Rocky Mountain Frontiers

Tour Information

15nt Tour Begins Denver, Ends Los Angeles: 1nt Denver; 1nt Cheyenne; 1nt Deadwood; 1nt Cody; 1nt Yellowstone National Park; 1nt Jackson Hole; 1nt Salt Lake City; 1nt Bryce Canyon National Park; 1nt Grand Canyon National Park; 1nt Las Vegas; 1nt Mammoth Lakes; 1nt San Francisco; 1nt Pismo Beach; 1nt Los Angeles

Travel to the frontiers of the Rocky Mountains on this 15-night tour of the American west. Start in Denver, the Mile High City, and travel through the Rocky Mountain National Park en route to Cheyenne. Visit Mount Rushmore and the former gold rush town of Deadwood in the Black Hills, then see the Big Horn Mountains. You’ll learn about the heritage of the Old West at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center then head into Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and to Jackson Hole.

Then it’s off to Salt Lake City before visiting the spectacular rock formations at Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks and Lake Powell. Drive through Navajo country to the Grand Canyon then follow part of legendary Route 66 on the way to Las Vegas. Next up you’ll pass through Death Valley to arrive at Mammoth Lakes, driving across Tioga Pass high into the Sierra Nevadas and to Yosemite National Park. Move on west to San Francisco and down the scenic California coast through pretty towns like Carmen and Monterey to Santa Barbara and to your final stop, Los Angeles.

Day 1

Fly from the UK - Denver
Arrive at Denver International Airport and transfer independently to the hotel where your Tour escort will be available in the lobby.
Hotel: Hotel VQ

Day 2

Denver – Rocky Mountain National Park – Cheyenne
Enjoy a short city tour of the “Mile High” city before beginning the ascent into the Rocky Mountain National Park. Take the Trail Ridge Road, Known as Rocky Mountain National Park’s “highway to the sky” because it provides travelers with the entire sweep of the grandeur of the Rockies in all directions. Continue to Cheyenne, the rodeo and railroad capital of the Old West!
Hotel: Hitching Post Inn

Day 3

Cheyenne – Mt. Rushmore National Memorial – Deadwood
Depart Cheyenne this morning for a visit to Fort Laramie. Then enter South Dakota and travel to majestic Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, an epic sculpture where the faces of four American presidents are carved into the mountain. Overnight in the Black Hills town of Deadwood.
Hotel: First Gold

Day 4

Deadwood – Big Horn Mountains – Cody
Return to Wyoming today and see the Big Horn Mountains, which stretch from the plains of Wyoming northward into Montana, en route to the town of Cody. Visit the Buffalo Bill Historic Center (admission included) and see Old West memorabilia. Evening at leisure.
Hotel: Buffalo Bill Village

Day 5

Cody – Yellowstone National Park
A short drive leads to the immense Yellowstone National Park. Enjoy a detailed sightseeing tour of geysers, waterfalls, wildlife and canyons. Highlights will include Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone Canyon’s majestic falls, and the beautiful Hayden Valley.
Hotel: Gray Wolf Inn / Stage Coach Inn / Yellowstone Park Hotel

Day 6

Yellowstone – Grand Teton National Park – Jackson Hole
This morning’s journey is through the rugged, snow-capped mountains which welcome you to Grand Teton National Park. The so-called “towering Tetons” were formed by a series of earthquakes millions of years ago along a single fault line. Continue to the sophisticated “Crown Jewel” of the Rocky Mountains, Jackson Hole.
Hotel: Days Inn

Day 7

Jackson Hole – Salt Lake City
Travel through scenic southern Idaho to Salt Lake City in the Mormon State of Utah. See the State Capitol building and visit famed Temple Square and the Tabernacle before arriving at the hotel for the evening.
Hotel: Shilo Inn

Day 8

Salt Lake City/Park City – Bryce Canyon National Park
Continue today to spectacular Bryce Canyon, where a tour through a multi-colored world of sandstone spires and pinnacles will dazzle the eyes. Enjoy the evening at leisure.
Hotel: Best Western Ruby’s Inn

