Yellowstone and Big Sky Country

Welcome to Denver, the Mile High City. Set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, this state capital blends old west roots with modern energy. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers this evening for dinner where you’ll hear more about the journey ahead through Wyoming and Montana.

Head north to Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming and home to its cowboy traditions. Visit the Cheyenne Head north to Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming and home to its cowboy traditions. Visit the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum to explore rodeo history, restored wagons and Western art. After an orientation tour with your Travel Director, enjoy time at leisure to look around the historic downtown or grab a bite to eat. This afternoon, continue to Casper where you’ll visit the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center and learn how early pioneers crossed the plains in search of a new life out West.

Start the day with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Wind River Wild Horse Sanctuary. Ride into the pastures with a Local Specialist and meet free-roaming mustangs on a working cattle ranch that protects over 250 unadoptable horses. Continue on to Riverton for a scattered lunch before traveling to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center to see fossils and a working dig lab. Arrive in Cody and check in to your hotel, then you’ll meet a local artisan for a private tour of the By Western Hands studio. End the day at the historic Irma Hotel where your host welcomes you for a Be My Guest dinner in true Western style.

Spend the morning in Cody. You may choose to join an Optional Experience to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a Smithsonian-affiliated complex of five museums focused on the culture and history of the American West. Alternatively, explore the town at your own pace. Later, travel into Yellowstone National Park. You’ll visit Lake Yellowstone, stop at Artist Point and see the powerful Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River.

Spend the day exploring more of Yellowstone National Park, with stops at some of its most well-known sights. Visit West Thumb Geyser Basin, set along the edge of Yellowstone Lake. Keep an eye out for wildlife as you cross through Hayden Valley. Take in views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before arriving at Old Faithful, where the famous geyser erupts on a regular schedule. End the day in West Yellowstone and enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers.

Travel the upper loop of Yellowstone National Park and take in more of its dramatic landscapes. In Lamar Valley, keep your eyes open for wildlife—this open terrain is one of the best places in the park to spot bison, elk and pronghorn. At Mammoth Hot Springs, walk along boardwalks that wind past steaming limestone terraces and thermal pools. Later, head into Montana’s Paradise Valley and check in to your Stays with Stories experience at Chico Hot Springs. This historic lodge has been welcoming travelers for over a century, offering a warm, relaxed setting at the base of the Absaroka Mountains.

Take the day to relax or explore more of Yellowstone National Park from your base at Chico Hot Springs. This historic lodge offers a range of ways to enjoy the surrounding landscapes and warm hospitality. You might soak in the natural hot springs, book a spa treatment or explore the trails on horseback (booked separately). Trout pond fishing, disc golf and garden tours are also available. In the evening, choose from a series of local talks. In the afternoon, enjoy a conversation with a local equine specialist exploring mules, horses, and life in the Yellowstone backcountry. Learn how local horsemen have skillfully navigated and survived this wild terrain for generations.