Wyoming
There’s A Whole Other World To Explore Under Wyoming’s Sinks Canyon State Park
For years, visitors have been intrigued that the Popo Agie River disappears deep beneath the Sinks Canyon State Park.
It turns out that over the eons, the river had formed a network of caves through the Madison limestone that then lay undiscovered for hundreds of years and can now be explored by a lucky few.
“The state park staff actually discovered the cave system decades ago,” State Superintendent and Interpretive Ranger Jessica Moore said. “It was a fluke that one of the staff noticed some water coming out of the side of the hillside. They started poking around and found a hole in the ground.”
Curious, the employee squeezed into the hole and discovered an entire cave system that was beneath the canyon. Over the years, for safety, the entrance was gated and closed to public access. Visitors could only explore the cave system if they knew someone working at the state park and could arrange a tour.
When Moore arrived in 2022, she said she was intrigued by the cave system and started working with Skylar Sargent, the primary cave guide, to build a safe public tour so that more people could experience the wonders that had been hidden beneath the earth.
Descending Into An Underground World
Moore had been hired specifically to create interpretive programs at the state park, and she saw the cave system as a perfect opportunity to build a unique experience for park visitors.
She soon discovered that September through April is the only time it is safe to explore the caves and planned accordingly since in early spring, the runoff fills the system with water. Once it is dry enough to descend into the cave, groups of 10 people, twice a month, are brought to a nearly hidden hole in the boulders.
“The cave is unique because the entrance to the cave is not a big gaping hole in the side of the cliff,” Moore said. “It’s called Boulder Choke Cave because the entrance is in a pile of boulders which comes to a choke point.”
Visitors first go through this small opening and then drop down a few feet to the first platform underground where the gate to the cave is located. From there, they drop down another eight feet and crawl over a big boulder on their hands and knees about twenty feet to the main cavern.
“When you come into that first big room you can walk upright,” Moore said. “This is where the river channeled underwater and so it is essentially walking down a tube.”
The tour will take participants through various limestone caverns and Moore cautions that crawling is required as you maneuver through certain sections.
“For the most part, you can stand up and walk through,” Moore said. “We will stop in several different rooms to look at various features, whether it’s shell fossils from ancient oceans or the scalloping in the limestone from the water that scours through this channel every spring.”
One unique feature is the snottites dripping off the ceiling, a bacterial formation that resembles slime.
“The shining star to this cave experience is the underground river,” Moore said. “This gives us a little glimpse of where the river disappears to when it drops into the sinks.”
In the back of the cave, fish swim in a pool of water and strange fungi grow. Visitors are often in awe of the opportunity to stand in the cave and soak in the surroundings, a balmy 57 degrees year-round.
Since opening these three-hour tours to visitors age 10 and older, hundreds of people have been able to experience the geology and hydrology in the park in a way that has never been offered before, Moore said.
The tours also give Moore an opportunity to talk about protecting both the participants and the cave.
“It is really important we follow decontamination protocols for protection against white-nose syndrome,” Moore said. “We want to make sure we’re not bringing anything into the cave, or bringing anything out of the cave that might impact our bat populations.”
Moore’s favorite activity is when they plunge the cavers into absolute darkness.
“We do a little bit of sensory exploration and talk about how our brain works and how our brain fills in when we can’t see things and just give people that unique experience,” Moore said.
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A popular interpretive program offered at the Wyoming State Parks statewide center on the black-footed ferret, a species that nearly went extinct and is being rescued through cloning. (Courtesy Sinks Canyon State Park) -
At the Sinks Canyon State Park, rattlesnake researchers and others have offered visitors an opportunity to meet and learn about the parks many reptiles lurking about. Right, a whole other world of life grows under Sinks Canyon. (Courtesy Sinks Canyon State Park) -
At the Sinks Canyon State Park, rattlesnake researchers and others have offered visitors an opportunity to meet and learn about the parks many reptiles lurking about. (Courtesy Sinks Canyon State Park)
Keeping Sinks Park Dark, Wild And Accessible
For those who are unable to join in the cave explorations, Moore offers other programming to celebrate the unique features of Sinks Canyon State Park. Another program she is passionate about is the dark skies.
In 2023, Sinks Canyon was designated as the first international dark sky site in the state of Wyoming. To keep that status, Moore offers at least four different dark sky programs each year, from photography to astronomy.
“We have this amazing natural resource above the canyon,” Moore said. “And we want to make sure people are doing what they can in their own personal lives to protect the dark skies around them, as well as enjoying the dark sky within Sinks Canyon.”
A local group called Sinks Canyon Wild has teamed up with the state park to protect the resources and still develop ways for people to be able to enjoy the park.
“It’s our vision to make sure that we are providing for the users, but also protecting the space,” Moore said. “Having well-planned recreation experiences for guests is one of the ways to do that.”
From Snakes to Ferrets
Deputy Director Nick Neylon said that five years ago there were no interpretive programs at any of the parks and that has changed drastically.
