Popo Agie Nature Trail Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Wildflowers

Connect the various nature trails in Sinks Canyon into a figure-eight loop along the river and through the woods. Spur trails lead to soaring limestone cliffs. The outside loop follows the pleasant sounds of the Popo Agie River (pronounced puh-POE-zha) on your return to the trailhead.

Pit toilets on site. Parking is free.

Start at the suspension foot bridge in the Popo Agie Campground (State Park not Notational Forest) and make an immediate left turn along the river. A rounding bend leaves the river and climbs up into the woods turning you Southwest. Ignore the spur trails for climbers leading up to the limestone cliffs above.

Bypass the junction leading back to the footbridge and trailhead by continuing straight into an expanse of sagebrush. Continue through a gap in the fence marking boundary of state and federal land. After you reach an obvious clearing that once housed a tiny ski area, follow the trail around to turn back northeast. Pass again through the fence gap and turn left at the junction leading back to the footbridge and trailhead.

Be sure to cool off with a dip in the Popo Agie River during the summer.

The Sinks Canyon Ski Area was laid out in 1958 and operated through the 1970's. Not known for a consistent snowpack, the ski area was only usable a few weekends during the winer.