The Classic Lodges And Parks Of The West

2012 Season
Departs From: Rapid City

From 1,948EUR

Length: 11 Days from Rapid City to Salt Lake City

Overview

On this fun-filled vacation, discover the majestic parks and historic lodges of the American West. Begin your trip in Rapid City, South Dakota, gateway to the Black Hills. Enjoy an orientation tour and visit to Badlands National Park with its stunning scenery. Spend two nights in Custer State Park at the historic State Game Lodge, a gracious stone and wood lodge set in a beautiful mountain valley that served as the “Summer White House” for President Coolidge. Here, enjoy a buffalo safari and chuck wagon cookout. Visit the world’s largest mammoth-remains excavation site in Hot Springs, spend free time exploring Custer State Park, and visit Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument.

Cross the plains and mountains of Wyoming and arrive in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West town of Cody, Wyoming. Next up: Yellowstone National Park, America’s first national park and the geothermal home of Old Faithful Geyser. Stay at the majestic Lake Yellowstone Hotel, listed on the Register of Historic Places and the most luxurious lodging facility in Yellowstone. Enjoy Yellowstone’s Upper and Lower Falls and watch for herds of bison before spending the night at the historic Old Faithful Inn, one of the largest log structures in the world and located right beside Old Faithful Geyser.

On your way to Jackson, tour beautiful Grand Teton National Park. In the thoroughly Western town of Jackson, enjoy plenty of leisure time. Your grand vacation concludes with a trip through the Wasatch Mountains and a farewell dinner in Salt Lake City, Utah. On this tour, you’ll see some of the West’s classic lodges, breathtaking scenery, and historic sites—what a grand vacation!

Note:

September 20 departure: Join us on this departure, which features the famous Buffalo Roundup Stampede during your stay in Custer State Park.

Duration: 11 Days

Schedule:

Start Date	End Date
21 June, 2012	01 July, 2012
05 July, 2012	15 July, 2012
02 August, 2012	12 August, 2012
16 August, 2012	26 August, 2012
06 September, 2012	16 September, 2012
13 September, 2012	23 September, 2012
20 September, 2012	30 September, 2012

City Highlights

Rapid City
Orientation

Badlands National Park
Scenic drive

Custer State Park
Buffalo safari & chuck wagon cookout

Hot Springs
Mammoth site

Mount Rushmore
Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial

Deadwood
Sightseeing tour

U-Cross
Enjoy lunch at a Western ranch

Cody
Visit Buffalo Bill Historical Center

Yellowstone National Park
Stay two nights inside the park; sightseeing tours

Jackson
Grand Teton National Park tour

Salt Lake City
Farewell dinner

Note:

Maximum elevation on vacation: 9,033 ft.
September 20 departure: Join us on this departure, which features the famous Buffalo Roundup Stampede during your stay in Custer State Park.

Day 1   Arrive in Rapid City. Welcome to Rapid City, gateway to the Black Hills. At 6:30 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.

Day 2   Rapid City–Badlands National Park–Custer State Park. After breakfast, enjoy an orientation tour of Rapid City, then visit BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK to see some of the most spectacular scenery in the region. Afterward, there’s time to explore Wall Drug, well-known for its quirky roadside signs and free water. Later this afternoon, travel into the backcountry and enjoy a BUFFALO SAFARI and a CHUCK WAGON COOKOUT. (B,D)

Special Feature:
We overnight at the Historic State Game Lodge in Custer State Park. This gracious stone and wood lodge is set in a beautiful mountain valley, surrounded by a ponderosa pine forest. The State Game Lodge served as the “Summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge and was visited by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was built in 1920 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Day 3   Custer State Park. This morning you will travel to Hot Springs to visit the world’s largest MAMMOTH SITE, where scientists are currently excavating remains of woolly mammoths that were trapped and died in the pond more than 26,000 years ago. After a short tour, you’ll have time to stroll the sidewalks of the dig area and see the paleontology laboratory. Next, visit CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL, built in honor of the fearless Sioux Indian chief whose fame is derived from the Battle of Little Bighorn. The remainder of the day is yours to relax in Custer State Park. Perhaps try some fly-fishing, mountain biking, or take a nature walk. (B,D)

