Thanks for taking on this adventure! We're excited to share the place we call home with you.
Flying...
The Riverton Airport is around a 40 minute drive from Lander. It is serviced exclusively by Great Lakes Airlines which uses Denver International Airport as it's hub and can be extremely unreliable. The closest thing to public transport is the Wind River Transportation Authority (WRTA) shuttles which can bring you to Lander for $30 one way. Avis offers rental cars at the airport.
The Rock Springs Airport is around a 2 1/4 hour drive from Lander. It is serviced by Allegiant, United and Delta Airlines. Avis, Enterprise and Hertz all offer on-site rental cars.
The Casper Airport is around a 2 1/2 hour drive from Lander. It is serviced by Allegiant, United and Delta Airlines. Avis, Budget and Hertz all offer on-site rental cars.
The Jackson Hole Airport is around a 3 hour drive from Lander. It is serviced by American, Frontier, Skywest, United and Delta Airlines. National, Alamo, Avis and Hertz all offer on-site rental cars.
The Salt Lake City Airport is around a 4 1/2 hour drive from Lander. It offers a ton of airline and rental car options.
Staying...
There is free camping in City Park and there will be campsites available (with shower facilities) at Sinks Canyon Center on Sunday night for folks who want to avoid driving after the wedding festivities. There are also yurts available further up canyon.
A few of our friends may have spare bedrooms that they'd be willing to open up to out-of-town guests for the weekend and you can search LanderTalk (our local Craigslist equivalent) for VRBO-style houses, but neither are dependable options. Our friends, Mandy and Brian, have one room available via Airbnb. You may also want to check if the Noble Hotel has any rooms available on the 3rd Floor (NOLS Instructor housing) as we get closer to Labor Day Weekend. We'll do our best to connect you with opportunities like these if they arise.
In Lander, your two best bets are the Holiday Inn Express and the Pronghorn (with its famous statuary and the Oxbow diner next door). You'll be able to stay in a room with a king size bed or two queens for $99/night at the Holiday Inn Express from August 30th to September 2nd if you mention that you are attending our wedding. If you mention our names at the Pronghorn, they will charge you around $80/night for that same date range. Both the Pronghorn and the Holiday Inn Express won't be able to offer discounted rates for reservations made after August 1, 2013.
If you're looking for a cheaper place to stay in town, check out the Maverick Motel. The rooms may smell like stale cigarettes, but it's usually only $50/night.
If you're looking for a cheaper place to stay in town, check out the Maverick Motel. The rooms may smell like stale cigarettes, but it's usually only $50/night.
Outside of town, there are a few bed and breakfasts available: Lander Llama has a cabin you can rent (5 minutes from town), Baldwin Creek B & B (15 minutes from town), Outlaw Cabins (15 minutes from town), Squaw Creek Ranch (15 minutes from town), Miner's Delight Inn (home of an amazing scotch tasting, but a 40 minute drive from Lander), Louis Lake Lodge (great swimming spot on a sunny day, but an hour drive from Lander), and Diamond Four Ranch (the highest altitude horse ranch in Wyoming, but a 1 1/2 hour drive from Lander and you need a $50/day permit to cross the Wind River Reservation to access the ranch).
Eating...
The two supermarkets in town are both on Main Street-- Mr. D's (featured in the New York Times) and Safeway. If you are looking for booze, bypass Safeway and head to the One Stop or Mr. D's for a better selection.
The Cowfish is probably the best dinner option in Lander. The Gannet Grill is a more casual favorite which occasionally hosts live music, an outdoor patio and a packed bar. The Coalter Loft is above the Grill and lovely, but check if it's open before you go as it's got odd hours. Another solid option is Thai Chef. If you are game to try Wyoming sushi, you can venture into Zanmai, off Main Street.
Our favorite breakfast and lunch option is the Middle Fork and most people head to the Lander Bake Shop for coffee.
If you are game to travel out of town for grub, "the Merc" in Atlantic City and Svilar's in Hudson are both great cultural experiences masquerading as steak houses.
Exploring...
Floods took out most of our local swimming holes, but you can still take a dip at Louis Lake on the Loop Road, Popo Agie Falls (up from Bruce's Bridge trailhead) or at the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie fisherman's access.
Rock climbing draws a lot of folks to Lander-- Sinks Canyon and Wild Iris being two of the more popular sport climbing crags in the area. There is also a wealth of backcountry trad routes if you are willing to hike into the mountains. NOLS may be able to rent you gear from the Rocky Mountain Branch. Otherwise, local guidebooks and information are available at Wild Iris Mountain Sports on Main Street.
If the weather is bad, you can go to an indoor climbing wall at Elemental Training Center, our local gym which has drop in rates. There're also classes available at Ananda Yoga, Crossfit and Lander Bodyworks. Don't miss free yoga at the public library on Tuesdays at noon.
There is good fishing throughout the Wind River Mountains and many spots to spend a day along the Popo Agie river that runs out of Sinks Canyon and into town. Sweetwater Fishing Expeditions offers stellar options if you are looking for a guided experience.
Early September is hunting season for antelope and deer (camouflage and orange vests are totally acceptable wedding attire). There are a variety of local guide outfits if you are interested in bringing some Wyoming game home with you. Or if you're just interested in shooting guns, there's Government Draw.
Hiking and backpacking through the Wind River Mountains is an amazing experience if you have the time. There are llamas available locally to support your expedition if that is more your style. An easy day hike would be from Big Sandy Trailhead (a 1 1/2 hour drive from Lander) into Deep Lake Cirque (where we got engaged!) or Cirque of the Towers.
Day hikes that are closer to Lander include going up to the Falls in Sinks Canyon, the Bus Loop, Johnny Behind the Rocks, and Red Canyon.
Horse packing is another way to get into the mountains. Diamond Four Ranch is the closest dude ranch to Lander with many other options out of Dubois, around a 1 1/2 hour drive north of Lander.
There are four beautiful bike loops accessible from town, each around 15 miles-- Squaw/Baldwin, back and forth to the fisherman's access on the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie, North 2nd Street and Lyons Valley. Bikes can be rented from Gannet Peak Sports, which also hosts spin classes, or the Bike Mill.
The classic Lander run/jog is the Tomato Loop which takes you from City Park out to Mortimer Lane and back via Sinks Canyon Road.
Seeing the crest of the Winds from a small plane is an amazing experience. You can get in contact with local pilot, Andy Gramlich, at (307) 349-1014 or agraml@optimum.net if you are interested in an aerial view of Wyoming.
Brand new to town is the skatepark which opened in August much to the joy of local skateboarders (aspiring and veteran alike).
Cruising yard sales has been elevated to an art form in Lander. If you'd like to make the rounds, head to the large tree on the corner of 9th and Main Street where you'll see cardboard boxes and signs announcing the weekend's crop of sales. The early bird gets the worm.
Cultural experiences are to be had everywhere, so check out bulletin boards for local events (demolition derbies, rodeos, concerts, plays, art shows) and strike up conversations with folks!
Reading...
The Cold Dish, The Legend of Colton H. Bryant, The Meadow, Broken, The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint, Close Range, The Laramie Project and Grass Beyond the Mountains are all great books that give a sense of Wyoming. You can also head online to Lander Girl for a hilarious (and accurate) take on NOLS life in town or the police blotter on County 10 News for a behind the scenes look at local culture.