A Lander Adventure

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Trout at the Rise of the Middle Popo Agie River, Lander, Wyoming 
Trout at the "Rise" of the Middle Popo Agie River, Sinks Canyon.

We got up and had a leisurely breakfast and then packed a few things into the truck for our trip to Lander. We saw a half dozen antelope along the way. We drove out to Sinks Canyon and walked along the trail leading to the sink- where the middle fork of the Popo Agie River disappears into a cavern, only to surface about a quarter of a mile away at the “Rise.” The rise always has 50 or so huge rainbow and brown trout at the source. There is a small vending machine that sells trout chow, so you can toss it down to the fish. We walked back up to the truck and got our lunches and had a nice picnic.

The "Sink" of the Middle Popo Agie River, Sinks Canyon. Lander, Wyoming 
The "Sink" of the Middle Popo Agie River, Sinks Canyon.
 
 
The "Rise" of the Middle Popo Agie River, Sinks Canyon, Lander, Wyoming
The "Rise" of the Middle Popo Agie River, Sinks Canyon.
 

It was a bit early to check in to the hotel, so we drove back out of town, about half way to South Pass City, and then drove down the Red Canyon Road, most of which is dirt and gravel. This is part of a wildlife management area- we didn’t see much wildlife until near the end of the drive, and then birds only, but it was scenic. We saw what looked to be meadow larks, but they were so flitty that I couldn’t get a good look. And then our big find: a pair of sandhill cranes. They had an unusual brown color- we are used to seeing them as grey and white. Looking this up online, it appears it is common for sandhill cranes to cover then feathers with mud, etc. to make them a bit darker and harder to see during breeding season. There was no shortage of red sand and clay for that project- we stopped for a bit along a section of the Middle Popo Agie River, which rises in the Red Canyon. The truck was covered in red dust.

 

Sandhil Cranes along the Middle Popo Agie River, Red Canyon, Wyoming 
Sandhill cranes after playing in the mud.

 We finished the ride through Red Canyon and discovered that Lander does, in fact, have a car wash. I washed the truck thoroughly and off we went to the hotel to check in. We took a really short nap, read, watched a potential storm blow in (more wind than rain), and then went to dinner at the Cowfish- a local restaurant that we have always enjoyed. Back to the hotel for a little reading.

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