Greenstone to Spade Lakes

In mid-May I hiked an exploratory route from the Greenstone Mountain Road to the Spade Lakes in the Outer Inks area. Using maps and GPS, I followed ORV trails, mountain bike trails, old tracks, and backroads, but also went cross-country when the track wasn’t going in the right direction for my intended bearing. For the most part, the route was through open forest, meadows, and moderate slopes. I had to cross Cherry Creek twice, using fallen logs since the creek was full from spring meltwaters.

I had hiked several times to the Spade Lake area from the east, and I had mountain biked some of the route. On this new route, I hiked around the two lakes. There were lots of ducks, but otherwise the area was quiet.