National Parks of the Northwest with Calgary Stampede

Welcome to Salt Lake City! Your Tour Director is on hand from 3-6:00 p.m.to answer any questions.

Start the day with a sightseeing tour of Salt Lake City, Utah's capital, and center of the Mormon religion. Highlights include seeing Temple Square, the Capitol Building and downtown. Then head north to the Wild West town of Jackson. This evening, take a stroll into town and enjoy its wooden sidewalks and streets lined with shops, galleries, and restaurants. (B)

This morning, depart for majestic Grand Teton National Park, rich with scenic vistas and pristine lakes. Visit beautiful Jenny Lake that sits at the base of Cascade Canyon, looking for moose, fox, deer, and black bears along the way. Then drive north and enter magnificent Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is home to more geysers than anywhere else on Earth with none more famous than Old Faithful. Watch in amazement as it erupts, reaching heights of up to 184 feet! Then travel to West Yellowstone where you will spend the next two nights. (CB)

Spend the day exploring all the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, the world's first national park established in 1872. Start at the Fountain Paint Pot Trail where you'll see a colorful, bubbling collection of hydrothermal features. Then visit Mammoth Hot Springs and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone with breathtaking views of the cascading Lower Falls, the biggest waterfall in Yellowstone. All the while keeping a lookout for the parks abundant wildlife that includes bison, moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, wolf, bear, fox, and coyote. (CB)

Head north to Helena. Stop at Earthquake Lake Visitor Center to learn about the 7.5 earthquake that moved more than eighty million tons of rock in less than a minute and created Earthquake Lake. Then get a taste of the original Old West with a stop in Virginia City, site of the richest placer gold strike in the Rocky Mountains. Continue to Helena and upon arrival visit their beautiful State Capitol. (CB)

Head north to Missoula and visit the Smokejumper's Visitor Center, home to the largest smokejumper base in the country, to learn about the brave firefighters who risk their lives parachuting into the site of forest fires. Late afternoon arrival in Kalispell.

Spend the day at gorgeous Glacier National Park. Take a guided scenic ride aboard a vintage Red Jammer bus and drive one of North America's most spectacular highways, Going-to-the-Sun Road. Scale 6,664-foot-high Logan Pass and enjoy a wonderland of alpine scenery and breathtaking mountain peaks. (B)

Cross into Canada and enter Waterton Lakes National Park where the wilderness of Alberta's prairies meets the natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies. You'll overnight in the park, which is brimming with diverse landscapes, crystal clear lakes, cascading waterfalls, and towering mountain peaks. Tonight, things are looking up with an optional Dark Sky Stargazing excursion if the heavens and weather permit. (B)

Visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and learn about the longtime relationship between the Indigenous People and the vast herds of buffalo that roamed the plains. Arrive in Calgary and take an orientation tour with highlights that include Stampede Park, the Saddledome, Fort Calgary, and Canada Olympic Park. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Welcome to the Calgary Stampede grounds to witness—“The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.” Dust off your 10-gallon hat and mosey through the gates of Stampede Park into a world of wonder, fun, and “Wild West” excitement with your included admission. Walk back in time and experience the traditions and culture of Canadian First Nations at Elbow River Camp or go try some of the interesting food at the Midway. Enjoy a wide variety of exciting talent on the many entertainment stages, and then maybe head into the dazzling array of international exhibits and displays of Western art.

This evening, watch the heart-stopping Chuckwagon Races in an all-out dash for the finish line, an amazing contest of nerves and horsepower. You'll be out of your seats cheering on your favorite driver during each heat. Afterward, get ready for an outdoor stage show featuring hundreds of singers, dancers, and musicians in a lavishly produced and choreographed musical variety spectacular.

Saddle up for another rip-roaring day exploring the Stampede grounds and grandstands of the famous Calgary Stampede. Fuel up for the day's activities by visiting Fluor Rope Square at Stephen Avenue Mall for a pancake breakfast. Return to the Stampede grounds this morning to see anything you missed yesterday, and cheer on your favorite rodeo contenders. If you haven't already, get suited with a cowboy hat, shirt, and boots at one of the many stalls before heading to the Grandstand for the Calgary Stampede Rodeo this afternoon.

See the best of the best as they saddle up for world-class rodeo action. Top professionals take on the West's wildest horses. You'll also enjoy rodeo's most famed event—bull riding! You will be in awe of the talent as you sit on the edge of your seat. Make the most of your time here and discover Canada's country core. With square dancing, mock gun fights, country bands, bars, restaurants and livestock, there is loads to see.

Your vacation ends this morning.