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Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, & Yellowstone

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4.4 stars(74 reviews)
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Saddles, Stetsons, Buffalo and more greet you on this 11-day Wild West Adventure! Be awestruck by the scenery of Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Badlands National Parks, relive the stories of the old West in Cody and Deadwood, marvel at the sight of Mount Rushmore, and be exhilarated on an off-road Jeep Safari. Your adventure awaits!

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11 days From $4,195 per person
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2023 Tour code: RM-MRBA-23

About the tour

Rugged frontier towns of the Old West and renowned national historic sites are hallmarks of this 11-day escorted tour across America's western frontier. Your Wild West discovery begins in Chicago, where you board the legendary California Zephyr for your journey across the Rocky Mountains to Provo, Utah. From Provo, your travels take you to the cowboy town of Jackson and Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Cody and then to the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Highlights

Activity level Natural Explorer

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You don’t mind spending the day on your feet. You enjoy sightseeing that includes walking, standing or stair climbing. You’re okay with longer days that are more active, such as multiple sightseeing stops, longer motorcoach journeys and getting on and off ships and trains.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Depart Chicago aboard the California Zephyr

Arrive at Chicago Union Station and board the California Zephyr. Settle into your onboard accommodations and prepare for your overnight rail journey. If you are traveling from the West coast, you will meet the Tour Manager at the hotel in Provo on Day 2.  Overnight train.

Day 2 - California Zephyr through the Rocky Mountains

Keep your camera handy today as the Zephyr climbs across the Colorado Rockies, through the Moffat Tunnel, and along the Byers, Glenwood and Ruby Canyons. Make time to visit the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge car for panoramic views of the passing scenery, as well as for an educational Trails and Rails presentation conducted by volunteer park rangers as you travel between Denver and Grand Junction. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Overnight Provo, UT.

Day 3 - Jackson, Wyoming

After breakfast, board the coach for a scenic journey through the beautiful Star Valley to Jackson, Wyoming. Once we arrive, the afternoon is yours to stroll the wooden plank sidewalks and enjoy stunning views of the Grand Teton mountain range. Browse the shops and galleries of the Town Plaza, enjoy a bite to eat at one of the many local favorites, get a picture of yourself in front of the elk antler arches, or sit on one of the saddle bar seats at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Overnight Jackson, WY. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 4 - Snake River Float Trip

This morning, enjoy a scenic float trip along the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park. Keep an eye out for elk and other wildlife indigenous to the area. The afternoon and evening are free for you to explore Jackson on your own. Overnight Jackson, WY. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 5 - Grand Teton National Park

Discover the hidden treasures of Grand Teton National Park this morning. Highlights include a stop at the new Moose Visitor Center, the breathtaking Jenny Lake Overlook, Jackson Lake Lodge and more. Later, we travel by coach to America's first National Park, Yellowstone, with a photo stop at Lewis Falls as we enter the Park. As you travel to your lodge, which is set within the park, keep an eye peeled for herds of buffalo and impressive rock formations. The evening is at your leisure. Overnight Yellowstone, WY. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 6 - Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park has the world's most extensive region of geothermal activity, with thousands of hot springs and fumaroles dotting the landscape. Today's sightseeing tour showcases some of the park's most renowned sights, including Hayden Valley, the spectacular Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and Artist Point. Walk around Fountain Paint Pots and, finally, stop at the famous Old Faithful Inn and Geyser Basin. There is time to explore the Old Faithful area and see the most famous geyser erupt before returning to our lodging. Overnight Yellowstone, WY.

Day 7 - Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum

We set out for today's adventure. Our first stop is the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. This complex contains five museums under one roof: the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Remington Firearms Museum, the Whitney Museum of Western Art, the Plains Indian Museum and the new Draper Natural History Museum. After lunch, it is off to the ranch where ranch activities and a delicious dinner await. Overnight Clearmont, WY. 

