Our first weeks in Lander have been filled with meeting new people and discovering all of the places to explore and play once work and school are done.
Hike up to the Popo Agie (pronounced po-PO zsha) Falls.The ever-fearless Hugo takes the plunge without hesitation.
Sinks Canyon is a mix of bare, rocky cliffs on the south-facing side with pine and aspen-covered faces on the north-facing wall. The Popo Agie river flows down the middle. Dusty forest roads criss-cross the hills and switchbacking trails meander off into the distance; they’re just begging you to come see where they lead.
Sinks CanyonSouth “entry wall” of Sinks, rising up from the Popo Agie river like a sentry guarding the entrance of the canyon.So many trails. Please, God, let my knees and body stay strong enough to run them all!!The very chatty Popo Agie river keeps these parts lush and green.Checking out the Popo Agie while on the nature trail.
There’s a beautiful little one-mile nature trail loop in Sinks Canyon. It’s just long enough to feel like you did something and just short enough for Hugo to enjoy. We practice trail running which includes spurts of sprinting with pauses for photos and snacks.
To access the nature trail you cross a suspension bridge that dangles over the Popo Agie.From there you can choose to hike the trail clockwise our counter-clockwise. Both options are equally enjoyable. The walls of the canyon rise on either side of you, the river gurgles in the background and the grasses and trees envelop you. Keep a lookout for deer, antelope, and bear!Enjoying the colorful aspens.
Stéphane and I both have been enjoying the local mountain biking trails, and the scenic, paved sections of road here offer lots of options for road bikers.
Enjoying the fall colors while on a road bike trip through Sinks CanyonTo exit Sinks Canyon and continue on towards the Wind River mountains, take the many steep switchbacks up, up, up. A very nice workout on a road bike, I’m sure! Nice work Bug! View looking back into Sinks Canyon from one of the switchbacks – our house is that way 🙂Fossil hill – at the top of the switchbacks. There’s some climbing up there too. It’s on our To-Do list 🙂
Across the street from our house is the Alpine Institute satellite campus of Central Wyoming College. There’s maybe six or seven cute little log cabins nestled together in a green meadow (student housing), a few other buildings (assuming these are the classrooms), and then a sweet little “backyard” filled with some short but really fun trails, open for anyone to use. We ride and run here and are so grateful to have this little gem so close by.
On the CWC trailsOkay, one more trail photo. They’re everywhere!!! We are in heaven.The Heftis give an unequivocal THUMBS UP to Lander outdoors.
The Grizz (Winnebago View - active duty)
1,800 miles and counting
The Hungry hippo (Popup camper - retired)
1,200 miles
The Gruffalo (Tow behind camper - retired):
12,000 miles and counting
The Baby Bison (Tow behind toy hauler - retired):
7000+ miles
Maine > New Mexico + adventures in between
The Great White Buffalo (5th wheel camper - retired):
3,000 miles
Free Range (Slocum 37 sailboat - resting; getting overhauled in Nova Scotia):
Traveled 2,400 nautical miles from Oriental, NC > Antigua (end of the road).
