Eklutna is a place where the old and the new Alaska sit side by side. A few miles north of Anchorage, where the Glenn Highway runs along the shore of Knik Arm with the Chugach Mountains rearing up on the east side, a small Dena'ina Athabascan village, the oldest continuously inhabited site in the Anchorage area, keeps its traditions in the shadow of a motorway. The village is home to a small Russian Orthodox church, a log building dedicated to Saint Nicholas, one of the oldest buildings in the region, and a graveyard with a unique feature: colourful little wooden spirit houses, painted and decorated, stand over the graves, a blend of Dena'ina and Orthodox traditions. The effect is quiet and moving.
Not far away, Eklutna Lake is a long, narrow glacial lake in Chugach State Park, wedged between steep mountains and fed by glaciers, with water of a milky turquoise. It is the main source of drinking water for Anchorage, and the road in follows the lake shore for miles. The area is excellent for hiking, cycling, and paddling, and on a clear day the scenery is magnificent. Wasilla and Knik-Fairview lie a short way north, and are the biggest towns around.
The Glenn Highway is a fast, well-built road, running through a valley with views of mountains and water, and it is the main route from Anchorage to the Matanuska Valley and beyond. Traffic is heavy at commuting hours, but eases as you head north. In summer the days are long, with light until nearly midnight, and the roads are dry, though frost heaves and patches of gravel can appear. Wildlife is plentiful, and moose are a real hazard on the road, particularly at dusk and dawn, and in winter. Keep a sharp lookout.
Fuel is available at Eagle River and Wasilla, and at service stations along the highway, but you should not count on them in the evenings. Take water, snacks and a warm layer, since the weather in the mountains can change rapidly. Mosquitoes are fierce in June and July, and bear spray is a sensible precaution on any trail. The long evening light on the water, the silence and the smell of spruce make this one of the best places to stop in southern Alaska.