Lander Area Chamber of Commerce 2014 Travel and Relocation Guide | Page 14

Attractions

& Recreation

An antelope and her twin fawns enjoy the fresh spring air; Photo Courtesy
of Scott Copeland

Sinks Canyon State
Park

Sinks Canyon State Park, named
one of the top 50 state parks in the
country, lies just six miles from the
heart of Lander. The canyon is
named for the unusual geological
phenomenon that occurs as the
Popo Agie River disappears into a
cave (the Sinks) and then reappears
in a trout-filled pool ¼ mile
downstream (the Rise). For reasons
yet unknown, more water comes
out at the Rise than goes in at the
Sinks.
The area is rich in beauty and
wildlife, including bighorn sheep,
moose, mule deer and raptors.
Sinks Canyon State Park is an
internationally renowned rock
climbing area and contains a 5K
network of trails for hiking and
cross-country skiing. A 1.5-mile
trail takes you to the inspiring 150’
Popo Agie Falls.
The visitor’s center has interpretive
materials, an overlook to the
“Sinks” and nature trails.

Wind River
Reservation

The 2.2 million-acre Wind River
Indian Reservation was established
in 1868 and is now home to over
8,000 members of the Shoshone
and Arapaho tribes. Much of the
reservation is made up of tribally
owned “trust” land, which is to
be protected and preserved for
the benefit of the two tribes by
authority of the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. Today the Shoshone Tribe,
in conjunction with the Northern
Arapaho, receives income from
oil, mineral and grazing leases of
tribally owned land.

Some Shoshones operate farms
and ranches on individually owned
lands. An effort to promote and
expand Shoshone agriculture on
tribally as well as individually owned
lands has taken place in recent
years. In addition, the Shoshone
Tribe has developed a number of
tribally-based businesses and this
has helped initial improvements
in the local economy. Cultural
centers and museums located in the
towns of Fort Washakie, Ethete,
Arapahoe and St. Stephens have
helped preserve the most important
aspects of the Shoshone and
Arapaho heritage.

international reputation for
offering some of the best hiking,
fishing and packing in the world,
all over 5,000 feet elevation. The
best way to appreciate the beauty
and ruggedness of this country
is to hike or backpack the many
networked trails in the vast Wind
River Mountains, a range that has
over 40 peaks that top 13,000 feet
and over 150 glaciers. The “Winds”
contain the tallest peak in Wyoming
– Gannett Peak at 13,804 feet – and
over 735,000 acres of continuous
wilderness area, the largest such
designation in the cont [