Day 1: Depart Chicago
All Yellowstone / Black Hills Adventure Tour tour members will meet the Tour Director in Chicago’s Union Station at 12:30 p.m. At 1:15 they’ll prepare to board the famous California Zephyr. Departure is at 2:00. The Zephyr features the double-decker Superliner equipment. Relax in your reclining coach seat with leg rest. Amtrak Roomettes and Bedrooms are available for an additional charge. After settling in, you may want to go the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge car with its comfortable seating. It’s a great place to enjoy the passing scenery. All meals on the trains are included. Enjoy a full-course dinner in the diner tonight.
Meal(s): D
Day 2: En Route
When you awaken this morning you may look out your window toward the West and thrill to the sight of the towering, majestic Colorado Rockies in the distance. Plan to get up early, have a piping hot breakfast in the dining car and find a seat in the glass-walled lounge car for the spectacular scenery that will unfold before you the rest of the day.
The Zephyr will pull out of Denver at 8:05 and begin its climb over the Front Range toward the Continental Divide. Throughout the day the train will wind around sharp mountain curves and through numerous tunnels. We’ll arrive in Salt Lake City around 11:00 p.m. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer to the attractive Radisson Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 3: Salt Lake City
An expert local guide joins us to tour the beautiful Salt Lake City area. The city was founded in 1847 by Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young. View the Mormon Temple in Temple Square, the Utah State Capitol, the Great Salt Lake and some of the sites used for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. America by Rail travelers will also visit Red Butte Gardens, with over 100 acres including display and natural gardens, walking paths and natural area with hiking trails. Enjoy an included lunch. Tonight we can visit Temple Square, a one block walk from our hotel.
Meal(s): L
Day 4: Trail Center/ Jackson Hole
Enjoy a hearty breakfast before we travel into Wyoming, passing through farming and range lands. At the national Oregon/California Trail Center, we learn about this historic pioneer route and what life was like traveling by wagon train! We continue to the ranching and resort center of Jackson, Wyoming. Our comfortable lodging is at the Best Western Lodge at Jackson Hole.
Tonight our group will travel a few miles outside the city for a chuck wagon dinner. A Western musical group then will entertain us.
Meal(s): B & D
Day 5: Grand Tetons
Enjoy a full breakfast in your hotel this morning.
No mountain skyline is more impressive than that of the Grand Teton Range. Peaks rise abruptly with no foothills. We’ll visit the Chapel of Transfiguration, a rustic log church with fantastic views of the Tetons. Lunch is included at the Jackson Lake Lodge. At the Colter Bay Visitor Center we view Plains Indian art and exhibits and learn more about Grand Teton National Park.
Later, we continue into Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was established in 1872 as America’s first national park. This is the world’s most extensive region of geothermal activity. Thousands of hot springs dot the thermal basins. Old Faithful is the most famous geyser in the world.
We will spend two nights at the Best Western Desert Inn, West Yellowstone. There are a variety of evening activities available including the Playbill Theatre (Broadway-style musicals and dramas), an IMAX Theater featuring a 45-minute presentation about the Yellowstone Park area and the Yellowstone Historic Center.
Meal(s): B & L
Day 6: Yellowstone
A Continental breakfast is included each morning in our hotel. Today we begin to explore Yellowstone National Park, a two-million acre national jewel. We’ll journey through Madison Junction, Norris Geyser Basin, Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction and Tower Falls. Following an “on-your-own” lunch, we’ll continue on to Artist Point, Inspiration Point and the Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River.
We’ll return to our hotel by late afternoon.
Meal(s): CB
Day 7: Yellowstone, En Route to Cody, Wyoming
We’ll begin our second day of awesome Yellowstone National Park experiences. A scenic drive takes us through the Hayden Valley, a region of lush forest meadows. Look for bison and other wildlife! Have a camera ready to capture awesome views. Old Faithful Geyser on the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone are highlights of the day. We’ll also view the paint-pots and bubbling hot springs mixed with clay.
Our travelers will continue east to Cody, where we’ll spend the night at the Comfort Inn. We’ll stop for an included dinner at the Yellowstone Valley Inn.
Meal(s): CB & D
Day 8 - Buffalo Bill Historic Center, En Route to Rapid City
This morning after a continental breakfast (included) we will spend the morning at the Buffalo Bill Historic Center, which has five museums in one easy-to-navigate location. Museums at the site include the Buffalo Bill Museum, exploring the famous life of “Buffalo Bill” Cody, the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, the Cody Firearms Museum, and the Draper Museum of Natural History. The Plains Indian Museum features art and artifacts of the Plains Indians, including the Arapaho, Crow, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Comanche, Blackfeet, Sioux, Gros Ventre, Shoshone and Pawnee.
At noon we will depart via deluxe motor coach on an extensive trip to Rapid City, South Dakota. We will make a stop for dinner in Gillette, Wyoming, at the Chop House Restaurant, and continue on to spend the night at the Radisson Hotel in June (Grand Gateway Hotel in September) in Rapid City.
Meal(s): CB & D
Day 9 - The Black Hills
We will begin our discovery of the Black Hills on the Black Hills Central Railroad. This 1880 train takes you past some of the Black Hills most amazing scenery. The narrated tour is about an hour, and travels near Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore.
The train ride terminates in Keystone, where we will go to the Gutzen Borglum Museum. Here you will learn about the man who made one of the country’s most famous monuments, the incredible Mount Rushmore. After this, you will marvel at the carved granite images of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln. Another famous monument we will visit is Crazy Horse, an in-progress monument to the famous chief.
Following dinner at the Famous Ruby’s Restaurant in Keystone (included), you are in for a treat! We will return to Mt. Rushmore for the night lighting of the monument. You will have the chance to see this famous location as few people see it!
Meal(s): D
Day 10 - Deadwood and Custer State Park
Today we will visit the legendary Wild West as we take a tour of Deadwood. You will see Main Street, a historic restored street, and the Black Hills Mining Museum. Next, we will tour Custer State Park on the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road. Located in the Black Hills, Custer is populated with over 1,500 hundred bison, pronghorn sheep, elk, and numerous other animals, so keep your camera ready for incredible photo opportunities!
Day 11 - Ft. Laramie, En Route
Today we will travel from Rapid City to Denver via deluxe motor coach. An on your own lunch stop will be made. We’ll stop in Nebraska at the historic Fort Laramie. Established as a private fur trading post in 1834, this important historical site was witness to the entire westward expansion. Beautiful scenery surrounds the fort. We will continue on to Denver, and depart on the California Zephyr at 8:10 p.m. An included dinner stop will be made.
Meal(s): D
Day 12 - En Route to Chicago
Last night, we passed through Nebraska and into Iowa. Enjoy an included piping-hot breakfast and lunch in the dining car as we pass through the plains of Iowa and Illinois. We will arrive at Chicago’s Union Station at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon.
Meal(s): B & L