Mild and dry conditions provided for better hiking access in the lower Batchelor Hills in late January.   From the quarry road parking area (one kilometer past the cattleguard, on the left side), the trail heads west, winding around a rounded hill and into a wide basin between Beacon Hill and Batchelor Hill.   There was some mud, but in most cases I could just go around the wet areas.  There are a few trail junctions, but the best route choice is straight ahead.

There are both single tracks and double tracks that wind through the sagebrush grasslands, with gradual slopes, going west.

On this trail heading through the middle of the basin is Beacon Hill to the southwest and to the northwest is Batchelor Hill.    Mara Mountain stands WNW 5 km away.

As the trail approaches Beacon Hill the two hilltops (Batchelor Hill and Tower Hill) stand directly north.    There are more trails over each hill (and between them too) which could be linked to the lower trails for a longer route.

There is a short climb up to the hilltop and from Beacon Hill there are open views of the Thompson River Valley and Kamloops Lake (8 km west).   The beacon itself is a single tower with a bright light, aiding aircraft in the dark or in foggy conditions, erected there many decades ago, but now replaced with a newer tower and a brighter light.   In recent years another communications tower has been added to the hilltop.

This was an out-and-back of about 5.2 km, taking about 1.4 hours.  It is a good route for the shoulder season for hikers, walkers, and mountain bikers.   As spring approaches the trails higher in the Batchelor Hills will dry out too, offering more hikes on the dirt.