As fall fades into winter in Sinks Canyon State Park, staff are busy keeping projects moving forward and looking towards the new year.
The cultural surveys have been completed around the proposed site of the via ferrata project on the Sandstone Buttress, and staff are awaiting the results of those surveys. The next step will be to have an engineer conduct a structural analysis of the sandstone area to ensure the integrity of the structure and the safety of guests. Once all reports are completed, park staff can work with installers and seek bids for operations of the via ferrata.
Conversations have also been taking place this fall around the proposed Sunnyside Trail. This multi-use trail is proposed to begin at The Rise and run approximately two miles through the canyon, ending near the State Park/National Forest border.
The trail would welcome hikers, as well as mountain bikers and provide a safe mode of pedestrian travel between The Rise, the Visitor Center and the Popo Agie Campground, as well as up to the climber’s parking lot in the National Forest.
Cultural surveys and wildlife impact assessments have been conducted and the trail route is being determined to provide safe pedestrian access and protection for critical wildlife habitats. Because the trail will be near critical Mule Deer habitat, there will be a strict leash law enforced and potential winter closures to ensure Mule Deer are not diverted from their critical feeding grounds.
In preparation for colder weather, the State Park campgrounds and trails have been winterized. This means water has been turned off and many interpretive graphics have been brought in until spring. Both Sawmill and Popo Agie Campgrounds will remain open all year with first-come, first-serve campsites available.
Four all-weather yurts are also accessible year round and are available through the reservation system at https://wyomingstateparks.
Water levels have receded in the Boulder Choke Cave which allow for cave tours! The cave system remains a constant 55 degrees year-round and is accessible all winter long. Cave tours are currently limited to on-demand group requests, however plans are in the works to develop a weekly tour schedule to allow more frequent access to guests. Be watching for more information on tour times and reservations.
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