Day 4   Custer State Park–Mount Rushmore–Deadwood–Spearfish Canyon. Today, visit one of the world’s largest stone monuments: MOUNT RUSHMORE. At Mount Rushmore, the solid granite faces of four presidents loom more than a thousand feet overhead. We then continue on a guided tour of the Old West town of DEADWOOD, where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are laid to rest on Boot Hill. We spend the night deep in the heart of one of the most breathtakingly beautiful canyons in the world. The location for scenes from the movie Dances with Wolves, Spearfish Canyon Lodge sits nested among lofty pines and spectacular cliffs. (B,D)

Day 5   Spearfish Canyon–U-Cross Ranch–Cody. This morning, drive through scenic Spearfish Canyon and across the grassy plains of Wyoming. Enjoy lunch at an authentic WESTERN RANCH. Next, we cross the Bighorn Mountains via Shell Creek Canyon to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West town of Cody, Wyoming. (B,L)

Day 6   Cody–Yellowstone National Park. Enjoy a leisurely visit to the BUFFALO BILL HISTORIC CENTER, a fascinating tribute to frontier America. Later, depart for YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, America’s first national park, where wild animals roam freely in vast meadows and forest. (B,D)

Note:
The routing and areas visited within Yellowstone are subject to favorable weather and/or road conditions. When conditions are unfavorable, the routing may be adjusted accordingly.

Special Feature:
Tonight, stay at the majestic Lake Yellowstone Hotel. Restored in 1990, the Lake Yellowstone Hotel is reminiscent of the 1920s with sweeping views of America’s largest mountain lake. Listed on the Register of Historic Places, Lake Yellowstone Hotel is the most luxurious lodging facility in Yellowstone Park.

Day 7   Yellowstone National Park. On today’s tour you will see the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone with its Upper and Lower Falls. Watch for herds of bison in Hayden Valley, and view many of Yellowstone’s geothermal sites, including Old Faithful Geyser. (B,D)

Special Feature:
Spend the night at the historic Old Faithful Inn, one of the largest log structures in the world and located right beside magnificent Old Faithful Geyser.

Day 8   Yellowstone National Park–Grand Teton National Park–Jackson. This morning, tour GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK. The jagged Tetons form a perfect backdrop behind Jenny and Jackson Lakes. Next, continue to the Western town of Jackson, Wyoming. This afternoon is free to explore on your own. You may choose to see a shoot-out in Town Square, shop for souvenirs, or relax with a cold drink at the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Day 9   Jackson. Today is at your leisure to explore on your own or perhaps take an optional float trip down the Snake River. (B)

Day 10   Jackson–Salt Lake City. Follow the Snake River and lovely Star Valley en route to Utah. Wind along the shores of beautiful Bear Lake before climbing through the Wasatch Mountains and on to the Great Salt Lake Basin and Salt Lake City. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner hosted by your Tour Director. (B,D)

Day 11   Salt Lake City. After a leisurely breakfast, bid farewell to newfound friends as your vacation comes to an end with an included transfer to the Salt Lake City International Airport. (B)

Meals:  American breakfast daily (B), 1 lunch (L), 7 three-course dinners (D) including a farewell dinner in Salt Lake City

Hotel Information:  RAPID CITY Radisson Rapid City (F), CUSTER STATE PARK State Game Lodge (NP), SPEARFISH CANYON Spearfish Canyon Lodge (F), CODY Holiday Inn Buffalo Bill Village (F), YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Yellowstone Park Lodges (NP), JACKSON Rustic Inn (F), SALT LAKE CITY Radisson Hotel (F)


Terms and Conditions

Note: Flights are NOT included with the Tour and unless otherwise stated above transfers are also NOT included.

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