Sinks Canyon contains a heavily timbered north-facing slope where Douglas fir and shrubs such as Oregon grape, mountain lover, snowberry, and wild rose thrive in shade that keeps winter snow from melting quickly and provides extra moisture for trees. This dense forest habitat supports wildlife including pygmy owl, goshawk, western tanagers, blue grouse, Townsend’s solitaire, black bear, mule deer, moose, porcupines, pine martens, snowshoe hares, and red squirrels. Along the middle fork of the Popo Agie, wet riparian habitat provides water, food, and a travel corridor through the canyon, while canyon walls of Madison formation limestone contain The Sinks, where the river disappears into cracks in the soft rock and reappears at The Rise one-quarter mile downstream. During the 1940s and 50s, most of the lower half of Sinks Canyon was purchased by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to preserve and manage important wildlife habitat, and through cooperative management with the State Parks and Historical Society, the canyon continues to provide critical winter habitat with food, shelter, and water during the harshest months.