America’s Magnificent National Parks - 2022

Your adventure through the American West and its national parks begins in Big Sky Country, with a Welcome Reception and trip briefing.

The world’s first national park is a wilderness of craggy peaks, alpine lakes, magnificent canyons, and a huge variety of wildlife. Upon arriving in the park, you’ll take a tour to view many of this national park’s highlights, including the terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs, Dragon Mouth Springs, and the Brink of the Falls, where the river plunges 300 feet into Yellowstone Canyon. You’ll explore even more of the park on Day 3!

Included Feature:

• Exploration of Yellowstone, with visits to Mammoth Hot Springs, Dragon Mouth Springs, and more

Yellowstone’s geothermal wonders are the focus of the morning tour today, as you view Madison Information Station, Fountain Paint Pots, and Middle Geyser Basin. The highlight, of course, is Old Faithful, which never fails to inspire awe with its roaring plume of steam and boiling water. After enjoying lunch in the Old Faithful area, you’ll have the afternoon and evening free to explore the grandeur of Yellowstone.

Included Feature:

• Visits to Madison Information Station, Fountain Paint Pots, Old Faithful, and more

You’ll love the drive from the high plateau of Yellowstone to the valley of Jackson Hole, where the Grand Tetons soar above glacial lakes. We’ll follow Lewis Canyon out of Yellowstone, then tour Grand Teton National Park, with a stop at the Mt. Moran Lookout and a drive on the Jenny Lake Loop. 

Following lunch, you’ll scout for more wildlife like moose and pronghorn on the way to meet Ken Thomasma, a notable Old West expert and author. Ken will discuss Sacajawea and her journey with Lewis & Clark. On some departures, Ken’s son Dan Thomasma, a musician and historian of the music of the Old West, will meet the group instead to share songs and stories from pioneer days. Tonight, you may choose to see the famous Jackson “shootout” in the town square (seasonal) or perhaps stop in the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar.

Included Feature:

• Tour of Grand Teton National Park

Cultural Discovery:

• Talk by Ken Thomasma on Sacajawea and Lewis & Clark

Take one last morning stroll through lovely Jackson Hole before embarking on your scenic drive to Salt Lake City, with lunch en route. Your introduction to the city will be a panoramic city tour, including touchstones of the city such as Temple Square, the Cathedral of Saint Madeleine, and City Hall. Tonight, gather with your group for a Welcome Dinner.

Included Feature:

• Panoramic Salt Lake City tour

Begin today with a performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a unique organization made up of hundreds of volunteers. Following the performance, you’ll stop at Temple Square for a guided walking tour led by a Mormon missionary. You’ll then have the afternoon and evening to enjoy Salt Lake City at your leisure.

Cultural Discoveries:

• Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance
• Walking tour of Temple Square led by Mormon missionaries

Following breakfast this morning, you’ll enjoy a demonstration on researching your family tree at the renowned Family Search Center of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints. Then, you’ll set off for Moab through Red Rock country, stopping along the way for lunch. This evening is yours to enjoy at leisure.

Cultural Discovery:

• Genealogy research at the Family Search Center of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints

As you tour lovely Arches National Park, you’ll marvel at such geological phenomena as Balanced Rock and Parade of Elephants Arch. After an included lunch, continue on a scenic drive through Utah to the heart of Monument Valley, where you’ll spend the evening and enjoy an included dinner. While here, you’ll stay right in Monument Valley at the Goulding’s Lodge — a true highlight for the Navajo experience. What’s more, you’ll enjoy an east-facing room with a balcony, allowing you to watch the stunning sunrise from the comfort of your own room.

Included Feature:

• Tour of Arches National Park

Experience the classic western landscape of Monument Valley on a morning mini-coach tour led by a Navajo guide and storyteller. See the mesas and soaring buttes familiar from film and TV westerns, followed by an included barbecue lunch. During your free time this evening, you may want to take part in the national park’s many events!

Cultural Discovery:

• Morning tour of Monument Valley with a Navajo storyteller and BBQ lunch

Wake up early today to witness one of nature’s greatest spectacles — sunrise over the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Then, enjoy a full day at this famed landmark’s South Rim. Free shuttle service and U.S. National Park Service programs make exploring at your own pace easy and rewarding.

Included Feature:

• Explore the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

Transfer this morning to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Encompassing over 1.25 million acres, Glen Canyon offers unparalleled opportunities for sightseeing and backcountry recreation. The area stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, containing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a vast panorama of human history. On a visit to the Carl Hayden Visitor Center, you’ll be able to look out over Glen Canyon Dam and see to the end of Lake Powell — the scenic site of our lunch today!

Included Feature:

• Visit the Glen Canyon Dam and Carl Hayden Visitor Center, with lunch at Lake Powell

Today you’ll explore Bryce Canyon National Park, renowned for eerie, wind-carved red-rock formations known as hoodoos. On a scenic highlights tour, experience the breathtaking views of Rainbow Point, Fairyland, and Natural Bridge; then, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, taking in the splendor of the national park’s unique rock formations.

Included Feature:

• Scenic highlights tour of Bruce Canyon National Park

Enjoy a morning drive through vivid desert landscapes, including a stop at Red Rock Canyon. You’ll then continue on to Zion National Park, traveling through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel en route. Upon arrival at the park, enjoy free time to explore on your own, followed by an included lunch. Afterward, we’ll depart Zion for Las Vegas, making our way through the picturesque scenery of Utah and Nevada. After a short panoramic drive down the glittering Las Vegas Strip, we’ll check in to our hotel. This evening, gather with fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner at the hotel.

Included Feature:

• Tour of Zion National Park
• Panoramic Las Vegas tour

Your discovery of the great National Parks of the American West comes to an end today. Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight home.