The vegetation surrounding Eklutna Lake varies with the elevation. A dense forest of spruce and birch dominates lower elevations. Ferns, mushrooms, and wildflowers such as dwarf dogwood, fireweed and the parasitic broomrape cover the forest floor. At higher elevations the forests are replaced by fields of wildflowers such as mountain avens. Observe the change from wild beach pea, Sitka burnet and wild geranium on lower slopes to nootka lupine, Indian paintbrush, spotted saxifrage and cut-leaf anemone further up, leading to the blueberries and mosses of the tundra.
Berry picking is popular in late summer and early fall.
Highbush and lowbush cranberries, currants, raspberries, and watermelon berries grow along the lower trails. Blueberries, bearberries and crowberries are found higher up. Be careful to correctly identify berries before eating them as some are poisonous. Wildlife Moose, muskrats and waterfowl may be spotted near the lakeshore. Brown and black bears, wolves, and mountain goats, inhabit the wilderness regions of the park and Dall sheep are often seen on the steep hillsides.