“Just this summer alone, we held almost 400 interpretive programs across the state,” Neylon said. “Last year, we saw roughly 25,000 people attend our programs so it’s having a big impact.”
Neylon said that programs like the cave exploration and dark sky programs are the main ways that the park staff can interact with visitors.
“You can go to a state park and walk down a trail on your own,” Neylon said. “But by taking part in an interpretive program, you are taking the opportunity to interpret the landscape on a completely different level.”
Moore is currently working on new programs including bringing back a rattlesnake expert.
“One of the things that I’m working on right now is having someone come in and talk about the peregrine falcons that nest in the canyon,” Moore said. “They’re a great success story of recovery of endangered species.”
Another crowd favorite is the programs on the black-footed ferret which had almost gone extinct before being discovered in the wild.
“We’ve had an amazingly positive reaction to the programs,” Neylon said. “Our interpretive rangers are also people who help build community.”
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Five years ago, Wyoming State Parks started offering interpretive programs and one such opportunity is a cave tour at the Sinks Canyon State Park. Cavers are each given their own equipment and escorted through a network of caves, sometimes on their hands and knees, to view the rare sight of an underground river. (Courtesy Sinks Canyon State Park) -
Five years ago, Wyoming State Parks started offering interpretive programs and one such opportunity is a cave tour at the Sinks Canyon State Park. Cavers are each given their own equipment and escorted through a network of caves, sometimes on their hands and knees, to view the rare sight of an underground river. (Courtesy Sinks Canyon State Park) -
The Future
To help build this community, the state parks are looking beyond just offering programs and are planning to build up the infrastructure of the parks. Two projects under consideration are new visitor centers, one at Sinks Canyon and the other at Keyhole State Park.
“We get a lot of visitations at Sinks Canyon,” Deputy Director of State Parks Chris Floyd said. “The current visitor center is rather small, and so it’s difficult to get a school group in there, especially in the wintertime, to do educational programs.”
Floyd said that a community town hall will be held on December 1 to hear the thoughts of the Lander community on what their needs are. He said that the Keyhole State Park doesn’t even have a visitor center currently and its town hall will be in January.
As Floyd considers the logistics of providing adequate bathrooms and parking, Moore is excited for the opportunity to offer more programs such as a video tour of the caves for visitors who cannot visit in person.
“Wyoming can be a little bit brutal in the winter,” Moore said. “So, I’m really excited about the opportunity to have usable teaching space inside.”
“Our mission is to improve communities and enrich lives throughout the state of Wyoming,” Neylon said. “Our focus is on trying to find ways to make it easier and more enjoyable for people to experience our parks, historic sites and trails.”
Moore said that she is just grateful to be entrusted with this unique and special place and can’t wait to get more visitors both underground and beneath the dark skies.
Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.
Wyoming
Wyoming Just Greenlit America’s Largest Data Center Project, and Locals Are Bracing for Impact
As the data center boom overtakes rural America, impacted residents are often divided over whether these facilities help or harm their communities. But the commissioners of Laramie County, Wyoming, are willing to bet that building the largest data center campus in the U.S. will bring in jobs, tax revenue, and long-term economic growth.
On January 6, they unanimously approved two site plans for a proposed power plant and data center campus to be built south of Cheyenne. The power plant project, called the BFC Power and Cheyenne Power Hub, is being developed by Tallgrass Energy. It will ultimately provide electricity to the Project Jade data center campus being built by AI infrastructure company Crusoe.
Crusoe and Tallgrass announced the partnership in July, revealing that the data center campus will open with a capacity of 1.6 gigawatts (GW) but will be designed to scale up to 10 GW. Achieving that maximum capacity would make it the largest single AI campus in the U.S.
Big projects with big impacts
The joint project will now progress to the construction phase in the Switch Grass Industrial Park area, located 8 miles south of Cheyenne, according to documentation obtained by Inside Climate News.
Project Jade will be developed on a 600-acre (243-hectare) parcel of land and will consist of five data centers, two support buildings, and additional supporting infrastructure. The BFC Power and Cheyenne Power Hub project will be built right next door on a 659-acre (267-hectare) parcel and will consist of two power generation facilities plus supporting infrastructure.
Crusoe and Tallgrass expect to begin construction in the first quarter of this year, and the first data center building should be operational by the end of 2027, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports.
Before the final vote, the Hyndman Homesites Homeowners Association—which represents a community near the project—wrote a letter to the county commissioners expressing residents’ concerns about drilling deep wells into the local aquifer, gas turbine emissions, the location of wastewater ponds, and other impacts, according to ICN.
Ahead of the final vote, the Hyndman Homesites Homeowners Association, which represents a community near the project, sent a letter to the county commissioners raising concerns about deep aquifer wells, gas turbine emissions, wastewater pond locations, and other impacts, according to ICN.
