The Sweetwater River is located along the base of the Wind River range. It has
been found to meet criteria as a "Wild and Scenic River". Sections have been
identified as Wild, Scenic or Recreational in nature, allowing recreation
experiences for many different visitors. This is a fee-free site. Some of the
recreation opportunities are ADA accessible.

The Sweetwater River is located along the base of the Wind River range.  It has been found to meet criteria as a "Wild and Scenic River".  Sections have been identified as Wild, Scenic or Recreational in nature, allowing recreation experiences for many different visitors.  This is a fee-free site.  Some of the recreation opportunities are ADA accessible.

Bird's eye view of the park

Sweetwater River

This 30-square-mile area was a focal point for the discovery of gold in 1842
and the resultant 1867 gold rush that settled this part of Wyoming. By 1868,
about 1,500 people lived in the District towns of South Pass and Atlantic
City, but by 1872 the boom was over and the area was all but abandoned. BLM
maintains 2 campgrounds and the ghost town of Miner's Delight in the area.
Other attractions in the vicinity are the South Pass City State Historic site,
the Wild Iris world-class rock-climbing site, remnants of five National
Historic Trails (the Continental Divide, Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California,
and Pony Express Trails), and a Volksmarch Trail.This area is near historic
trails. Please do not collect or damage these resources. There are a few
maintained BLM roads in the area and multiple two-track routes.

This 30-square-mile area was a focal point for the discovery of gold in 1842 and the resultant 1867 gold rush that settled this part of Wyoming. By 1868, about 1,500 people lived in the District towns of South Pass and Atlantic City, but by 1872 the boom was over and the area was all but abandoned. BLM maintains 2 campgrounds and the ghost town of Miner's Delight in the area. Other attractions in the vicinity are the South Pass City State Historic site, the Wild Iris world-class rock-climbing site, remnants of five National Historic Trails (the Continental Divide, Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California, and Pony Express Trails), and a Volksmarch Trail.This area is near historic trails. Please do not collect or damage these resources.

There are a few maintained BLM roads in the area and multiple two-track routes.

South Pass Historic Mining Area

The Shoshone River Pathway is a segment in a network of trails in and around
Cody, Wyoming. The Shoshone River Pathway (Stock Nature Trail) provides access
to 55 acres of Bureau of Reclamation withdrawn lands managed under a
Memorandum of Understanding by the city of Cody. Approximately 3/4 miles of
gravel surfaced trail winds through upland and riparian vegetation communities
along the scenic Shoshone River. On-site facilities include a restroom,
resting benches and interpretive signage. An abundance of wildlife, including
resident and migratory birds and large and small mammals can be viewed in the
area. The trail also provides access to blue ribbon trout fishing.

The Shoshone River Pathway is a segment in a network of trails in and around Cody, Wyoming.  The Shoshone River Pathway (Stock Nature Trail) provides access to 55 acres of Bureau of Reclamation withdrawn lands managed under a Memorandum of Understanding by the city of Cody.  Approximately 3/4 miles of gravel surfaced trail winds through upland and riparian vegetation communities along the scenic Shoshone River.  On-site facilities include a restroom, resting benches and interpretive signage.  An abundance of wildlife, including resident and migratory birds and large and small mammals can be viewed in the area.  The trail also provides access to blue ribbon trout fishing.

Shoshone River Pathway

The scenic Sinks Canyon is located near Lander, Wyoming, in the southern Wind
River Mountains. It provides a host of outdoor recreation opportunities
including three developed campgrounds, a picnic area, several hiking trails,
and a snowmobile/ATV trail leading up into the Shoshone National Forest.  
  
The canyon abounds with wildlife--mule deer, bighorn sheep, and wintering
moose and elk. Raptors nest in the canyon cliffs. The Middle Fork of the Popo
Agie provides great habitat for rainbow trout.  
  
Recreation opportunities include sightseeing, hiking, rock climbing, fishing,
picnicking, and hunting. Perhaps the most notable attraction is the Sinks
itself, from which the canyon takes its name. At the Sinks, the Popo Agie
River literally sinks underground and reappears several hundred yards below at
the appropriately-named Rise. One of the canyon's most popular attractions, a
large pool of huge trout, is found at the Rise. You can watch and feed the
fish, but fishing is not allowed there.  
  
Rock climbers come from around the world to hone their skills on the canyon's
sheer walls of Bighorn dolomite. The walls' southern exposure means they're
warmed by direct sunlight, providing year-round climbing opportunities. Three
hiking trails lead to the base of the cliffs.  
  
Much of the canyon is comprised of public lands, managed by the USDA Forest
Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and by the State of Wyoming at Sinks
Canyon State Park. Additional information is available at the Sinks Canyon
Visitor Center which is open from May through September.

The scenic Sinks Canyon is located near Lander, Wyoming, in the southern Wind River Mountains. It provides a host of outdoor recreation opportunities including three developed campgrounds, a picnic area, several hiking trails, and a snowmobile/ATV trail leading up into the Shoshone National Forest. 
 
The canyon abounds with wildlife--mule deer, bighorn sheep, and wintering moose and elk. Raptors nest in the canyon cliffs. The Middle Fork of the Popo Agie provides great habitat for rainbow trout. 
 
Recreation opportunities include sightseeing, hiking, rock climbing, fishing, picnicking, and hunting. Perhaps the most notable attraction is the Sinks itself, from which the canyon takes its name. At the Sinks, the Popo Agie River literally sinks underground and reappears several hundred yards below at the appropriately-named Rise. One of the canyon's most popular attractions, a large pool of huge trout, is found at the Rise. You can watch and feed the fish, but fishing is not allowed there. 
 