Day 9

Bryce Canyon National Park – Zion National Park – Lake Powell – Navajo Indian Reservation – Grand Canyon National Park
Dramatic rock formations carved by forces of water, wind and time make Zion National Park a must to visit during the morning. Continue to stunning Lake Powell, where blue water laps against towering red rock canyon walls. Lake Powell is the second largest man-made lake in America, and one in a series of lakes formed by the damming of Colorado River. Then cross through the Navajo Indian Reservation on the way to the Grand Canyon National Park. Stop at the South Rim to fully experience this mile-deep canyon.
Hotel: Yavapai Lodge West

Day 10

Grand Canyon National Park – Seligman/Route 66 – Las Vegas
Descend the high Coconino Plateau into the Mojave Desert. Along the way, pass through Seligman, a town built along the famed Route 66 that looks as if it were frozen in time sixty years ago. Onward to Las Vegas, the glittering man-made entertainment capital of the world.
Hotel: Circus Circus - Sky Tower Rooms

Day 11

Las Vegas – Death Valley National Park – Mammoth Lakes**
Having enjoyed the fast pace of glamorous Las Vegas, it will be a sharp contrast this afternoon to enter the quiet and extreme environment of Death Valley. Stop at Zabriskie Point and Furnace Creek Ranch before continuing across the valley and ascending the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the alpine resort town of Mammoth Lakes**.
Hotel: Mammoth Mountain Inn

Day 12

Mammoth Lakes** – Tioga Pass – Yosemite National Park – San Francisco
A short drive brings you over the Tioga Pass high in the Sierras into the scenic wonderland of Yosemite National Park. Within the park, you will see the majestic, glacial-shaped granite formations of El Capitan and Half Dome, which rise from the valley floor. In the afternoon travel to San Francisco, America’s beloved “City by the Bay.”
Hotel: Holiday Inn Civic Center

Day 13

San Francisco
The whole day is at leisure in San Francisco. Your Tour escort is on hand to assist with making your plans for the day; perhaps a cable car ride to Fisherman’s Wharf, or a stroll and some shopping around Union Square. You also have the opportunity to take a day tour to Napa Valley, world-renowned for its many wineries and beautiful scenery (optional).
Hotel: Holiday Inn Civic Center

Day 14

San Francisco – Monterey/Carmel – Pismo Beach
Depart San Francisco this morning for the drive to the Monterey Peninsula, known for its enclave of magnificent homes and lovely beaches. In Monterey, visit Fisherman’s Wharf and famous Cannery Row of John Steinbeck fame. Then tour charming Carmel-by-the-Sea, noted for its quaint houses, upscale art galleries and unique stores. In the afternoon continue the drive south on ’Camino Real’, passing along the Central California Coastal range with its scenic views, and Paso Robles, home of real cowboys and wineries.
Hotel: Mission Inn

Day 15

Pismo Beach – Santa Barbara – Los Angeles
Enjoy a beautiful drive down the Pacific coast into Santa Barbara, where palm-lined walkways border white sandy beaches, prompting many to call it the “American Riviera.” Continue to Ventura and Los Angeles, the “City of Angels,” where you will take a city tour which includes visits to Mann’s Chinese Theater, Sunset Strip, Hollywood and parts of Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Overnight at Crowne Plaza LAX Airport.

Day 16

Independent transfer back to the airport for your return flight.

Day 17

Arrival back to the UK.

What's Included

• Return scheduled transatlantic flights from the UK
• Accommodation in hotels described above or similar standard
• Transportation in deluxe air-conditioned Motorcoach throughout the tour
• Service of a professional Tour Director
• Denver City Tour
• Visit Mount Rushmore
• Visit Cheyenne
• Deadwood
• Buffalo Bill Historical Center
• Visit Fort Laramie
• Yellowstone National Park Tour
• Yosemite
• Visit Grand Teton National Park
• Visit Grand Canyon
• Las Vegas
• Portion of Route 66