Itinerary Details
National Parks Of The Northwest
Day 1: SALT LAKE CITY Welcome to Salt Lake City! Your Tour Director is on hand from 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m to answer any questions.
Day 2: SALT LAKE CITY–JACKSON Start the day with a sightseeing tour of Salt Lake City, Utah’s capital, and center of the Mormon religion. Highlights include Temple Square, the Capitol Building, and the downtown district. Then travel north to the classic Western town of Jackson. This evening, have free time to stroll into town and enjoy its wooden sidewalks, shops, galleries, and see the famous antler arches. (B)
Day 3: JACKSON–GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK–YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK–WEST YELLOWSTONE This morning, depart for Grand Teton National Park, where rugged mountain peaks rise above pristine lakes and wildlife-rich valleys. Stop at the beautiful Jenny Lake, nestled at the base of Cascade Canyon, and watch for elk, moose, and other wildlife along the way. Continue north into Yellowstone National Park, home to more geysers than anywhere else on Earth. Watch the famous Old Faithful Geyser erupt, sending steaming water up to184 feet into the air! Later, travel to West Yellowstone for a two-night stay. (CB)
Day 4: WEST YELLOWSTONE. DAY EXCURSION TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Spend the day exploring the remarkable landscapes of Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872, as the world's first national park. Begin at the Fountain Paint Pot Trail, where bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, hot springs, and geysers showcase Yellowstone's remarkable geothermal activity. Then visit Mammoth Hot Springs and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for sweeping views of the colorful canyon and the park’s tallest waterfall, Lower Falls. Along the way, watch for Yellowstone's abundant wildlife, including bison, moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, wolves, bears, foxes, and coyotes. (B)
Day 5: WEST YELLOWSTONE–BOZEMAN–HELENA Head north to Helena, stopping first at Earthquake Lake Visitor Center to learn about the powerful 1959 earthquake that triggered a massive landslide, dammed the Madison River, and created Earthquake Lake in a matter of minutes. Then on to the vibrant mountain town of Bozeman. Continue to Helena, Montana’s capital, where you'll visit the impressive State Capitol building. (B)
Day 6: HELENA–MISSOULA–KALISPELL Head north to Missoula and visit the Smokejumper Visitor Center, home to the nation’s largest smokejumper base. Learn about these highly trained firefighters and the specialized aircraft and equipment they use to parachute into remote forest fires. Continue to Kalispell, nestled in the Flathead Valley, arriving in the late afternoon. Enjoy a free evening to explore the historic main street lined with local restaurants, breweries, and shops.
Day 7: KALISPELL. DAY TRIP TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK Spend the day exploring Glacier National Park aboard one of the park’s historic Red Jammer buses. Travel along the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of North America's most scenic mountain highways, climbing to Logan Pass at 6,646 feet. Along the way, take in alpine meadows, glacial valleys, waterfalls, and rugged mountain peaks while watching for wildlife such as mountain goats and bighorn sheep. (B)
Day 8: KALISPELL–WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK Cross into Canada and enter Waterton Lakes National Park, where Alberta’s rolling prairies meet the soaring peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Discover diverse landscapes, crystal clear lakes, cascading waterfalls, and towering mountain peaks. Tonight, stay inside the park with time to explore the charming village of Waterton and stroll along the lakeshore. (B)
Day 9: WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK–HEAD-SMASHED-IN BUFFALO JUMP–CALGARY Visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves the history of the Plains Indigenous peoples and their relationship with the buffalo that sustained them for thousands of years. Continue to Calgary for an orientation tour featuring Stampede Park, the Saddledome, and Canada Olympic Park. The remainder of the afternoon and evening are at leisure.
Day 10: CALGARY Your vacation ends this morning. Extend your vacation with extra nights in Calgary. Or on select dates, connect with our Heart of the Canadian Rockies Tour (8910), Western Canada by Rail Tour (8930) or Western Canada with Inside Passage Tour (8980) all with/without Alaska cruise options.
