“ It was obvious to me from the first time I saw Sinks Canyon that it was a crown jewel in our state park system ,” Floyd said , citing the beauty of the canyon through which the Popo Agie flows combined with the river ’ s disappearing act .
“ It ’ s a pretty busy park , but you still feel very immersed in the beauty of nature ,” he said . “ It ’ s a place that definitely leaves an impression on you the first time you see it .”
In the spring of 2019 , Floyd still was serving as district manager when work began on developing the “ Sinks Canyon State Park Master Plan .” Published last October , the document sets a path for the next 20 years , outlining ways to “ enhance the visitor experience at the park and preserve its resources for future generations to enjoy .”
The Master Plan also is seen as a means of attracting visitors to the small but vibrant city of Lander , whose inhabitants are fiercely devoted to the park .
“ It ’ s their park ; it ’ s in their backyard ,” said Carly-Ann Carruthers , a planning section manager for Wyoming State Parks Historic Sites and Trails .
Carruthers works in Cheyenne , 275 miles southeast of Lander , but her enthusiasm for the town , and for Sinks Canyon State Park , is unbridled .
“ As someone who grew up in Wyoming and who hopes her kids will grow up here , Lander is one of those sweet spots I ’ ll go to as often as I can ,” she said . “ And I think this park is pretty unique . The geography is wild , and the park offers a dynamic visitor experience .”
A BIG-PICTURE APPROACH
Early on in the process , Wyoming officials hired Ayres to help guide the development of the Sinks Canyon Master Plan .
“ It was hugely beneficial to work with a national company with so many assets and so much expertise to offer , especially since they have a person right here in the Cheyenne office ,” Carruthers said .
That person is Matt Ashby , an Ayres urban planner / project manager who knows Lander and its beloved state park well . After finishing graduate school at the University of Colorado , Ashby worked as a “ glorified ranch hand ” at a nature conversancy just a 15-minute ride from Lander .
HOW DO YOU SAY POPO AGIE ?
Popo Agie ( pronounced puh-POE-zha ) comes from the language of the Crow Indians who lived in the area around Lander , Wyoming , when the first white trappers arrived . Today opinions on the exact translation of the name vary , but all settle around the theme of “ gurgling river ” or “ beginning of the waters .”
Sources : Wyoming Public Media and Sinks Canyon Natural Resource Council
4 | TRENDS Ingenuity , Integrity , and Intelligence .