Suggested Page Improvements to Lander Area

There are numerous places in and around Lander to stay while on your climbing trip.

In town:

City Park- You can camp in the grassy city park for free with a three day limit. Please respect the 3 night limit! 

There are also several Airbnb options, as well as numerous hotels.

Sinks Canyon:

Sawmill Campground- Closest access to the sink and rise of the Popo Agie.

Popo Agie Campground- Closest access to the shady side and hiking trails across the swinging bridge. Yurts are also available to rent.

Sinks Canyon Campground- Closest access to the Main Wall.

Forest Service Campground- This is the only free camping in Sinks Canyon and is subject to winter closures. Driving up the canyon, it is ~1/2 mile past the Missouri Geology Field Camp on the left

These are the campsite fees as of 2020

Off season: Oct 1 -April 30 - $6.00 Residents $11.00 for Non- Residents.

Peak Season: May 1- Sept.30 - residents $9.00 non-Residents $16.00

Wild Iris:

OK Coral- This is the most popular camping at Wild Iris. DON'T DRIVE ON THE ROAD AFTER A RAIN. The dirt road gets really muddy and rutted out when people do this. Don't be an ass. Also use the bear boxes and don't leave food out.

Aspen Glades- Good option for a 2WD vehicles. Don't camp past the fences and pack out your poop! A pit toilet was installed in July 2020 with support from WyoClimbers.

Where ever you end up staying, please be courteous. Pick up your trash, dispose of human waste properly, and reduce your impact.

Lander is located in central Wyoming, easily found on the map. Lander is also the main venue for the International Climbers' Festival, held every summer in mid-July. This grassroots festival is one of the world's longest-running climbers' festivals and is organized by WyoClimbers, a non-profit local climbing organization that supports youth climbing, rebolting/safe anchor initiatives, and climbing access/advocacy in the region.

Gear and guidebooks can be found at Wild Iris Mountain Sports on Main Street in town. There are also several places to eat breakfast and lunch. The best are The Middle Fork (climber owned), the Lander Bakery and the Crux, all on Main Street.

The Cowfish is the best upscale dinner joint and the Gannett Grill/Lander Bar is a must visit for any traveler, climber or otherwise. Both of these fine establishments are also owned by a climber. Middle Fork is an excellent breakfast option.

Elemental Climbing and Fitness is the go to place if you need a shower, or want to climb on the rare chance you get rained out. Steve Bechtel's Climb Strong is also a a part of Elemental and one of the world leaders in climbing training

The local guide service, Wind River Climbing Guides, is available for climbing instruction of all levels at Sinks Canyon and Wild Iris.

Lander is home to several cliffs dispersed throughout the foothills of the southeastern Wind River Mountains. The rock is mainly Bighorn Dolomite and occurs in two basic types. There are wind eroded buttresses like those of Wild Iris and Fossil Hill, and there are walls lining the sides of canyons, such as Sinks Canyon and Wolf Point. The rock varies in quality from very good to very featured and consists mainly of crimps and positive pockets, some being as small as one-finger pockets on the more difficult lines.

It is possible to climb throughout much of the year here. Sinks is the best winter area, with a paved approach and an inversion that keeps the wall toasty when it is freezing in town. It is not uncommon to climb in a t-shirt on sunny days in January and February when the temperature in town is 10 degrees. Summer is better spent at Wild Iris and its surrounding crags as they are much higher in elevation, and mainly under snow in the winter. Spring is sometimes great, but often snowy and wet. Fall is the best time for climbing in Lander, with crisp temps, sunny skies, and access to every crag here.

Steve Bechtel's guidebook does a great job of describing the sport routes around Lander and is the best resource for any climber visiting the area.

There are some seasonal road closures and occasional route or crag closures that need to be heeded.  Please check with locals (Wild Iris Mountain Sports, WyoClimbers Advocacy Organization, or forums here) if you have questions about current access to an area.