Itinerary

Land in Bozeman and collect your rental car before checking in to your hotel, The Lark. Bozeman is widely considered the rugged version of Aspen with its excellent restaurants, breweries, boutique shops, museums, art galleries and comparably affordable prices. It is also the gateway location to some of the best outdoor recreation in the Rockies. Get settled in and spend whatever is left of your day exploring Bozeman’s charming downtown before tucking in for the night.

Situated about 1.5 hours from Yellowstone between a subrange of the Rockies, known as the Bridger Mountains and the famous Big Sky ski resort, Bozeman is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Spend the day enjoying world-renowned fly fishing, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, hunting or backcountry exploring. With a dramatic mountain backdrop, vast prairies and impressive wildlife, you’ll find there’s so much to do and see.

For those wanting to stay in town, Bozeman has fantastic art galleries and two worthwhile museums to explore: the Museum of the Rockies, which has a notable collection of T. Rex specimens and the American Computer & Robotics Museum, a must for lovers of engineering and technology.

Leave first thing in the morning for Missoula. The drive is 3 hours long, but the road is incredibly scenic. Missoula is a welcoming town in the heart of western Montana known for its stunning natural beauty and impressive number of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Drop your bags off at The Wren – conveniently located in the centre of the town – and head out on foot to explore this charming mountain enclave. The downtown has delicious restaurants and bakeries should you fancy a bite to eat and numerous independent breweries for beer lovers. Cara’s Park is bustling with arts and cultural events during the summer months. Some of Missoula’s best hiking trails can be found minutes from downtown in nearby Mount Sentinel. Missoula is renowned for blue-ribbon trout fishing and a trip here isn’t complete without going rafting down the Clark Fork River.

After breakfast drive 2.5 hours up to the stylish, Western resort town of Whitefish. Considered the recreation capital of Montana, Whitefish blends rustic allure with luxury mountain living, and is the gateway to the jagged peaks and glacier-carved valleys of Glacier National Park. Get settled into your hotel and enjoy the spectacular scenery. Whitefish is located on the shores of Whitefish Lake and at the base of Big Mountain, and you’ll find numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation await. Go boating on Whitefish Lake, sunbathe on sandy City Beach, hike or picnic through Whitefish Lake State Park, or mountain bike at nearby Whitefish Mountain Resort. Downtown, you’ll find charming streets lined with shops, coffee houses and eateries along Central Avenue.

Head to Glacier National Park first thing in the morning – boasting an incredible 1.4 million acres of pristine nature – you will want to make the most of your time in this world-famous national park. With over 700 miles of walking trails, including 110 miles of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, the park is a hiker’s paradise, and the parks’ diverse terrain features everything from large glacial lakes and cedar forests to swathes of rolling prairies, windswept alpine tundra, and 25 giant glaciers. There’s plenty of wildlife too: grizzly bears and moose wander freely, and mountain goats can be seen jumping from craggy rocks.

End your day driving the Going to the Sun Road. A 50-mile route that weaves through the park’s incredible lands, and crosses the Continental Divide at the 6,646 foot-high Logan Pass, travelling on it from west to east creates the illusion of an endless climb, but it is well worth driving in either direction for its singular views.

Leave first thing in the morning to the blue skies, sparkling waters and forested mountains of Coeur d’Alene in neighbouring Idaho. The drive is about 4 hours long and you’ll want to have at least half a day enjoying this special location. You’ll be arriving at the beautiful lakeside Coeur d’Alene Resort. Take the day to enjoy their award-winning golf courses and world-class spa treatments, or head to the spectacular trails in the Canfield Mountain Natural Area and Coeur d’Alene National Forest for some picturesque hiking. If you are a water sports enthusiast, you’ll find plenty to enjoy on Lake Coeur d’Alene too.

After breakfast make the nearly 5-hour scenic drive to McCall. Nestled in Idaho’s picturesque mountains, McCall is a popular resort town and sanctuary-like destination for both outdoor and adventure enthusiasts. You’ll be arriving at Shore Lodge, right on Payette Lake, and be greeted by breathtaking scenery, unrivalled resort amenities – try a treatment at The Cove Spa – and endless opportunities to explore the great outdoors. Get settled in and take your pick from all that’s on offer.

With Payette Lake, Ponderosa State Park and Brundage Mountain all located in McCall, the opportunities for outdoor recreation are innumerable. Spend the day renting a boat out on Payette Lake, or hire a paddle board, kayak or canoe for an hour or two of fun on its sparkling alpine waters. Head into Ponderosa State Park for some scenic hiking or ride the lift up Brundage Mountain for hikes with gorgeous views overlooking the town. There are biking trails all over McCall so go for a ride around town. If you fancy strolling the downtown, head to the McCall Farmers Market to taste some of the fresh local produce or tour the McCall Fish Hatchery. Cap off your time here with a fantastic dinner at The Narrows Steakhouse or have a homemade burger at local favourite, My Father’s Place.

