Wild West Cowboys and Buffalos - End Denver

Saddle up for a Wild West family adventure starting with a relaxing afternoon together in Salt Lake City before meeting your travel buckeroos for a rootin’ tootin’ evening Kick-off Party with your Travel Director.

Put on your cowboy hats, pull up your boots and get ready to make memories that will last a lifetime. Experience the rich history and culture of the world’s most humble vegetable – the potato! Visitors to the Idaho Potato Museum will learn about the many facets of the potato industry from planting and irrigation to harvesting and processing. There’s no place better to showcase potatoes than in “The Potato Capital of the World,” Blackfoot, Idaho! Followed by a potato-themed lunch including potato ice cream! Walk through the town's famous landmark arch of tangled elk antlers and step back in time as you explore the Town Square with its Western boardwalks, craft boutiques and ice cream shops-all surrounded by the majestic Rockies. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in town.

Family fun awaits every day of this trip and today is no exception. If the season is right, today is your chance to get out on the water for some adventures. Rise early to float down the Snake River on an optional^, scenic wilderness float trip. It’s the most relaxing way to experience the river as you learn about the history, geology, and wildlife from an expert. guide. Later, discover dramatic shimmering peaks of the Teton range rising above alpine forests and lakes in iconic Grand Teton National Park. Travel onward to your hotel for the night.

Today you’ll enjoy a full day’s exploration of the geothermal wonderland of Yellowstone. Tonight, we stay inside the UNESCO-listed Yellowstone National Park, where, from western-themed furnishings to massive stone fireplaces to a national historic landmark, each lodge has its own unique setting and atmosphere. You’ll not only stay conveniently right in the park but feel good about your visit knowing that all Yellowstone National Park Lodges are stewards of the park, keeping a focus on preserving it for future generations. You’ll also enjoy Old West Dinner Cookout where you’ll line up for real western beef steaks cooked to order, the signature Roosevelt Baked Beans, potato salad, coleslaw, cornbread muffins, and fruit crisp.

This morning we make our way to Gillette, WY and enjoy a Be My Guest lunch at the Durham Bison Ranch. You will be treated to a tour of the 55,000 acre farm housing over 3,000 bison. Tip your Stetson to “Buffalo Bill” in his hometown of Cody and get a glimpse into the Spirit of the American West at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Delve into culture of the cowboy, the role of the firearm in the early days and the culture and art of the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Plains.

After a hearty breakfast, visit the Durham Bison Ranch Tour and experience one of the world’s largest and oldest working buffalo ranches. With around 3,000 bison currently on 55,000 acres, Durham Ranch has been actively engaged in the raising of bison since the mid-1960s. Then your journey continues on to South Dakota and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Gaze at the towering tribute to legendary Lakota leader Crazy Horse being carved into the mountain and learn how your visit helps to preserve the culture of his people. The evening is yours to explore in Rapid City. Or consider an optional trip to the Mount Rushmore Lighting Ceremony, a chance to see one of America's most famous landmarks from a different perspective.

Start your visit at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center is the perfect place to get yourself oriented for your morning visit of Badlands National Park. Learn about the rich earth, science, wildlife, history, and more. You may explore museum exhibits, visit a working Fossil Preparation Lab, or stop by the park bookstore. Then you are off for some sightseeing with stops along the way to snap your best pictures. Later in the afternoon, you will Make Travel Matter with a visit to the Oglala Lakota Living History Village. It is the entry point to the beautiful landscape of the past and present culture, and of indigenous knowledge of Lakota Country on Pine Ridge Reservation. You’ll get to walk on the trails through displays of living quarters from approximately the 1870’s to the 1960’s with a local guide. Local native artists provide an insight of the culture and tradition through their crafts and storytelling. Your visit contributes to the sustainability and resiliency of the Lakota community for generations to come.

Today, head for the famous Black Hills of South Dakota to view the giant faces of former American presidents etched in the stone cliffs of Mount Rushmore. This evening, join your fellow adventurers at a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and Farewell Dinner featuring your guide Stephen Yellowhawk (or another tribe member).

Travel to Denver, where you can extend your stay or transfer to Denver International Airport for your flight home.