THE VIEW FROM THE TOP
The drive from Cheyenne to Lander was mostly smooth, except for a dust storm that hit right when Jackson was attempting to poop in his portable potty on the side of the road. Pooping outside was an ongoing challenge for him throughout the trip, but we got by with only a little collateral damage.
We drove through Lander and on to Sinks Canyon State Park. I had reserved campsite 25 at the Sawmill Campground on the first day that reservations were available. It had seemed like a good idea, since it was July 4th and a Friday. I suppose it was good to be sure of a place to stay, but the campsite was terrible for Jackson. It was close to the main road on one side, and a raging whitewater river on the other. There was a lot of traffic noise, though the river drowned most of it out. I blocked the path to the river with tree limbs, and we strategically parked the car to make it difficult for him to run into the road. Neither of those obstructions were foolproof, but at least they would slow him down.
The campsite also had only limited shade, despite being down in a canyon. It got hot in the afternoons, as the elevation there is less than 6K. Oh, and the water was from one of those annoying pumps that requires at least 3 hands to operate efficiently. The campground did have a few redeeming qualities. First, there weren’t any mosquitoes. There is a picnic shelter, which provides shade and protection from rain. The campground also has a small playground. It is shadeless and hot, but it was a good place for one of us to take Jackson while the other was trying to do something (like set up camp, or break down camp, or pack, or unpack, or cook a meal).
After dinner, we drove back in to Lander to watch their legendary fireworks display. Initially I had trouble finding info on the best viewing locations, but that morning a simple Google search turned up some useful hints. First, I found out the location of the official display. Then I saw a brief mention that the Mount Hope Cemetery would be open for visitors to watch the fireworks. I found the cemetery on the map, and it looked like the ideal vantage point. We headed up there well before dark. That was a good move, because it was a popular spot. We parked on a side road (parking is not allowed on the grass) and walked a short distance with our chairs to an overlook.
Although it was well before sunset, the festivities had already started. The official display was scheduled for 10pm, but the locals got a head start. The performance by the locals was the main attraction. From our vantage, we could see the whole town, and the whole town was a continuous display of fireworks. It wasn’t just little stuff, either. Lots of people down there spent a lot of money on big rockets.
Thunderstorms threatened, and lightning and thunder added to the display. Heavy winds and rain chased us to the car shortly before the official fireworks started. We could see them from the car, but the official display was something of a letdown after seeing what the locals offered.
We got a slow start the next morning due to the late night and general disorganization. After breakfast we drove into town to get ice and bug spray. Then we drove back up the road to the Bruces Picnic Area Trailhead. We arrived around noon, and I think we got the last parking spot in the huge parking lot. We were expecting the trail to Popo Agie Falls to be busy, and we were not disappointed.
We took the main trail, which stays fairly close to the river, both ways. There is a horse trail higher up the mountain that provides a loop option, but it is harder and shadeless. We were looking for a relatively easy hike since it was hot and we were just starting to acclimate to the altitude. I carried Jackson most of the way to the waterfall while he napped.
Popo Agie Falls is complex. The river splits into two channels just upstream from the brink of the falls. The south channel has more water, but after the initial plunge it is mostly steep cascades. It is also difficult to reach from the trail, which is on the opposite side of the river. The north channel drops over a series of smaller waterfalls. The final drop is the most scenic, and there is a good view of it from the trail, but it isn’t an appealing place to hang out. Instead, most people continue upstream a short distance to a series of falls and swimming holes. We did the same, stopping at the first one, as getting Jackson farther upstream would have been tough. We spent a couple of hours there, and Jackson loved playing in the water.
Christy stayed with Jackson while I hiked farther upstream. The next drop is the most popular, as it has a deep pool with a rock that people jump or slide from. I kept climbing, passing the final drop on the south channel. The trail fades beyond this point, but it doesn’t disappear completely. I decided to follow it.
The faint trail split and became vague. I wandered around a bit before arriving at the south channel. I eventually found a spot where I could cross on rocks and logs. From there, it was a short walk to the brink of the big waterfall on the north channel. This is a cool spot with a great view! There is a huge area of bedrock on the far side of the river. That would be a great place to hang out if you can get over there. The water was too high to cross safely, but it could probably be done later in the summer once water levels drop.
I rejoined Christy and Jackson and we all hiked back. We returned to Sinks Canyon, and I took Jackson down the short trail to “the Rise”, where the river emerges from its underground passage. The “sink” isn’t far upstream, but we skipped that on this trip, mostly because it may not have been a safe place to take Jackson. I mainly took him to the Rise to see the many giant trout that live in the pool. He got a kick out of that.
We returned to camp, had dinner, and went to bed early. The next morning we had breakfast, packed up, and started the drive north to Brooks Lake.
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