On a spring day I hiked the Outer Inks Trails to Dam Lake, then followed a series of tracks to the Spade Lakes, and then back on different trails.  The trailhead is on a dirt road accessed by turning off the Coquihalla Highway at the Inks Lake Interchange.  Most of these “trails” are double tracks used by ranchers, loggers, and backcountry recreationalists, including dirt bikes and ATVs.    There are some signs but the whole area is a maze of routes.   I know the area well so, for this day I planned a route up to Dam Lake, over to the Thickets Marsh, down to Spade Lake and back on double tracks.

Dam Lake was quiet and calm with clouds reflected in the lake’s surface.

I purposely hiked to a wet meadow near the marsh, but it was already drying out in the summer heat.

There is a second marshy lake near Spade Lake.    I have hiked around this lake before.

Spade Lake was also quiet, a spot surrounded by grasslands and open forests.    It is not a fishing lake, nor a destination spot, but for hikers/explorers, it is a nice spot to include in a backcountry loop.

The weather was warm and pleasant.   As the day progressed some winds arose, bringing in wind-blown clouds over the trail.

If you choose to hike the Outer Inks Trails, pick a weekday or a shoulder-season day to avoid the motorized crowd.    I will be back to hike the trails again this summer.