Tour Description

Grizzlies, wolves and bison! Geysers, valleys and hot springs! In the middle of it all, you’ll find Geological wonders that are more spectacular than words can describe. A sub-alpine forest teeming with wildlife. A land steeped in history and intrigue. America’s first National Park. This is Yellowstone! With the state of Montana sandwiched in between, you will find another magnificent National Park. Craggy peaks jutting into the sky. Resident mountain goats hopping amongst giant boulders. Wildflowers, alpine vistas, and waterfalls decorating the landscape. Topped off a gravity-defying two-lane road appropriately named, “The Going-to-the-Sun Highway,” this is memorable Glacier National Park! Not Enough? How about two nights in world renowned Jackson Hole? Or a float trip on Snake River? Or a close-up drive to see the 12 peaks of the Grand Teton Mountains. Come make some unforgettable memories!

Day 1:

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Today is a travel day that will get us just that much closer to the awesome scenery where we are going to be able to view the Crown Jewels of our American West. Tonight we overnight in Salina, Kansas. Making Memories Tours has planned a Welcome Dinner for you this evening. (D)

Day 2:

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We begin our day with a short trip to Victoria, Kansas for a tour of the Cathedral of the Plains, officially known as the Basilica of St. Fidelis. The Romanesque-Style Roman Catholic Church has 48 stained glass windows imported from Germany. The 141 foot towers, which can be seen for miles, gave it the name “Cathedral of the Plains.” We continue to Stapleton (Denver), Colorado. (B)

Day 3:

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We have a real treat this morning as we arrive at the Sports Authority Stadium for a guided tour. Better known as the Mile High Stadium, the Sports Authority is home of the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning. Just imagine being able to see up close where the great of the greats have played. After the tour, we travel north into Wyoming and then west through amazing scenery before arriving at our overnight lodging in Rock Springs, Wyoming. (B)

Day 4:

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This morning, we turn north to the western cowboy town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We should arrive in time for you to have lunch and then have free time for exploring, shopping or just enjoying the scenery. We will check into our hotel, The Quality 49’er Lodge, for a two night stay. Our hotel is within walking distance of the town square as well as other interesting venues in downtown Jackson Hole. After getting checked in and a few minutes to relax, we will depart for the Bar J Chuckwagon BBQ and Entertainment for an included evening of food and fun. The Bar J Wranglers will entertain us with songs, stories, comedy and yodeling before we return to our hotel for a relaxing evening. (B.D)

Day 5:

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We board our coach this morning for a driving tour of Grand Teton National Park. We will view a dozen Teton Peaks that rise above 12,000 feet and support a dozen mountain glaciers. As impressive as they are, none can compare to the Grand Teton, which reaches a staggering 13,770 feet as it towers more than a mile above the peaceful valley of Jackson Hole. We will also drive through some scenic wildflowers for a picture stop at Jenny Lake and tour The Church of the Transfiguration. This small church has an artistically positioned back window, framed to view the Grand Tetons. We return to our hotel in time to be picked up by buses to take us for an unforgettable float excursion on the Snake River. You’ll view breathtaking mountain scenery and have opportunities to witness wildlife activity. Lunch will be served on the river before we return to our Jackson Hole hotel. The balance of the day and evening are free. (B.L)

Day 6:

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We depart Jackson Hole and travel north to Yellowstone National Park, America’s first and largest National Park. Upon arrival, we will take a scenic drive of the park to view the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River and see plunging waterfalls twice as high as Niagara. Also, be on the lookout for the large, free-roaming herds of buffalo! When we return to Old Faithful, we have included lunch at Old Faithful Inn. After lunch, you will have free time until it’s time to check into our hotel. Stroll wooden walkways by thermal steam vents, geysers, hot pools and bubbly paint pots of deep green and blue. Of Course, you couldn’t visit Yellowstone without seeing its most popular attraction: Old Faithful. Watch in amazement as this predictable geyser erupts and sends a fountain of steam more than 60 feet in the air! It’s sure to be a sight you’ll never forget. We will overnight in West Yellowstone at the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. (B.L)

