Lander, Wyoming: A Weekend Away, Part 2

Keith and I traveled to Lander, Wyoming, for the WYO 131 bike race and decided to extend the trip to explore more of the area. It was a great weekend away and a mini vacation! This is Part 2 of our weekend; click here to read Part 1.

After Race Day

It was hard to plan the next day not knowing how much time Keith would need to rest. We stopped by a grocery store for a few items and grabbed sandwiches to eat at the Lander City Park/McManus Park. While we were having our picnic, I heard back from the Wind River Wild Horse Sanctuary, and we could get a tour that day! This was perfect because they would be closed the next few days due to farm work.

Our tour of the Wind River Wild Horse Sanctuary was amazing! Our guide explained to us how the working ranch provides professional care for up to 250 unadoptable wild mustangs. They also care for adoptable wild mustangs and facilitate that process. Our guide shared general information about the ranch and how horses end up at the sanctuary. We rode in an ATV to the pasture to visit the animals. We spent most of our time with one group. We stayed in the ATV, and our guide told us details about certain mustangs. It was fun to learn about each of their personalities and see them in action.

Sinks Canyon State Park

On our last full day in Lander, we knew we needed to see the area's main attraction: The Sink and The Rise in Sinks Canyon State Park. However, that would be our finale in the state park. First, we wanted to take this opportunity to hike together.

We decided on Popo Agie Falls Trail. The trail to the falls is 3.6 miles (5.8 kilometers) with 698 feet (212 meters) of elevation gain. We loved that we got several viewpoints of the Popo Agie River, just feet above at the start of the hike and again hundreds of feet above. The highlight was the cascading falls with a 60-foot vertical drop. It was a great reward, and we spent time relaxing and sitting near the waterfall. Just past the waterfall is a natural rock slide and pool of water that is recommended for swimming. We didn't swim, but we did hike to it.

After the hike, we decided to drive up to Worthern Meadows Reservoir. I had been there the day before, and based on the conversation with Keith, his race was close to the reservoir, but he didn't see it. As we drove, he shared more details of the race and even pointed out some of the areas he rode. Keith was impressed with the reservoir too. It was a nice and relaxing couple of hours driving and enjoying the scenery.

"The Sink" and "The Rise" are main features of Sinks Canyon State Park, so we had to stop. The Sink references the point where the Popo Agie River rushes into a limestone cavern and vanishes underground. Dye tests show that it takes over 2 hours for the water to reappear again at The Rise. This indicates a network of limestone cracks and fissures for about a quarter mile downstream, where the river reappears in a calm pool known as The Rise. The Rise holds a population of wild trout that visitors feed from a platform. It was fun to see these two points and imagine what lies beneath to create this unique spot!

Local Restaurants

We already had a busy day, and we were getting hungry. However, we planned a nicer dinner at Cowfish, so this was the perfect time for a local unique snack. Dairy Land Drive In transports you to the past with a 50s-style diner and drive-in option. They offer burgers, fries, milkshakes, etc but are best known for their cheesewheels. The menu describes a cheesewheel as "a cheeseburger patty, coated in our secret batter; then deep-fried." We ordered a cheesewheel to share and ice cream. It was an interesting taste and texture. Keith loved it right away. It took me a minute to enjoy, but I did and would eat one again. After our snack, we went back to the room to rest before dinner.

While planning the trip, I was most excited to eat at Cowfish. It came highly recommended, and after looking at the menu and reviews, I thought this would be a great way to spend our last evening in Lander. Cowfish is known for high-quality dishes, attentive staff, and a great atmosphere. It lived up to my expectations.

Keith and I both enjoyed our meals and kept commenting on them throughout dinner. Keith ordered the Cow Crustacean, a local favorite, consisting of "Baseball Cut Sirloin with Chimichurri, Atlantic City Gold Battered Shrimp, Creamy Parmesan Polenta, and Seasonal Vegetable." I ordered the Baby-Back Ribs, "Apple Cider Braised, Cowfish BBQ Sauce, Mashed Potatoes." As we were finishing up dinner, we saw several tables order the carrot cake for dessert. Carrot cake is my favorite, and although we were stuffed, we ordered the carrot cake to take with us.

One Last Coffee Shop in Town

I wanted to try one more coffee shop before leaving town. Whitebark Cafe was the perfect place to enjoy breakfast and reminisce about our mini vacation. We were so impressed with this little Wyoming town that we wondered what we would do if we ever got the chance to return.

A few more pictures to show the cute town of Lander!

Long Weekends Away

The long weekend away for Keith's race was so much fun. I'm glad we extended our time in Lander to explore more of the area and enjoy this cute town!

Do you use long weekends away to explore new towns? What are some of your favorite memories from these mini vacations? Let us know in the comments section below.👇 💬