Itinerary Details
America's Greatest Treasures With Denver Start
Day 1 DENVER AREA Welcome to Denver, the “Mile High City,” capital of Colorado and gateway to the Rocky Mountains. This evening is free to explore on your own.
Day 2 DENVER AREA–CHEYENNE–BLACK HILLS–RAPID CITY Depart Denver and travel north to Cheyenne, capital of Wyoming. Then, on through the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, immortalized in a famous song from the musical Calamity Jane, to an overnight in Rapid City.
Day 3 RAPID CITY–CRAZY HORSE–MOUNT RUSHMORE–DEADWOOD Visit Crazy Horse Memorial, a monument carved out of a mountain that pays respect to the great 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 great 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. Overnight here, and discover Deadwood’s Wild West ways as you walk in the footsteps of legends like Calamity Jane and Seth Bullock.
Day 4 DEADWOOD–CODY This morning, head through high country, where open-range cattle kings made 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 5 CODY–YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK–WEST YELLOWSTONE Proceed through Shoshone National Forest to Yellowstone National Park. Travel along Grand Loop Road to Artist Point for views of the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. 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 6 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 Old Faithful. In addition to superb mountain scenery, the park is one of the world’s principal wildlife preserves and a photographer’s paradise. (CB)
Day 7 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. Stroll along the shores of beautiful glacier-fed Jenny Lake before ending the day in the Wild West town of Jackson. This evening, consider an optional barbecue cookout and Wild West show. You’ll travel by horse-drawn covered wagon into Cache Creek Canyon and experience dinner and entertainment before returning to Jackson. (CB)
Day 8 JACKSON Time to relax in Jackson or maybe embark on an optional scenic trip down the Snake River. Enjoy an 8-mile float trip that passes nesting areas of bald eagles, ospreys and a plethora of other bird species and wildlife. The afternoon is free to explore the historic downtown area of Jackson.
Day 9 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 the Capitol Building, and the beautiful downtown area.
Day 10 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)
