The Lander Motel

About The Lander Motel

The Lander Motel has been on Main Street since 1941. Krista and Fabian acquired the property, gutted it entirely, and rebuilt it in 2023 with the kind of attention that comes from people who chose Lander on purpose: salvaged wood floors, modern bathrooms with strong water pressure, and a common lounge with complimentary drinks and coffee that functions as the property's social center. The original single-story footprint stayed, with parking directly in front of each room and contact-free check-in via door code. NOLS, the National Outdoor Leadership School, has been in Lander since 1965 and shaped the modern backcountry travel culture from this address. Sinks Canyon State Park is four miles out, where the Popo Agie River disappears underground and reappears a quarter mile later. The Wind River Range rises directly to the west: a hundred miles of granite peaks, glaciers, and wilderness along the Continental Divide.

What The Lander Motel Is Known For

The Lander Motel is the property Lander has needed since the Wind River Range became one of the most sought-after backcountry destinations in the American West. The 1941 bones were worth keeping, and Krista and Fabian kept them: the footprint, the single-story drive-up layout, the motor court scale that suits a town where modesty and competence are more valued than spectacle. What they added was intention: salvaged wood floors, retro finishes chosen for this place, a lounge that makes arriving feel like settling in rather than checking in. The renovation reflects a genuine understanding of Lander and the people who come to it.

Amenities

• Pets Welcome
• WiFi
• Common lounge with complimentary drinks and coffee
• Salvaged wood floors
• Retro finishes throughout
• Kitchenette rooms available
• TV
• Contact-free check-in via personalized door code
• Free parking directly outside each room

The Room

configurations: Overnighter (compact and efficient), Standard, and Extended Stays with kitchenettes. All rooms were rebuilt in the 2023 renovation from salvaged wood floors up: retro finishes, retro full-size fridge, retro microwave, and modern bathrooms with strong water pressure and stylish tiled finishes. TVs apps so guests log in with their own accounts. Bedside charging and quality bedding throughout. The rooms are right-sized for a motel where most of your time will be spent outside: efficient, considered, and comfortable without over-promising.

The Grounds

The Lander Motel sits on Main Street in downtown Lander, with parking directly in front of each room in the original motor court configuration. The common lounge on the property has been described by guests as feeling like an upscale living room: complimentary drinks and coffee available throughout the day, the kind of space that makes arriving feel immediately easy. Contact-free check-in means a personalized door code arrives by text on arrival day and the room is accessible immediately. The property is walkable to Lander's independent restaurants, coffee shops, gear stores, and the NOLS campus. Sinks Canyon and the Wind River Range trailheads are a short drive.

The Experience

The rhythm at the Lander Motel is set by what Lander offers, which is considerable. Coffee in the common lounge before heading four miles out to Sinks Canyon for the morning. The Wind River Range for a longer day: trailheads are accessible within 30 to 45 minutes of town, and the backcountry beyond them rewards accordingly. South Pass City, a gold rush ghost town 40 miles south, is a different kind of Wyoming afternoon. Back to Main Street for dinner at one of the independent restaurants that have accumulated here alongside the climbing gym, the NOLS campus, and the gear shops. Owners Krista and Fabian built something specific because they believed Lander deserved a place to stay that reflected what the town actually is.

Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Things to Do Near The Wind River Range

Sinks Canyon State Park

4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.

The Middle Fork Popo Agie River flows into a limestone sink and disappears underground, reappearing a quarter mile downstream in a pool full of large trout that have never been extracted. One of Wyoming's most unusual natural phenomena, with hiking trails and a canyon that earns the short drive from Lander every time.

Wind River Range

30 miles, about a 60 minute drive.

A hundred miles of granite peaks, alpine lakes, and wilderness along the Continental Divide, considered one of the premier backcountry destinations in the American West. The nearest trailheads are 30 to 45 minutes from Lander. The Cirque of the Towers, Fremont Peak, and the Popo Agie Wilderness are the landmark destinations.

South Pass City Historic Site

40 miles, about a 80 minute drive.

A gold rush ghost town from the 1860s, preserved by Wyoming State Parks on the southern flank of the Wind River Range. Gold was discovered here in 1867, and the resulting rush briefly made South Pass City the largest settlement in Wyoming Territory. About 45 minutes south of Lander on US-28.