On a cool day in the second week of March, the Battle Bluff Trail was the hike for the day.    The trailhead (N50 44.791 W120 33.921) is signed and the trail heads south, crossing the flats before going up a shallow gully.    The trail then winds up through open forest between low hills before emerging into the grasslands that slope down toward Kamloops Lake.   At 1.1 km, the trail starts the descent to the foot of Battle Bluff, and then crosses a flat grassy area before winding up the bluff.

As hikers go up the ridge, the view to the north is of sets of basalt columns on Dewdrop Ridge.

There are several possible routes up the rugged bluff, some easier, and some require light scrambling.    At the summit we have 360 degree views, including down Kamloops Lake, looking west.

To the east we have views up the Thompson River toward Kamloops.

The Battle Bluff Trail is an out-and-back 5 km trail.   The Red Plateau Escarpment rises above the Dewdrop Range to the north, in view for much of the route back to the parking area.

Battle Bluff can be a busy trail in season at prime times.    On this day, though, it was mostly quiet on the hike, except for an eagle’s cry as it flew over the bluffs, swallows flitting across the slopes, crows voiced their concerns, and magpies sounding off.