Camille's Arches: Morton Arch

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Morton Arch

Morton Arch, located right off the shore of Morton Lake near Pavillion, Wyoming

Morton Lake is one of our favorite places to go boating. It is about 45 minutes from our house. Many years ago I spotted this arch up on the hills along the shore line. I named it Morton Arch. We have often hiked to it and climbed inside it on our many family boating trips. It is not very big, but it's fun that it's so accessible to climb inside and on all the rocks nearby. There are other tiny rock openings in the area near Morton Arch.

Here is the arch's location

Here is the arch's pin:

Morton Arch Location

When you turn off of highway 26 towards Morton Lake on Pilot Butte Road, keep following the dirt road past the boat dock and watch towards your left. You will see the arch along the skyline. You can park about 20 feet from the arch and just walk to it. You can also walk up to it from the shoreline of the lake. You have to be looking at it from the right angle to be able to tell that it's an arch.

This is what the rock looks like from the south end

and this is what the rock looks like from the north end

The view of the arch from Pilot Butte Road

Notice the other small openings in the rock

As you approach the arch, this is what it looks like

There's my husband through the arch

Climbing inside the arch is easy

The lake-side side of the arch

Around back there's some more fun rocks to climb on

There's this natural rock that you could use to climb up onto the rock and probably on top of the arch. I didn't try it because of my fear of heights, and I don't think you could get inside the arch this way, although I guess if you were really daring you could. I have always climbed into the arch from the other side.

View from inside the arch looking up

Sitting inside the arch, looking out at the lake

My husband standing on the ground beside the arch while I was inside it - that side the arch is not very high off the ground

looking down from the arch

Selfie inside the arch

It's not a very big arch, but it is an accessible and fun arch and in such a beautiful setting!

View of the arch from the water

You can't see the arch opening very well, but he is standing on the rock that contains the arch.

Things to do in the Lander Area:

If you want to experience some small-town life, there is no place better to try it than Lander, Wyoming! Lander is unique and iconic, and has only around 7,000 residents. Lander houses NOLS, the National Outdoor Leadership School, so there are always adventurers in town, ready to take a NOLS course. Lander is also home to the Catholic College, so students walk the streets -- especially Main Street and the surrounding streets. Lander has a friendly, home-town feel.

The Fourth of July

The most note-worthy thing about Lander is the Fourth of July. You have not really experienced the Fourth of July until you have experienced it in Lander Wyoming. The small town surges in population as people come to town to celebrate the nation's birthday with a city-wide fireworks show that is like no other.

The day begins with the Challenge for Charities race, which starts and ends at Centennial Park on Main Street. The Half Marathon is the longest distance offered in this race, with other races including a 5K and a kid's one mile race. After the racing concludes, at 10 a.m. a parade travels down Main Street starting at the high school and concluding at 1st Street. It is a typical small-town parade that ends with fire trucks soaking the remaining crowd (many seek shelter when they see the fire trucks coming). After the parade, visitors can head to City Park for the Rotary Club's annual Buffalo BBQ.

But the biggest event of the Fourth of July happens after dark, when the fireworks begin. You can attend the rodeo and watch fireworks there, or you can drive or walk to any other location in Lander and still be treated to a fireworks show. Be very careful, because the small town will be bursting at the seams, and that means a lot of traffic and unfortunately sometimes, traffic accidents. One of our good friends was run over by a car on the Fourth of July one year. Be aware of your surroundings while enjoying the show! My favorite viewing area is the Mount Hope Cemetery, but I also enjoy watching the fireworks on the hill near the rodeo grounds, or even just in my own front yard. I have laid on my sidewalk and looked up at the sky to watch the countless fireworks exploding above me, feeling soot land on my face the whole time. Individuals from all over the city purchase their own fireworks and set them off, creating a collective fireworks show that is city-wide and nothing short of amazing! The past couple years my family has gone on a two-mile walk through the city streets to see the fireworks from different views and experience some of the local excitement as people are setting off their own fireworks. If you do plan to visit Lander for the Fourth of July, book your hotel room very early. Or, if you can't find a place to stay, Riverton is only 30 minutes away.

The Falls

The most popular destination to visit in Lander is The Falls hike up Sinks Canyon Road. Head up Sinks Canyon and park in the Bruce Parking lot. The hike is a little over 3 1/2 miles round-trip. The reward at the end is viewing the beautiful Popo Agie Falls, and for those who are brave enough -- sliding down the falls. This natural waterslide is quite safe, although usually VERY cold, so be prepared! People slide down the falls and hit the cold water and are quite often so shocked that they lose their personal items in the water. My son has dived down below the falls and found sunglasses, watches, and even go-pros. If you don't feel like sliding off the falls, you can dip in the cold water before hiking back down. People come from miles away to hike The Falls trail.

The Sinks & The Rise

You can visit The Rise and feed the fish up Sinks Canyon. You can read about The Sinks and The Rise on this website: Sinks Canyon State Park It is free to visit, unless you want to purchase some food for the fish at the fish food vending machine there. The google maps location of The Rise is here: The Rise and The Sinks is located here: The Sinks The reason these are such noteworthy places, is because the Popo Agie River disappears into the cave at The Sinks, travels through the rocks, and reappears a quarter mile down the highway at The Rise. But it takes 2-4 hours for it to make it there. It travels through the mountain in crevices that are too small for divers to travel through. It is a mystery that scientists studied several decades ago, dying the water as it headed into the cave, and then timing how long the dyed water traveled before it reappeared at The Rise. While visiting Sinks Canyon State Park you can walk on the nature trail, and you can walk across the swinging bridge. There are a few campgrounds up Sinks Canyon, and a fun little park at Sawmill Campground.

Hiking & Biking

There are a lot of hiking trails in the Lander area. Hiking to the Falls, as listed above, is probably the most popular. Hiking "The Bus," where Elephant Arch is located, is another local favorite. Many people enjoy hiking Brewer's Trail. You can also bike Brewer's Trail. Many people enjoy hiking or biking at Johnny Behind the Rocks.

Here are the locations of the trailheads of some of the most popular hiking & biking spots:

Johnny Behind the Rocks

The Popo Agie Falls

The Bus

Nature Trail

CWC Field Station biking area

Upper Brewers Trail

Middle Brewers Trail

The Aliens

If you want to see something truly unique, head down highway 789 between Lander and Hudson and watch for the aliens sitting on their UFO's on the left side of the road. They are located next to Elk Country Homes, right here: Lander's resident aliens Several years ago, one UFO appeared in Lander with one alien sitting on top of it. Then a few years later a second UFO appeared with a second alien sitting on top of it. Now these aliens have children as well. It is a fun, quirky, unique tidbit about Lander.

Where to Stay in Lander

There are a few small hotels in Lander, but the one I'd recommend the most is the Holiday Inn next to Safeway. It is pretty new. It is located here: Holiday Inn Lander There are also hotels such as The Inn at Lander and the Pronghorn Lodge. There are also a few Airbnb's. And a lot of people who visit Lander during the summer camp in the many campgrounds nearby.

There are a few restaurants that are quite popular in Lander -- Gannett Grill on Main Street is a favorite, as is El Sol. And if you have a hard time finding somewhere to stay or somewhere to eat, Riverton is only a half hour away.