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 8 - Deadwood / Mt. Rushmore

Journey to Deadwood this morning. Our late morning arrival gives you ample time to explore the town and have lunch. This South Dakota town is steeped in history and was once home to some of the West's most legendary figures. After lunch, we embark on the Original Deadwood Tour. Hear stories of the old west and pay your respects to Wild Bill and Calamity Jane at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, aka, "Boot Hill." From Deadwood we head to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, whose four presidents represent the first 150 year of America's history. Overnight Rapid City, SD. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 9 - 1880 Train / Crazy Horse / Custer State Park

This morning we head to Hill City, where we board the vintage cars of the 1880 Train for a ride through the Black Hills to Keystone. From here we make our way to the Crazy Horse Memorial. Explore the museum and learn about the construction of this amazing memorial. From here, we move on to Custer State Park where we board the Safari Jeep for a fun-filled afternoon of adventure. Your final adventure of the day finds you back at Mount Rushmore for the evening lighting ceremony. See this incredible monument in a different light as you enjoy this patriotic celebration. Overnight Rapid City, SD. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Badlands National Park

This morning we travel through spectacular scenery on our way to the Badlands National Park. This Park features 244,000 acres of protected prairie and is home to bison, bighorn sheep, and the endangered black-footed ferret. A guided tour through the park provides the best opportunities for wildlife viewing and in-depth information about the land and history of the park. Next, visit Wall Drug, "America's Favorite Roadside Attraction," for lunch on your own. Discover a variety of western souvenirs and classic pieces of Americana in this Old West Emporium. The final stop for the day is Bear Country USA. This wildlife park features the world's largest private viewing habitat of the American Black Bear Enjoy a drive through this unique park and then stroll through the Wildlife Center where you will find the small animals and also the baby bears. This evening, enjoy a delicious chuckwagon dinner with cowboy entertainment. Overnight Rapid City, SD. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11 - Tour Conclusion

Your tour concludes this morning. A group transfer to the Rapid City Airport will accommodate flights departing after 11:00 a.m.

Additional information

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

The Ranch at UCross, Clearmont

The Ranch at UCross, Clearmont

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Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa, Jackson

Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa, Jackson

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Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

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Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City, Curio Collection by Hilton

Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City, Curio Collection by Hilton

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Holiday Inn Sheridan-Convention Center

Holiday Inn Sheridan-Convention Center

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Canyon Lodge & Cabins, Yellowstone National Park

Canyon Lodge & Cabins, Yellowstone National Park

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Trains

1880 Train
Amtrak's California Zephyr

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Reviews

4.4 stars4.4 / 5 · 74 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (34)
  2. 4 stars
    (35)
  3. 3 stars
    (5)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

BERNELL WOOD

3 stars

Submitted 27 Sep 2022

Train ride from Chicago to Provo was a night mare! I expected some swaying and rocking, but, not jerking and bouncing! Never got any sleep and neither did anyone I spoke to. Started the trip off sleep deprived and never recovered. Needed more down time.

Collected by Trustpilot

LINDA LARSON MITCHELL

4 stars

Submitted 23 Sep 2022

The tour guide was very professional and handled everything well. I did not enjoy the sleeper car on Amtrak and would not do that again. The raft float on the Snake River was wonderful and the views of the Tetons also. Mid trip I came down with Covid so I had to leave the tour unfortunately.

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DEBORAH ULLMAN

5 stars

Submitted 21 Sep 2022

The trip was well planned as to sights and visits. Plans for meals on our own could have been better executed. Twice we were left with little choice of dining options, once, because we were there after Labor Day and virtually everything was closed leaving very limited choices and another the trip manager was unaware the restaurant was closed and took us out of our way to dine from a food store, when one was available at the site. Train trip was long and not particularly relaxing making us tired before our trip began. There was little "down time" where we could have had a couple of later starts to recouperate.

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KAREN KELLY

4 stars

Submitted 20 Sep 2022

Enjoyed the national parks and the accommodations were great! The overnight on the train was a disappointing experience.

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ELIZABETH REGEN

5 stars

Submitted 19 Sep 2022

I thought it was a good trip. The lodgings where fine and the best available. The scenery was beautiful. I thought there was an appropriate amount of free time.

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Joseph Pasculli

4 stars

Submitted 19 Sep 2022

In most areas this was a great trip, but in some areas it didn't match up to expectations. In particular food choices were insufficient. The scenery was a given and the amount of wildlife was truly breath taken. One last thing was the amount of changing accommodations. It was exhausting.

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