Overview

A friend of mine once described Lander as “two-star climbing in a three-star location”. Some might argue that the climbing is worth a full three stars, but there’s no doubt that the area itself is about as beautiful and serene as it gets. The major climbing areas here are Wild Iris and Sinks Canyon, both of which offer heaps of fun, pocketed dolomite sport climbing.

Seasons

Lander is one of the best areas in the country in terms of year-round climbing access. Wild Iris is mainly a three-season area with best conditions from late spring to early fall, while Sinks is the go-to place on colder days as the sunshine and shelter from wind confer great conditions even on cold winter days.

Camping

Lander itself has possibly one of the coolest camping options anywhere – you are welcome to camp in the city park for up to three nights in a row. With the lush green grass, picnic tables and BBQ pits, and public bathroom on site, this is a great option if you’re arriving late or just passing through.

Wild Iris has some nice primitive camping near the OK Corral cliff just past the main parking area, with pit toilets nearby. Bring water, and be aware that this is bear country!

There are also good campgrounds within Sinks canyon, see the map for some options.

Water

It is best to fill up on water in town as there’s no water available once you drive out to the camping and climbing.

Food

The Lander Bar and Grill is the classic watering hole in town with good food to boot. There are many other good options within the town of Lander.

Showers

The Holiday Lodge in Lander offers reasonably priced showers w/ towel included. Some of the campgrounds likely have showers as well.

Rest Days

Relax and watch a little league game in the city park. Did I mention the grass is nice?

By Tyler Wellman