Day 7:

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We depart West Yellowstone and turn north toward Glacier National Park, but before we arrive, we have some most interesting things to see and do. We continue a few short miles to the Madison Canyon Earthquake Area and Visitor Center. The Center explains the 1959 earthquake, which caused half of a mountain to tumble into Madison River Canyon, creating a dam and Quake Lake. This was the largest earthquake ever recorded on the North American Continent, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale. The earthquake caused an enormous landslide and sent 80 million tons of rock tumbling into the canyon. Our next adventure is reliving the Old West aboard The Last Chance Tour Train for a fascinating glimpse of Helena, Montana, including opulent mansions. Catch a glimpse of the Old Fir Tower. See pioneer cabins, and roll right by the Governor’s homes. We will also do a tour of the Cathedral of St. Helena, a handsome neo-Gothic structure modeled after the Votive Church of Vienna, Austria. Interior furnishings are of Carrara Marble and the stained glass windows were made in Munich, Germany. Our lodging will be in Helena, Montana. (B)

Day 8:

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Today we travel through Great Falls and Cut Bank and arrive at St. Mary, Montana for our overnight. Our lodging will be at the East Entrance to the Park. You will arrive in time to view all the lovely scenery or maybe just use the time to relax. (B)

Day 9:

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Glacier National Park offers a million acres of the finest mountain scenery you’ll ever see. Some folks think it is the most scenic park in the United States. This morning we are going to board our “Jammer” Buses and let the top down, if weather permits, so that you will have an unobstructed view while traveling the most breath-taking roadway in the world, the Going-To-The-Sun Highway. It traverses the park from East to West, crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass. We will exit the tour at Lake McDonald, and after some free time and lunch on your own, we will depart for Kalispell, Montana. (B)

Day 10:

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As we depart our hotel this morning, we will be driving south alongside beautiful Flathead Lake to Missoula. At Missoula, we will tour the Smokejumper Visitor Center and Aerial Fire Depot. Forest Service smokejumpers give guided tours of the base and offer firsthand accounts of firefighting and smokejumping. We depart this most interesting tour and head back east through Butte and into Billings, Montana for our overnight stay. (B)

Day 11:

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Today, we continue east and cross over the border into North Dakota before entering the wonderful western town of Medora. We arrive early in the afternoon. Many things are planned for you, such as a guided tour of Medora where they still have plank sidewalks, western-style buildings and good ole western hospitality. This evening you will be treated to a Pitchfork Steak Fondue where they cook the steak in boiling oil on a pitchfork. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll want more! The best is yet to come as we take our seats in the Burning Hills Amphitheatre for a performance unlike any other. Known as the greatest show in the west, the Medora Musical is a toe-tappin’, knee slappin’ good time! Our lodging tonight will be in Medora, North Dakota. (B.D)

Day 12:

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An included breakfast will get us on our way as we turn back towards home. We will take our break this morning at the “Roosevelt Badlands of North Dakota Visitor Center”. You will have a great view of the North Dakota Badlands. You will have panoramic views, wildlife viewing, exhibits and displays. We depart our break and continue east with lunch and breaks along the way, our destination for this evening is Wahpeton, North Dakota. (B)

Day 13:

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We are homeward bound as we continue south through South Dakota, Iowa and into Missouri for out last night out on this most spectacular tour. Making Memories will treat you to a Farewell Dinner this evening as our way of saying Thank You for enjoying a great trip with us, and we hope you will travel with us again. Our lodging will be in St. Joseph, MO. (B.D)

Day 14:

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We have a short day today and should arrive home early afternoon, but there will be time for you to bid farewell to your new traveling friends and reminisce about the memories you have made on this awesome tour. (B)