Rock climbers come from around the world to hone their skills on the canyon's sheer walls of Bighorn dolomite. The walls' southern exposure means they're warmed by direct sunlight, providing year-round climbing opportunities. Three hiking trails lead to the base of the cliffs. 
 
Much of the canyon is comprised of public lands, managed by the USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and by the State of Wyoming at Sinks Canyon State Park. Additional information is available at the Sinks Canyon Visitor Center which is open from May through September.

Sinks Canyon

This area is rich in 19th century mining history. Travel graveled roads to
Atlantic City, South Pass City State Historic Site, the ghost town of Miner's
Delight, or ride along two-track roads through stands of pine and aspen.  
  
The many possible rides in the area include the 11-mile Ft. Stambaugh Loop
Road (BLM 2324), including Miner's Delight, and all day rides taking in
Atlantic City and South Pass City State Historic Site. You can view various
wildlife along the way, including pronghorn, deer, elk, moose and raptors.  
  
HISTORY  
  
During the 1800s, Wyoming became the focus for American expansion into the
trans-Mississippi west. Robert Stuart’s discovery of South Pass in October
1812 gave hope that a practical overland route to the Pacific (the route Lewis
and Clark searched for but failed to find) did exist.  
  
By 1824, South Pass was in annual use by mountain men and trappers engaged in
the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade. Soon trappers discovered connections that linked
South Pass with the Snake and Columbia rivers and with the Hudson’s Bay
Company holdings of the Pacific Northwest.  
  
Some 150,000 pioneers went west between the years of 1849 and 1852. By the
mid-1850s, stage coaches and freight wagons were regular users of the
California, Mormon Pioneer and Oregon trails, rolling both east and west
through South Pass. For 19 months in 1860-61, the riders of the Pony Express
transcontinental mail service thundered through the pass on an incredible
schedule covering 2,000 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, to San Francisco,
California, in 10 days or less.  
  
Historians estimate that some 500,000 pioneers “went westering” along the
South Pass trail system before the great overland wagon train migrations
slowed down with the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869.
About 80,000 were headed for the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Some 70,000
Mormons had the Great Salt Lake region as their destination. Most of the
remaining 350,000 were bound for California with just a few headed for
intermediate destinations. Of those that started the journey, one in 10 would
not complete it. Thousands would die along the way, mostly from accidents,
cholera and other diseases. Some would simply get to their destination and
turn back.

This area is rich in 19th century mining history. Travel graveled roads to Atlantic City, South Pass City State Historic Site, the ghost town of Miner's Delight, or ride along two-track roads through stands of pine and aspen. The many possible rides in the area include the 11-mile Ft. Stambaugh Loop Road (BLM 2324), including Miner's Delight, and all day rides taking in Atlantic City and South Pass City State Historic Site. You can view various wildlife along the way, including pronghorn, deer, elk, moose and raptors. HISTORY During the 1800s, Wyoming became the focus for American expansion into the trans-Mississippi west. Robert Stuart’s discovery of South Pass in October 1812 gave hope that a practical overland route to the Pacific (the route Lewis and Clark searched for but failed to find) did exist. By 1824, South Pass was in annual use by mountain men and trappers engaged in the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade. Soon trappers discovered connections that linked South Pass with the Snake and Columbia rivers and with the Hudson’s Bay Company holdings of the Pacific Northwest. Some 150,000 pioneers went west between the years of 1849 and 1852. By the mid-1850s, stage coaches and freight wagons were regular users of the California, Mormon Pioneer and Oregon trails, rolling both east and west through South Pass. For 19 months in 1860-61, the riders of the Pony Express transcontinental mail service thundered through the pass on an incredible schedule covering 2,000 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, to San Francisco, California, in 10 days or less. Historians estimate that some 500,000 pioneers “went westering” along the South Pass trail system before the great overland wagon train migrations slowed down with the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. About 80,000 were headed for the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Some 70,000 Mormons had the Great Salt Lake region as their destination. Most of the remaining 350,000 were bound for California with just a few headed for intermediate destinations. Of those that started the journey, one in 10 would not complete it. Thousands would die along the way, mostly from accidents, cholera and other diseases. Some would simply get to their destination and turn back.

Atlantic City/South Pass

The Baldwin Creek Climbing Area has about 50 established rock climbs ranging
in difficulty from 5.11 to 5.14. The average difficulty of these climbs
exceeds those of two of the other popular rock climbing areas near Lander-
Sinks Canyon and Wild Iris. The rocks of interest to climbers make up the
middle member of the Bighorn dolomite, a geologic formation of Ordovician age.
The main body of the formation was deposited in a warm shallow sea between 470
and 450 million years ago. Dolomite is similar to limestone (calcium
carbonate) but is much richer in magnesium. Factors influencing sedimentation
were probably constant for a long time because the cliffs are very uniform in
composition, texture and color. They have few cracks or other flaws, and as a
result, they provide uniformly difficult rock climbing opportunities.

The Baldwin Creek Climbing Area has about 50 established rock climbs ranging in difficulty from 5.11 to 5.14. The average difficulty of these climbs exceeds those of two of the other popular rock climbing areas near Lander-Sinks Canyon and Wild Iris.
The rocks of interest to climbers make up the middle member of the Bighorn dolomite, a geologic formation of Ordovician age. The main body of the formation was deposited in a warm shallow sea between 470 and 450 million years ago. Dolomite is similar to limestone (calcium carbonate) but is much richer in magnesium. Factors influencing sedimentation were probably constant for a long time because the cliffs are very uniform in composition, texture and color. They have few cracks or other flaws, and as a result, they provide uniformly difficult rock climbing opportunities.

Sweetwater River

Directions

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Nearby Parks

South Pass Historic Mining Area

Shoshone River Pathway

Sinks Canyon

Atlantic City/South Pass

Baldwin Creek Climbing Area

Sinks Canyon State Park