Studies suggest they’re right to be worried. Researchers have found that data center facilities much smaller than the proposed Jade campus emit harmful air pollutants such as fine particulate matter, guzzle local water resources, and drive up energy bills.
Promises of sustainability
The projects’ developers say they have plans to mitigate local impacts. To reduce the data centers’ water demand, Crusoe intends to implement closed-loop cooling systems that recycle treated water and treatment fluids, according to a 2024 Impact Report.
When Crusoe and Tallgrass announced their partnership in July, they said the data center campus’s proximity to Tallgrass’s existing CO2 sequestration hub will also provide long-term carbon capture solutions for the gas turbines powering the data centers. They added that “future renewable energy developments in the region” could eventually supplement the facilities’ power demand.
Whether these prove to be viable, meaningful solutions remains to be seen. County leadership is apparently comfortable enough with the risks to allow the projects to move forward. The true costs and benefits of their decision won’t become clear until these facilities are operational and the campus begins drawing power, water, and scrutiny at scale.
LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys return to the Arena-Auditorium on Wednesday to host San Diego State in a Mountain West matchup scheduled for a 6 p.m. tipoff on CBS Sports Network.
San Diego State enters the contest tied for first place in the Mountain West, while Wyoming is seeking its 10th home win of the season.
The contest will be broadcast on the Cowboy Sports Network across 26 affiliate stations with Keith Kelley on the call and Kevin McKinney providing color commentary. In Sweetwater County, the game can be heard on KUGR 104.9 FM.
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Wyoming comes into the game with an 11-5 overall record and a 2-3 mark in conference play after a road loss to Nevada on Saturday. The Cowboys are averaging 84 points per game, which ranks second in the conference, while allowing 72.7 points per contest. Wyoming is shooting 48 percent from the field and holding opponents to 44 percent. The Cowboys average 8.3 3-pointers per game, while opponents make 6.4, and Wyoming leads the Mountain West at 38 rebounds per game.
San Diego State is 11-4 overall and 5-0 in conference play after winning eight of its last nine games. The Aztecs are tied atop the Mountain West standings with Utah State. San Diego State averages 82.5 points per game and allows 72.8. The Aztecs are shooting 48 percent from the field while holding opponents to 40 percent, and they average 37.6 rebounds and 17.1 assists per game.
Leland Walker leads Wyoming in scoring at 14.5 points per game and also averages a team-high 3.8 assists, ranking seventh in the conference. Nasir (Naz) Meyer is averaging 13.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field. Khaden Bennett adds 9.8 points per game and ranks second on the team with 4.8 rebounds per contest. Bennett ranks fourth in the Mountain West, shooting over 87 percent from the free throw line, and is second on the team with 41 assists.
San Diego State is led in scoring by BJ Davis at 12.1 points per game. He is shooting 44 percent from 3-point range and is tied for the team lead with 21 made 3-pointers. Reese Dixon-Waters averages 11.1 points per game and also has 21 3-pointers on the season. Miles Heide leads the Aztecs with 5.4 rebounds per game, and San Diego State has seven players averaging at least three rebounds per contest.
The Cowboys trail the all-time series 53-42, with the first meeting dating back to Jan. 12, 1979. Wyoming holds a 27-14 record at home against the Aztecs. San Diego State won both meetings last season by a combined five points.
Wyoming will return to the road Saturday to face Fresno State at 5 p.m. MT in a game on the Mountain West Network.
CASPER, Wyo. — The University of Wyoming has produced several NFL players currently making an impact. Here’s how they did in the most recent week’s slate of games.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen was explosive for the Bills on Sunday, and Buffalo survived its playoff opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars 27–24.
Allen accounted for three of his team’s four touchdowns, two coming on the ground and the third coming by way of the pass. He threw for 273 yards on 80% efficiency, also picking up 33 yards via the rushing game.
Allen and the Bills have advanced past the Wild Card round of the playoffs every year since 2020.
In the divisional round, the Bills will face the top seed in the AFC, the Denver Broncos.
Frank Crum, Denver Broncos
Crum and the Broncos were off last week, as they earned a bye in the playoffs as the top AFC seed.
Crum will take the field against the Buffalo Bills and reigning MVP and fellow UW alum Josh Allen in the divisional round.
Marcus Epps, Philadelphia Eagles
Epps had a respectable day for the Eagles, though the team ultimately fell 23–19 to the San Francisco 49ers, marking the end of their season.
Epps had a trio of tackles for the Eagles’ secondary unit in the loss.
The former Wyoming Cowboy finishes the year with 24 tackles, including one for a loss.
Chad Muma, New England Patriots
The New England Patriots easily handled their Wild Card opponents, beating the Los Angeles Chargers 16–3. However, Muma had little impact on the result in limited playing time.
In the victory, Muma failed to record a statistic. He only took the field for 13 special teams snaps and did not play a defensive down.
The Patriots will move on to face the Houston Texans in the next round of the playoffs.
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