Itinerary:

Day 1 – Rapid City, South Dakota
See some of America’s grandest sights! Your western adventure begins in Rapid City, South Dakota. Transfer from the Rapid City Airport by hotel courtesy shuttle to your centrally located hotel for a two night stay.

Day 2 – Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse
Enjoy a morning visit to Mt. Rushmore National Monument, with the sculpted faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Next, drive to Crazy Horse Memorial. Started over 50 years ago, and still under construction, the memorial is the world’s largest sculpture in progress. Chief Standing Bear told the sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, “My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes, too.” The monument is a tribute to the Sioux Lakota Indian leader known as Crazy Horse. Here, Indian artisans showcase their arts and crafts and visit with guests. Then, visit the Indian Museum of North America. Return through the Black Hills to Rapid City. Free time to explore the historic district and stroll the Presidential Walk with life-size statues of American Presidents. Enjoy dinner. BD

Day 3 – Little Big Horn, Montana
Enter Wyoming and head west across the high plains. Drive by the old western cowboy town of Sheridan. Enjoy lunch. Next, enter Montana, “Big Sky Country.” Visit Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in the Crow Nation. Here, in 1876, in the Valley of Little Big Horn, combined Sioux and Northern Cheyenne forces led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse overwhelmed Custer and his cavalry. Continue to Billings, nestled between the Yellowstone River and the red Rimrocks. Explorers Lewis & Clark camped near here in 1806. BL

Day 4 – Cody, Wyoming, Yellowstone
Journey through the wide-open spaces of Montana today en route to Cody,Wyoming. Visit the world famous Buffalo Bill Historical Center known for its wild west exhibits. See the Plains Indian Museum and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, with paintings and sculptures by revered artists such as Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. This afternoon cross the Continental Divide and enter Yellowstone Park for a relaxing two night stay. B

Note: All tours stay at Old Faithful Inn except the tour departing on July 13, which stays at Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Both of these lodges are located within Yellowstone National Park.

Day 5 – Yellowstone, Mammoth Springs
Today enjoy a full day complete circle tour of Yellowstone Park. Established in 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park in the world. Now over 90 countries have national parks. This 2,219,766 acre park contains almost 300 geysers and over 10,000 hot springs, fumaroles and mud pots. Look for moose, elk and bison. You will visit the major attractions of both Yellowstone’s upper and lower loops. On the upper loop, you will see Norris Geyser Basin and visit Mammoth Hot Springs. Walk on the raised platforms above the unique terraced pools. Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the best areas in the park for close-up viewing of elk or bison. On the lower loop, you will see Old Faithful Geyser, where every 90 minutes the Old Faithful Geyser shoots thousands of gallons of steaming water into the air. You will see Fountain Paint Pots, Yellowstone Lake and visit Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, where you can marvel at the rushing waters of Yellowstone Falls, twice the height of Niagara. Return to your Yellowstone Park Lodge. B

Day 6 – Grand Tetons, Jackson
This morning enter Grand Teton National Park. See the jagged soaring Teton Range with peaks over 12,000 feet. Scenes from the movie “Shane” were filmed here. Enjoy a picnic lunch near the banks of the Snake River. Weather and river conditions permitting, an unforgettable float trip awaits you on the majestic Snake River. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound as you float through the park. Watch for waterfowl, beaver, osprey and eagles. Next, stop at pristine Jenny Lake. Then, to Jackson. Free time to explore the charming downtown. Stroll the art galleries and western shops. See the Antler Arch at the entrance to the town square. You may wish to visit the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with bar stools made from horse saddles. Enjoy dinner. BLD

Day 7 – Tetons, Oregon Trail, Idaho
Drive south through the Bridger-Teton National Forest this morning. Enter Idaho and cross the route of the original “Oregon Trail.” Photo stop at beautiful Bear Lake. Continue via Logan Canyon to Salt Lake City, Utah, the state capital. Afternoon visit to Temple Square with its beautiful gardens and fountains. See the Mormon Tabernacle, home to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (unless closed to the public due to a religious ceremony). Enjoy a farewell dinner. BD

Day 8 – Salt Lake City, Utah
Your tour ends after breakfast at your hotel in Salt Lake City. B