Physical: The reserve lies on hilly lower slopes of the Takla Range and includes about 2 km of Takla Lake shoreline. A large unnamed creek marks its south boundary; west and north boundaries largely follow heights of land. Slope exposure is predominantly to the east and northeast, with small areas of south-facing terrain in the creek valley along the south boundary. Average slope is about 25o. No lakes or wetlands are present.

Biological: Stands of Douglas-fir forest in Takla are or major importance because they are at the northern extremity of the species range in British Columbia. Despite the peripheral location, Douglas-fir is the dominant tree on 60 ha of land, primarily within 150 m of the lakeshore. It also occurs as a minor species on another 40 ha, in association with trembling aspen, paper birch, white spruce, Subalpine fir and lodgepole pine. Most of the Douglas-fir stands are young (90-100 years) and of medium growth quality, averaging 30 m in height. Some veteran firs, probably the progenitors of the younger stands, occur along the lakeshore.

The Douglas-fir stands, and some adjacent terrain where aspen and lodgepole pine are abundant, are within the Sub-boreal Spruce Zone. Above the 1100 metre level, forest stands are transitional to the Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir Zone. Forest cover maps indicate that subalpine fir is dominant at higher elevations in the reserve, and that spruce and lodgepole pine are common associates. These stands vary from 80 to 200 years in age.