An 11 day escorted tour where you will experience it all, from rugged frontier towns of the Old West to spectacular vistas in some of the country’s most beautiful National Parks. It’s a unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of the pioneering spirit that led a nation westward.

On this tour reclining coach seats with leg rests are included. You will spend the first night on the train, then nine nights in first-class hotels. A limited number of sleeping accommodations are available at a very modest additional cost.

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Salt Lake City • Jackson Hole • Grand Tetons • Yellowstone National Park • Mt. Rushmore

• Spend a day viewing the spectacular scenery of the Colorado Rockies between Denver and Grand Junction. Your train eases between towering mountains for hours. Glen and Ruby Canyon must be experienced to believe.
• Enjoy a rehearsal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (when available)
• Salt Lake City touring including Temple Square and Great Salt Lake
• Snake River float trip through Grand Teton National Park
• Guided tour of Yellowstone
• View the legendary Devils Tower
• Tour of Deadwood and Boot Hill
• Tour the Badlands with a local guide and see the Crazy Horse Memorial
• Visit Mt. Rushmore

• Transportation by Amtrak rail and deluxe motor coach.
• First-class hotel accommodations with private bath for eight nights.
• Reclining coach seat with leg rest on the train for two nights.
• Sightseeing at Salt Lake City, Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore. Admission to all included attractions.
• Baggage handling, taxes & tips.
• 11 Meals (5 dinners and 6 breakfasts).
• Airport transfer in Rapid City.
• $45 in future travel credits
• Services of a professional Tour Director.

Day One – Embassy Suites, Salt Lake City, Utah

Days Two and Three – Antler Inn or The Point Hotel & Suites, Jackson, Wyoming

Days Four and Five – Yellowstone National Park Lodges,

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Day Six – Holiday Inn, Sheridan, Wyoming

Days Seven and Eight – Radisson Hotel, Rapid City, South Dakota

Rooms for the night before and after the tour are available. Cost for a room in Salt Lake City is $139 and in Rapid City is $189, tax included.

Colorado Rockies and Ruby Canyon
Experienced travelers say the California Zephyr is one of the most beautiful train trips in all of North America. As you climb through the heart of the Rockies, and further west through Ruby Canyon and onto Salt Lake City, you may find it hard to disagree.

Man-made Wonders
From the glory of God’s country to the wonders of modern engineering, our trip also includes a tour of awe-inspiring, man-made monuments. In Salt Lake City, we catch a glimpse of the neo-gothic Salt Lake Temple, the iconic representation of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. Built between 1853 and 1893, the temple is a stunning example of artistry, and lends an ethereal tone of serenity to the surrounding Temple Square.

Man-made Wonders
From the glory of God’s country to the wonders of modern engineering, our trip also includes a tour of awe-inspiring, man-made monuments. In Salt Lake City, we catch a glimpse of the neo-gothic Salt Lake Temple, the iconic representation of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. Built between 1853 and 1893, the temple is a stunning example of artistry, and lends an ethereal tone of serenity to the surrounding Temple Square.

Cowboys and Gunslingers
Grab your ten-gallon hat and reach for your six-gun, because we step back in time to experience life on the frontier.

Start with historic Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where you’ll stroll the wooden plank sidewalks of downtown and catch a glimpse of gunplay every night in the town square. Cowboy traditions come alive during the summer months, when latter-day cowpunchers strut their stuff at the Jackson Hole Rodeo. After Labor Day, we’ll enjoy a show at the Jackson Hole Playhouse.

While staying in Jackson, enjoy the “purple mountain majesties” of the Grand Tetons as we drift along on a scenic float trip down the beautiful Snake River. We may glimpse wildlife along the way; our route includes the National Elk Refuge, with its population of approximately 5,000 wintering elk as well as the largest bison herd in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Wyoming is also home to a legendary figure of the Old West, Buffalo Bill Cody. From his early days working on the wagon trains and riding for the Pony Express to his exploits as an expert tracker, sharpshooter and showman, Cody embodied the ideal of the American plains. At the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, you will meet this Western hero, as well as Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull, and Texas Jack. Immerse yourself in the frontier life of yesteryear in Deadwood, South Dakota. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1967, Deadwood preserves the history and lore of the rough-and-ready West from the city’s beginnings as a lawless mining town. Walk the same streets as Wild Bill Hickok (who met his maker at the end of a pistol in one of Deadwood’s many saloons) and Calamity Jane, and see the town’s stately Victorians, restored gambling palaces, and “old-tyme” watering holes. Our tour also includes a trip to Boot Hill, the last resting place of Deadwood’s famous and not-so-famous denizens.

