Itinerary Details
America's Greatest Treasures With Rapid City Start
Day 1: RAPID CITY Welcome to Rapid City. Your Tour Director is on hand from 3-6:00 p.m. to answer any questions.
Day 2: RAPID CITY–CRAZY HORSE–MOUNT RUSHMORE–DEADWOOD Visit Crazy Horse Memorial, a monument-in-progress carved into a mountain as homage to Native American hero, Chief Crazy Horse. Drive deep into the Black Hills, through what was Sioux Indian territory, to see the stunning granite faces of Mount Rushmore, a giant monument to four iconic American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. On to Deadwood, a lawless frontier town during the 1876 Gold Rush, where Jack McCall murdered Wild Bill Hickok during a poker game. Stay overnight and discover Deadwood’s Wild West ways as you walk in the footsteps of legends like Calamity Jane and Seth Bullock. (CB)
Day 3: DEADWOOD–CODY This morning, head through high country, where open-range cattle kings waged war on the homesteaders in the 1890s. Drive past Sheridan and then ascend into the alpine region of the Bighorn Mountains, and the site of the Battle of Tongue River. Overnight in Buffalo Bill’s frontier town of Cody.
Day 4: CODY–YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK–WEST YELLOWSTONE Proceed through Shoshone National Forest to spectacular Yellowstone National Park to discover dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs, gushing geysers, and a wealth of incredible wildlife. Travel along Grand Loop Road to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for views of the Lower Falls. Be on the lookout for herds of bison that call the park home. Overnight in West Yellowstone.
NOTES:
Routing and areas visited in Yellowstone National Park are always subject to favorable weather, gate access, and road conditions; therefore, routings may be adjusted.
Day 5: WEST YELLOWSTONE. DAY EXCURSION TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Today, explore more of America’s first national park by returning to visit the geyser basins with bubbling mud paint pots and the reliable “blow” of the most famous geyser of all, Old Faithful. In addition to superb mountain scenery, the park is one of the world’s principal wildlife preserves and is home to 67 species of mammals and 300 species of birds making it a photographer’s paradise. (B)
Day 6: WEST YELLOWSTONE–GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK–JACKSON Head south into magnificent Grand Teton National Park, one of America’s last preserves of wild solitude. Its 13,770-foot-high ridges are crested with snow most of the year. View beautiful glacier-fed Jenny Lake before ending the day in the Wild West town of Jackson. This evening, consider an optional barbecue cookout and rip-roaring Wild West show! You’ll travel by horse-drawn covered wagon and immerse yourself in the old west atmosphere as you travel into Cache Creek Canyon for a BBQ dinner and toe-tapping musical entertainment. (B)
Day 7: JACKSON Enjoy time to relax in Jackson or go with the flow this morning on an optional 8-mile scenic float trip down the Snake River between Grand Teton National Park and Bridger Teton National Forest. This fun float trip passes nesting areas of bald eagles, ospreys and a plethora of other bird species and wildlife. The afternoon is free to explore historic downtown Jackson.
Day 8: JACKSON–SALT LAKE CITY Today, travel to Salt Lake City, Utah’s vibrant capital. Set on the edge of Great Salt Lake Desert, this center of the Mormon religion is where Brigham Young declared to his followers, “This is the place.” An included sightseeing tour features a glimpse of Temple Square, the Capitol Building, and the downtown area. This evening, celebrate your western adventure by joining an optional farewell dinner with your fellow traveling companions at a local restaurant.
Day 9: SALT LAKE CITY Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore Salt Lake City further. (B)
