Sinks Canyon State Park (WY)

The Essential Sinks Canyon

With the chocks set and the utilities connected, we prepared for a few days of on-the-grid living in Lander, Wyoming.  Lander is a quaint town that has the feel of an upscale town.  The downtown area has retained the historical look, and the overall appearance is clean.  Since we had been boon-docking for a while, we needed to stock-up on a few things and this town would do the trick.  

Lander wasn’t on our original list of places to visit, but it did offer a comfortable stop-over between The Bighorn and our planned destination of Yellowstone.  Although our main focus was to head towards The Tetons, we thought we’d kick around this area and see what hidden gems we could find.  The previous 150-mile trek from the northeast had revealed mountains, canyons, dinosaur remains, and thermally driven natural hot springs.  Certainly this area had something that was notable.  We were not disappointed.

Lander sits at the southeastern end of the Wind River Mountains.  This mountain range is perhaps perhaps the most “unspoiled” area in Wyoming—to include Yellowstone.  We headed about 5-miles southeast of Lander to the Sinks Canyon State Park.  This park would be a destination anywhere east of the Mississippi River; however, with competition from nearby Yellowstone National Park and Teton National Park, it remains rather obscure.  That obscurity is a blessing to those who happen to stumble upon it.

Kristy & Buddy scouting the flora below the vertical cliff walls

From the moment you enter the steady uphill grade into the park, you are bordered by high cliffs of sedimentary rock firmly planted on a bed of granite.  These vertical cliff walls—terminating at amazingly horizontal plateaus—bring immediate images of western films where “indians” would line the high-ground cliffs prior to descending into battle on the valley floor below.  This was natural western nostalgia at it’s finest.

Popo Agie River cascading downwards and into the mountain-side "sinks"

One of the most interesting features of the park—to the point of being referred to as a “geological phenomenon”—is the “Sinks” and “Rise.”  From high within the mountains, the PoPo Agie (translated from the Crow Tribe as “gurgling river”) River flows down through the rocky, juniper and sage-laden landscape, and disappears into the side of the mountain.  Geologists have yet to map the exact course of the river as it makes its subterranean trek; but all evidence of river activity is void until it reemerges a half-mile “downstream” at pool that is currently home to hundreds of obscenely large trout.  The disappearance into the mountain (“sinks”) and reappearance at the trout pond (“rise”) is what gives this feature its name.

The Popo Agie River "Sinks" into the mountain-side...

...and reappears 1/2-mile away at the trout pond.

A few miles uphill from the Sinks and Rise sits Bruce’s Picnic Area; named after John Bruce, one of the earliest forest rangers in this area.  Bruce’s Picnic Area marks the trailhead for the Middle Fork Falls, a 1.5-mile trail that ascends 600-feet to the base of…a high desert waterfall!  With Kristy’s affinity for hiking and waterfalls, our plans were seemingly preordained.  

A herd of "Trout-zillas" frolicking in the "No Fishing Zone" at Sinks Canyon State Park

We parked in the adjacent lot, strategically jammed water bottles in cargo pockets, secured The Boy’s leashes and headed up the trail.  The pathway was rocky and dusty--a by-product of the incredibly arid environment that lay around us—and paralleled the Popo Agie River for the 3/4-mile.  These were really at contrasting opposites; with the powdery soil seemingly unaffected by the forceful river running closely adjacent.  The trail continued upward; increasing in both pitch and elevation.

Halfway up the Middle Fork Falls Trail

Although we had driven across (what looked like) relatively level terrain during our trek into Lander, we had actually been gaining significant elevation all along the way.  Lander was a “really flat” 5,400' in elevation; with the Sinks Canyon Park entrance around 6,500’.  The trailhead of the falls had us starting our hike at 7,150’, and by the time we hit the switchbacks (roughly 7,500’) we were reminded that we were “oxygen junkies.”

After slowly and steadily motoring through the switch-backs, we made our last push to the base of the falls.  Streaming down over a series of cascades, the Middle Fork Falls display their crescendo moment over a 60’ drop.  The trail continues to the upper falls area; where hikers, climbers, horseback riders and fly fishermen enjoy their favorite activities in a mountain top surrounding.

Wes & Callie taking in some views, air, and water

We tarried long enough to snap a few photos, hydrate ourselves and the hounds, and oxygenate our cells.  The sun was dipping behind the westward ridge-line and we needed to give ourselves time to hike while the light was still favorable.  The hike down was easier on the muscles, but harder on balance.  The dusty surface did not provide much of a footing for the imbedded rocks, and the ground had a tendency to give-way when you least expected it.  By the time we reached Hank, we were ready for a “dust-cutter” ourselves.  

The park was truly a diamond-in-the-rough on an out-of-the-way destination.  We appreciated both the accessibility that the well-maintained trails provided; as well as the restraint of development and keeping the park in a very natural setting.  We later found that this was the mantra of the park development plan form the very beginning: "Within the canyon walls are found unspoiled symbols of the best of Wyoming. The mountains, the river, the fish and wildlife; sage, wildflowers, aspen and pine trees, a rugged country of tranquil quiet under blue sky. The development of park facilities must accent and enhance these values. To overwhelm them with chrome plated campgrounds and concession stands would be unwise.”

Well done Lander.  Well done.

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