Breathtaking Natural Beauty
While gold and cattle-ranching lured 19th-century settlers to the frontier, the area’s natural beauty has kept visitors returning ever since – and we have many opportunities to witness these outdoor spectacles.

Our tour includes a two-night stay in Yellowstone, the oldest U.S. national park. The park’s geothermal wonders – including the world-famous geyser, Old Faithful – offer a dramatic showcase for Mother Nature at her most powerful. We also take in the glorious vistas of the park’s Grand Canyon, a natural structure that took shape more than 10,000 years ago.

We also enjoy seeing the Black Hills of South Dakota, with its sturdy pines and towering precipices, and the awe-inspiring heights of Wyoming’s Devils Tower. A looming presence, this natural monolith inspired countless Indian legends (we’ll learn more than a few!) and took its place in American film history in Stephen Spielberg’s classic film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

We close our tour with one of the most inspiring sites in the American landscape, Mt. Rushmore. The towering visages of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt have provided a stirring memorial to the country’s greatest leaders since they were completed in 1941. We also stop at the imposing sculpture of the Crazy Horse Memorial, a work in progress that serves as tribute to the Native Americans who originally lived in these beautiful hills.

Day One

• Depart Chicago on Amtrak's California Zephyr for an overnight journey aboard the train
• Enjoy dinner in the Dining Car (Included with Sleeping Accommodations Upgrade) while sweeping across the Great Plains

Day Two

• All-daylight journey through the Colorado Rockies
• Travel through Moffat Tunnel
• Byers, Gore, Red, Glenwood, Palisade and Ruby Canyons
• Arrive in Salt Lake City with included transfers to your hotel

Day Three

• All day to Explore Salt Lake City on your own
• Meet your fellow travelers at 6 p.m. for a dinner hosted by your Tour Manager
• Enjoy a rehearsal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (when available)

Day Four

• Breakfast at your hotel
• Salt Lake City touring including Temple Square and Great Salt Lake
• Head to Jackson, Wyoming
• Chuckwagon dinner with entertainment

Day Five

• Breakfast at Teton Steakhouse
• Snake River float trip through Grand Teton National Park
• Jackson Rodeo (seasonal through Labor Day) or Jackson Hole Playhouse

Day Six

• Travel to Yellowstone National Park
• Late afternoon arrival to begin exploring the park
• Dinner

Day Seven

• Breakfast at your hotel
• Guided tour of Yellowstone

Day Eight

• Breakfast at your hotel
• Buffalo Bill Historical Center
• Dinner
• Farewell dinner in Hollywood

Day Nine

• View the legendary Devils Tower
• Travel to South Dakota
• Tour of Deadwood and Boot Hill

Day Ten

• Breakfast at your hotel
• Tour the Badlands with a local guide and see the Crazy Horse Memorial
• Visit Mt. Rushmore
• Farewell dinner at K Bar S Lodge

Day Eleven

• Breakfast at your hotel
• Transfer to Rapid City Airport for flights home

   

   

   

 Departure Dates:

• July 13 to July 23
• September 7 to September 17

 Per Person Rates:

• $2,099 Price per person (based on double-occupancy)
• Single add $799

 Per Person Train Sleeping Accommodation Upgrades:

• Roomette Upgrade: add $270 per person (based on double-occupancy)
• Bedroom Upgrade: add $560 per person (based on double-occupancy)

Roomette and Bedroom Prices are subject to availability. Guests who wish to upgrade from the included coach accommodations may purchase sleeping accommodations and pricing varies by date and room type.