I hiked a series of old grassy double tracks, single tracks, and ORV tracks on the east side of Lac du Bois Road in mid-November.   The colder temperatures and some snowfall have combined to effectively end most of the motorized activity of the Batchelor Hills.  The main access to the ORV area is the bowl-shaped area on the east side of the road about 1.5 km up the road from the cattleguard.    This is used by dirt bikes and various ORVs when the conditions are favorable.    Hikers mostly avoid this area, for good reason.   The tracks can be hiked in the off-season.    A number of steep hills offer good viewpoints and the south-facing ones are suitable for end-of-winter hikes.    Other tracks angle up from the Lac du Bois Road a bit farther to the north.    All of the tracks west of the ridge right above the road are restricted to non-motorized use and can be hiked to access the ORV area, or the North Batchelor Hills, using the McQueen Creek Road.   I spent three days hiking various routes, and one of them is shared here.

I followed a double track to the top of the ridge and enjoyed views down to the ORV trailhead and surrounding hills.

On the other side of the Lac du Bois Road stands Batchelor Hill and Mara Mountain to the west.   Many cycling and hiking trails provide opportunities for non-motorized exercise.

I hiked on ORV double tracks and single tracks for a loop route, with some snow, dirt, and a bit of mud.

Some of the tracks venture north to the edge of Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area where there are fences and signs prohibiting motorized use.    I found a cattleguard crossing and a gate for further ventures heading north to Red Hill and northeast to the North Batchelor Range, with plans for more exploration in the coming weeks.

More Information:

• Batchelor Hills Trails
• A Batchelor Range Ramble