your efforts. Expect the Twin Peaks hike to take up to 3 to 4 hours, depending on your fitness level. 

Things To Do in Eklutna Lake Alaska #2: Rent a Kayak  

If the gorgeous lake is enticing you to get in the water, then you can rent a kayak from Lifetime Adventures. You can kayak to the manmade dam and back, and work your way to the other side of the lake. 

Be aware that the lake is bigger than it seems and that kayaking its length can take a few hours at least. If you want more context on the lake and what it’s like to hike the trails, you can book a guided tour with the same folks you rented the kayak from, Lifetime Adventures. 

I had a chance to do a tour with Lifetime Adventures which featured 2 activities, and I chose to kayak and hike. Each tour includes a lunch of a burger, a hotdog, or a reindeer dog (your choice), chips, and unlimited hot cocoa and drinks. We enjoyed our guide with the kayak tour since he was pointing out things and telling us stories about the lake, and the animals he saw, which made the tour that much enjoyable. 

Things To Do in Eklutna Lake Alaska #3: Go on a UTV or ATV Tour

What’s more fun (and fast) than going on a UTV or an ATV tour around Eklutna Lake? You can rent a UTV or an ATV to do the scenic trail yourself or book a guided tour. Depending on when you visit, the trail could be muddy which could add more challenge and adventure to your drive. 

Things To Do in Eklutna Lake Alaska #4: Hike a scenic trail

If you like hiking but aren’t particularly fond of strenuous hikes, take the scenic trail. This is the second part of my tour, and with a guide, we went up to see a viewpoint of the lake which not many people visit. You won’t get as high up as the Twin Peaks trail, but it’s still a good view. On our hike, we saw moose droppings, as well as some bear scratches on the wood. You’ll get to see the same view as the ATV/UTV or cycling tour, but they’ll cover more ground since you’re on foot. 

Things To Do in Eklutna Lake Alaska #5: Cycle around Eklutna Lake

If you want to get around faster and see more of the lake than hiking, then you can rent a bicycle (also from Lifetime Adventures), and cycle around the scenic view of Eklutna Lake. Be sure to wear long pants and wear rain gear, since the road can be muddy, especially if you’re coming near the end of the summer season. 

I don’t know how to ride a bicycle, so that tour is out of the question. I can imagine you would need to be an intermediate-level cycler to navigate your way around the muddy path without causing an accident. 

Other Alaska Posts on the Blog: 

• Shopping Guide to Anchorage Alaska
• Family Fun at the Williams Reindeer Farm in Palmer Alaska
• What to Expect On The Alaska Railroad
• An Alaska Itinerary: What To Do in Alaska for Two Weeks

Need tour guides in Eklutna Lake? Here’s who you should book with

I understand why people prefer to do individual tours, but sometimes booking a tour can make it that much better. Tour guides can provide inside insights you wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else unless you lived in the area for quite some time. Here are a few tour companies I would recommend that do guided tours

Revel Treks & Tours

Revel Treks & Tours is a woman-owned business, and I can’t say enough nice things about its owner, Kierre. She is based in Palmer, but she offers outdoor adventures of Eagle River, Eklutna, and other surrounding areas. Whether you like hiking, biking, kayaking, or just being in nature, she can help you customize your dream outdoor Alaska trip outside the Anchorage area. 

Lifetime Adventures

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I’ve mentioned Lifetime Adventures a lot already, and they’re pretty amazing. Their tours can be customized according to your needs: you can do the hiking and kayaking or you can do the kayaking and cycling, you decide. They maintain a fire where you can sit and eat the lunch that they cooked and provided, and you can store your items safely in their store as you go on your adventure. They also rent out kayaks, bicycles, and hiking poles if you prefer to do things independently. 

Lifetime Adventures has partnerships with Alaska ATV Adventures and can offer you the UTV and ATV tour along with a kayak, cycling, or hiking tour, depending on your needs. They can customize mix and match your adventure, as long as you call them and let them know your needs in advance. 

Where to Stay at Eklutna Lake: Bluewater Basecamp

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If you want to make the most of Eklutna Lake and don’t want to camp primitively, book a cabin at Bluewater Basecamp. The micro cabin (the smallest accommodation) is perfect for a couple, and each cabin comes with a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. The bathroom has hot water, fully flushing toilets, and a luxurious shower. This is glamping at its finest. 

If traveling with a bigger group, you can book one of their bigger cabins, which spans two stories and has 3 bedrooms. You can cook your meals from the comfort of your kitchen, and relax on the living area’s couch. You can sit outside on your patio to be one with nature or head on to mingle with your fellow guests at the nightly campfire. 

You can look at the stars above, and there’s virtually no light pollution in the area. Eklutna Lake is within a 5-10 minute drive from Bluewater Basecamp, which makes it the perfect place to stay to explore Chugiak, Eagle River, and the surrounding areas. 

Places of Interest and Things to Do near Eklutna Lake, Alaska

If you want to extend your stay away from Anchorage and want to look at other places you can go visit, here are a few more places of interest near Eklutna Lake, Alaska. 

Palmer, Alaska

This is a city with all the amenities of a city but feels far from it. You can check out our guide to Palmer Alaska on this blog, and if you visit, do take time to go to the Reindeer Farm, which we also wrote about on the blog. 

Chugiak, Alaska: 15 minutes from Eklutna Lake

We visited Chugiak when we were first driving up from Anchorage to Denali to see Mirror Lake and Thunderbird Falls. Thunderbird Falls is an impressive waterfall just a mile’s hike from the parking lot, and very quick to get to from the highway. 

Mirror Lake can be seen from the highway, but you can also stop by just to experience the lake yourself. You can dip your fingers in the water, or just walk silently by the lake bank. 

Things to do in Eklutna Lake, Alaska 

These are just ideas on what you can do in Eklutna Lake, Alaska. With some of the adventures you can do nearby, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. Whether you only have a few days or a whole lifetime to explore the area, there are always plenty of things you can do out there, and all you need to do is look. Hopefully, this guide has helped you plan your trip to the area.