Rockies Rail & American Parks Trail

Depart the UK on your chosen flight to Salt Lake City, Utah. Upon arrival, you will make your own way to the Hilton, where you spend the first two nights of your adventure.

Welcome to Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah. Situated between Wasatch Range and the Great Salt Lake, this mountainous city is pretty and characterful. You have a free day to explore. We suggest a visit to historic Temple Square, containing more than 15 attractions related to Mormon heritage and beliefs, and City Creek Center for great shopping and dining options. This evening, you will join your Travel Director for a welcome dinner with wine, and meet your fellow travelling companions.

Before leaving Salt Lake City, you’ll take in the State Capitol building. Drive along the scenic Logan Canyon, over the Wasatch Mountain Range, and up to the Bear Lake Summit. There is a stop for lunch at Garden City, Utah while enjoying views of the beautiful turquoise waters of Bear Lake. You will then head north across the Oregon Trail to historic Jackson. Have your cameras ready for the famous elk antlers adorning the central square, while eager shoppers will find a number of charming traditional boutique galleries to browse. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure, with your hotel located only a short walk away from Jackson’s Town Square.

Wake up to a mountainous view like no other and witness the striking Grand Tetons thrust skyward 6,562 feet (2,000 metres) from the valley floor. This morning, you have the opportunity to partake in an optional scenic float down the Snake River inside Grand Teton National Park. In keeping with today’s rustic country charm, you’ll enter Yellowstone, the world’s first National Park. Known for its unique geothermal activity, spectacular landscapes and abundant wildlife, you’ll experience Wyoming in all its glory. Keep an eye out for black bears or wolves. Tonight you’ll stay in the National Park Lodges, allowing you to experience the park after hours, in its natural habitat.

Savour the surreal surroundings of Yellowstone with a relaxed start. Walk among the rainbow tinted hot springs and watch the erupting geysers as you take in the history of the park on an informative stroll with your Travel Director. Catch the renowned colourful bubbling mud pots and observe Old Faithful geyser shooting water over 120 feet (37 metres) into the air. In the afternoon, enjoy the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone as you take in stunning natural wonders. While driving through Hayden Valley, famous for its wildlife, keep an eye out for wolves, bears, elk and hundreds of bison. The rest of the evening is at leisure for you to relax.

Set off on your travels through the stark Shoshone Canyon and Absaroka Rocky Mountains, leading you to the Wild West Town of Cody. Channel your inner showman and learn more about America’s great Western legends at the Buffalo Bill Centre, known for its Western art collection, firearms, and natural history. Travel through the Bighorn National Forest to the Ranch at UCross. Take in the rustic charm as you’re hosted at a traditional Wyoming Family ranch. Start off the evening with a cocktail hour in the historic Ranch House bar. After a home-cooked dinner, enjoy a fire pit with live entertainment, including country, folk and bluegrass music.

Live the American frontier dream and begin your day with a scenic country horseback ride accompanied by a Ranch Hand. If playing cowboy isn’t your thing, perhaps go fishing or merely relax and take in your beautiful surroundings, the choice is yours. Make your way to Devils Tower, an astounding geological feature that protrudes out of the surrounding the Black Hills. This symbolic landmark is considered sacred to the Lakota and other tribes. Experience Spearfish Canyon, a favoured spot among wildlife enthusiasts and one famous for its elvish woodland beauty. The limestone palisades of this creek-carved gorge are more ancient than the Grand Canyon itself.

A day for those looking to explore the Wild West! Try to spot the fastest mammal in North America, the pronghorn antelope as you cross the great high plains to the Black Hills of South Dakota. You’ll visit Badlands National Park in South Dakota, 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in America. Without a doubt, a hidden gem in the national park system, the unique beauty of the Badlands landscape is like no other. Sightseers as well as scholarly scientists are attracted to the area for its astounding beauty and the opportunity to peek into an ancient world. Continue on to Custer State Park, renowned for its beautiful landscape and abundant wildlife. 

Travel to the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Here, carvings of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt overlook the landscape. Join an Insight Experience at the Crazy Horse Memorial- the world’s largest mountain carving created in honour of the Lakota warrior. Curated with a view to help protect and continue the living heritage of the Native Americans, this experience details how the memorial was carved from land sacred to the tribes. With exclusive access not available to the general public, guests ascend 563 feet (172 metres) and have the opportunity to face the monument up close. This evening, join your Travel Director and newfound friends for a Celebration Dinner with wine, as you reflect on your adventure across the wide-open spaces of America’s national parks.

Today you travel south from Custer State Park to Denver, where your escorted adventure ends early afternoon. Check in to your hotel and choose to either relax after your busy journey, or head out to explore the delights of Denver. The Mile High City has many attractions to enjoy. Make sure you include a visit to historic Union Station with its famed architecture, and to the Dairy Block – a cool, urban district. The Colorado State Capitol, Denver Art Museum and Molly Brown House Museum are also worth some time.  

Today you hit the tracks on a magical rail journey with Rocky Mountaineer. Rockies to the Red Rocks is filled with location highlights best seen by train, including Ruby Canyon, Mount Garfield, and Moffat Tunnel. Your journey starts in Denver. As you hear the whistle blow, board the train, take your seat, and get ready to start your journey alongside the Colorado River through a series of canyons and rugged landscapes. As you enjoy breakfast and a beverage, take in the scenic views of the Gross Reservoir dam. Built in 1954, it has a surface area of 440 acres with a spillway that sits at 7,225 feet in elevation. The route slowly gains elevation before reaching the Continental Divide. Here you’ll pass through the historic Moffat Tunnel and emerge on the western side of the Continental Divide. This railway tunnel opened in 1928 and cuts through 6.3 miles of mountainous terrain. Enjoy a three-course, regionally inspired lunch as the onboard Hosts share stories about the region you travel through. Make sure you keep your camera near by as you travel along the Colorado River through a series of captivating canyons, including Byers Canyon and Gore Canyon. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as these canyons are the perfect place to spot pronghorns, deer, and eagles. Today’s journey ends in the historic town of Glenwood Springs. Enjoy your evening at your own leisure in this true Wild West town, before relaxing in your hotel and looking forward to tomorrow’s onward rail adventure.

We have allowed two full days in Moab, so you can explore Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park. There are a wide range of sightseeing and activitity options available, from coach and jeep tours to jet boating, rafting and mountain biking.

This morning your adventure concludes. You independently make your way to Moab Canyonlands Regional Airport, for a connection over Denver and back to the UK.