Stay right in the heart of the world's first national park on Tauck's exciting Utah, South Dakota and Wyoming vacation – which takes in Yellowstone's amazing geothermal features, Old West history in Cody, the colossal Black Hills masterpieces of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, and the peaks and glaciers of the Grand Tetons! See Old Faithful, just outside your hotel... raft along the Snake River... enjoy a classic western ranch experience... attend a Wild West rodeo or a cowboy music revue... and take part in a volunteer project with park rangers in Grand Teton National Park!

Trip Overview:

• Stay right in the heart of the world's first national park Yellowstone
• The colossal Black Hills masterpieces of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial
• Raft along the Snake River
• Prices From $3,190 for 10 Days

Included

• Pioneer lunch at the National Oregon / California Trail Center in Idaho, where displays and an interactive presentation re-enact a glimpse of pioneer life on the trail in the 1850s
• Rafting adventure along the Snake River, surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Grand Tetons
• An opportunity to join Tauck and park experts on a volunteer service project in Grand Teton National Park, a very special experience for Tauck guests only
• Visits to the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Wild West rodeo or a performance of the Dan Miller Cowboy Music Revue in historic Cody
• A private lecture on the ecology of the Great Salt Lake Basin in Salt Lake City
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
• 20 meals (9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 7 dinners); service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage

Location: Rapid City, Utah and Jackson, Wyoming

2012 Dates: June 4th, June 18th, June 22nd, July 6th, July 10th, July 24th, July 28th, August 11th, Sept 2nd, Sept 10th, Sept 16th, Sept 24th

2012 Pricing:

$ 3190 per person
Single Supplement  $195

Day 1: Welcome to the Black Hills

Day 2: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and a ranch experience

Day 3: Bighorn Mountains and Wild West fun

Day 4: A taste of the Old West in Cody, Buffalo Bill's town

Day 5: Geysers and more at Yellowstone National Park

Day 6: On the trail to Grand Teton National Park

Day 7: Snake River rafting, a volunteer opportunity & more

Day 8: A classic Western landscape

Day 9: Discover Salt Lake City

Day 10: Homeward bound

Day 1

Welcome to the Black Hills

Your South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming vacation begins at the Radisson Hotel Rapid City at 6:00 p.m.  Welcome to Rapid City, gateway to South Dakota's legendary Black Hills and the grandeur of Mount Rushmore; a transfer is included from Rapid City Regional Airport to the Radisson Hotel Rapid City. Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner with your new traveling companions tonight.

Lodging: Radisson Hotel Rapid City (D)

Day 2

Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and a ranch experience

Learn about the creation of Mount Rushmore National Memorial on a visit to the Borglum Historical Center... then see firsthand the massive, iconic monument featuring the faces of former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into towering granite bluffs! Later, view the Crazy Horse Memorial, where work is still in progress after more than 50 years; it will be the largest stone carving in the world when completed. Your Wyoming vacation takes you into the Bighorn Mountains for a classic western ranch experience and overnight stay at The Ranch at Ucross, an honest-to-goodness working ranch.

Lodging: The Ranch at Ucross (B,L,D)

Day 3

Bighorn Mountains and Wild West fun

Begin the day with leisure time spent at your real working western ranch, where you can join us for a horseback ride*. Traverse the Bighorn National Forest, witnessing breathtaking vistas of rugged canyons, sparkling waterfalls, miles of grassland, and colorful vegetation. Descend to the open grazing land of western Wyoming, and arrive at the frontier town of Cody, named for its founder, Buffalo Bill Cody. Tonight, attend either the Cody Rodeo (seasonal) or the Dan Miller Cowboy Music Revue, depending on the time of year.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Cody at Buffalo Bill Village (B,L,D)

Day 4

A taste of the Old West in Cody, Buffalo Bill's town

For an authentic picture of the Wild West, visit the museums of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, displaying the world's largest collection of cultural and historic artifacts from the American West; review the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, Draper Museum of Natural History, and the Plains Indian Museum. Your Wyoming vacation continues to Yellowstone National Park, America's first national park, for an overnight in a landmark hotel on the shores of Lake Yellowstone.

Lodging: Lake Yellowstone Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 5

Geysers and more at Yellowstone National Park

Spend the day discovering spectacular Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 as the world's first national park; renowned for its unique geothermal activity, it's home to more than 10,000 hot springs and two-thirds of all the geysers on earth. See Fountain Paint Pot, a collection of colorful, bubbling mudpots; view the dramatic Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone; and witness Old Faithful Geyser shooting up to 184 feet in the air approximately every 90 minutes. Just steps from the classic national park lodge you're staying in tonight, it's sure to be a highlight of your Wyoming vacation!

Lodging: Old Faithful Inn (B,L,D)

Day 6

On the trail to Grand Teton National Park

After leaving amazing Yellowstone, your Wyoming vacation stops in the historic town of Jackson prior to entering Grand Teton National Park, with its jagged peaks, glaciers, lakes, and dense forest. The park hosts moose, antelope, and bison, as well as hundreds of wildflower species. Spend the next two nights in the scenic Jackson Lake Lodge in the heart of the national park.

Lodging: Jackson Lake Lodge (B)

Day 7

Snake River rafting, a volunteer opportunity & more

The entire day is at leisure to do exactly as you please among the splendors of Grand Teton National Park. You may choose to join us for a rafting trip* on the Snake River, gliding past some of North America's most spectacular mountain scenery. During the rest of your free day in the park, enjoy optional activities (available at additional cost) at your lakeside lodge, such as a Jackson Lake cruise, horseback riding, canoeing, or fishing. You'll also have an opportunity to volunteer on an exclusive Tauck service project with park experts in Grand Teton National Park, made possible by Tauck's long-standing relationships with the national parks.

Lodging: Jackson Lake Lodge (B,L)

Day 8

A classic Western landscape

Your South Dakota, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming vacation continues south through Idaho, stopping for a special pioneer lunch and a bit of interactive history at the National Oregon / California Trail Center, set at an important stopping point for wagon trains carrying settlers west along the old Oregon Trail. Proceed along the edge of the Great Salt Lake to arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah's political and cultural center, surrounded by the Wasatch Mountains. Have dinner on your own tonight, then join us for a fascinating lecture on the ecology of the Great Salt Lake Basin and the Great Salt Lake, known as America's "Dead Sea."

Lodging: The Grand America Hotel (B,L)

Day 9

Discover Salt Lake City

Explore Utah's capital today on a sightseeing tour including Salt Lake City's interesting downtown architecture. See This is the Place Monument, where Mormon pioneers decided to build the city in 1847, and visit one of ten venues used during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. In your free afternoon, perhaps explore Temple Square, highlighted by the impressive Salt Lake Temple; visit the Tabernacle or Beehive House; or trace your genealogy at the Family History Library. Share favorite highlights of your Utah and Wyoming vacation at our farewell reception and dinner tonight.

Lodging: The Grand America Hotel (B,D)

Day 10

Homeward bound

Tauck's Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Utah and Wyoming vacation ends in Salt Lake City, Utah. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from The Grand America Hotel to the Salt Lake City Airport. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.

(B)

(B) = Breakfast,   (L) = Lunch,   (D) = Dinner