The trail from Pratt Lake to Blackwell Lake is shown on recreational maps and is listed in the Vernon Outdoor Club’s book so it was added to our list of hikes-to-be-done.   It is a long drive to the trailhead so we waited for a sunny summer day so we could hike in the forest at a higher altitude, away from the heat.   I knew the trailhead spot because the roads through the Monte Hills also take us to Bearcat Caves and the Petrified Forest.   The whole route can be done as a loop in the high forested and logged hills.

Drive towards Vernon on Highway 97 South and right at Monte Lake, take a right turn and follow the gravel road as it winds to a creek valley.  The sign might read Private Main, but it is a public road.   It becomes the Monte Creek Forest Service Road and kilometer markers line the road for the entire distance.   Ignoring all of the side roads, drive along this good gravel road for 23 km.   Turn right at the signed Pratt Lake Road and follow this to the 35 km mark.  There are two BC Recreation Sites on the lake.   Go to the second one and park.   Look for the sign at the east corner of the lake, clearly posted at the edge of the site.

The trail is good in many spots, is invisible in others, grown over in wet spots, and has many trees down across the trail.   It winds around the end of Pratt Lake, then bears off to Pond Lake.   Beetle kill has taken its toll in this forest.   On some sections, all of the trees were dead except for a few healthy spruce trees.   Each year more of these trees fall and many of them cross the trail, making progress difficult.   Without some chainsaw work this trail will soon be impassable.   Pond Lake has a large wet meadow between the trail and the lake itself.

In the early summer, much of this trail will be very wet, but it was quite reasonable in later August.   Route-finding is a bit of a challenge in the wet spots, but the trail follows the drainage of 4 ponds/lakes on its way over to Blackwell Lake.   There are no high spots for views, but the trail occasionally emerges from the forest to a lakeshore.  The whole area is far from roads and it is very quiet.  We saw several spots that would be perfect to put up a tent for a quiet retreat, especially at Blackwell Lake

We could see a quad track coming into a hunting/fishing campsite on a point, probably how most people come to the lake today.   The trail from Pratt Lake in and back is about 9 km, fairly flat, and goes through a nice area of lakes and ponds, but the trail has just too many fallen trees.   Even if someone clears the trail with a day of chainsaw work, it will need annual maintenance with so many dead trees.   If you like remote spots and don’t mind a bit of climbing over deadfall, it is a nice summer or fall hike.   We may choose to go in on the quad track on our mountain bikes next time instead of fighting the deadfall on the trail.