Leave early in the morning for the 5-hour drive to Sun Valley, a stunning small resort town situated between the majestic Sawtooth Mountains and the Craters of the Moon National Monument. You’ll be staying at the Sun Valley Lodge, ideally located for access to both the town and the mountains, as well as offering a world-class spa and a heated outdoor pool. Get checked in and make the most of the hotel’s amenities or go take in the fresh air with a hike on one of Sun Valley’s excellent trails, like the popular five-mile Fox Creek Trail in Sawtooth National Forest. The town also offers 18 stunning holes at its Trail Creek Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, and guided fly fishing excursions on Big Wood River to fill your afternoon.

Leave first thing in the morning on a 4-hour drive to the town of Victor to witness the peaceful mountain majesty and wildlife of the western frontier. Victor is nestled between Jackson Hole and the Grand Teton Mountain Range offering exceptional outdoor access for hiking, mountain biking and wildlife spotting. Arrive at Moose Creek Ranch, a boutique ranch in a stunning mountain valley perfect for getting outside in the Tetons or sitting back in true tranquillity.

After breakfast drive about 2 hours to Yellowstone National Park. As you are driving through the Tetons on your way there, you might want to take a detour for a full or half day wildlife adventure in Grand Teton National Park. The diverse wildlife found there across the lush valley floors, mountain meadows and alpine lakes is something truly special to behold and well worth seeing if you feel time permits.

When you arrive in Yellowstone, you’ll be staying right in the park at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, within walking distance of the famous geyser itself. One of America’s most incredible natural wonders, Yellowstone offers visitors an opportunity to experience what the North American continent was like before recorded history across its 2.2 million acres of unspoiled wilderness. From the world’s most extraordinary collection of geysers and hot springs to geological wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the echoes of wolves in the forests in the night, get started on discovering this amazing place because you’ll find yourself wanting even more time to explore.

There are so many ways to explore this sublime natural wonder: by car, by foot, with or without a guided tour; on a hike or horse ride. Spend the day exploring this tremendous nature preserve however you wish – the options here are many and a look at a map before you go will really help you decide which features you want to see. Spend part of the day driving Yellowstone’s Grand Loop Road – there are plenty of points to pause at to follow walking trails, read about the park’s ecosystem or view spewing geysers. Take in the incredible wildlife – from the legendary grizzly and black bears to buffalo, elk, eagles, pronghorn antelope, grey wolves and more. Walk or hike through one of 92 trails, and make sure you see the majestic Lower Falls. The orange, yellow and turquoise hues of the Grand Prismatic and the soaring heights of Old Faithful are also not to be missed.

The Rocky Mountain Region still holds the vestiges of frontier life despite encroaching modernity, and there’s no better example of this than in the town made famous by Buffalo Bill: Cody. Take the stunning 4-hour drive along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway from Yellowstone and get checked in to your hotel before getting out and exploring. Cody boasts the Old Trail Town which is a re-created frontier town with well-preserved log cabins and a saloon from the 1800s so visitors can experience what pioneer life was like, as well as the Buffalo Bill Western Heritage Centre for those who want to brush up on their history. Other worthwhile ventures include hiking or fishing in Buffalo Bill State Park or going for a guided horse ride through Red Canyon.

Continue this morning to the former Gold Rush and pioneer town of Sheridan. Home to outlaws and icons such as Butch Cassiday, the Sundance Kid and Buffalo Bill Cody, it was also the site of seven important Native American battles and remains steeped in history to this day. Get checked into the local Best Western and choose between learning about the Wild West with stops in the Historic Sheridan Inn, the Mint Bar, the Brinton Museum and Museum at the Bighorns or head into Bighorn National Forest for a hike through its breathtaking rugged terrain.

Take a leisurely 3.5-hour drive this morning to Rapid City in South Dakota. Considered the gateway to the famous Mount Rushmore, and ideally located for access to South Dakota’s astounding national parks and forests, Rapid City is a wonderful place to spend your last three days. On your drive over from Sheridan stop by Devil’s Tower, a jaw-dropping geological formation that looms 1,200 feet above Wyoming’s rolling prairies, and then Spearfish Canyon right across the border into South Dakota. Its idyllic scenery and spectacular waterfalls can be seen on a drive along the 19-mile Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.

When you finally arrive in Rapid City you’ll be staying at the historic Hotel Alex Johnson. Located right in Rapid City’s charming and walkable downtown district, Hotel Alex Johnson is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also conveniently located for grabbing a delicious bite to eat or drink after a long day of exploring.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and then head out for a 45-minute drive to the crown jewel of South Dakota: Badlands National Park. Filled with 244,000 acres of chiselled spires, deep canyons and jagged buttes, eroded by wind and water over millions of years, Badlands National Park brilliantly reveals Earth’s history, one richly hued layer at a time. Explore this striking, moon-like landscape rising out of the Dakota prairies on foot, by bike or by car. Drive the 31-mile Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway through the heart of the park to stop at one of 15 different overlooks – Big Badlands, Pinnacles or Yellow Mounds will be well worth your time – or roam by foot over one of the many hiking trails across the rough landscape. From the short and delightful Notch Trail to the 144-mile long Maah Daah Hey Trail, there’s a path and adventure for everyone.

Start your day seeing some of the USA’s most impressive native wildlife roaming in their natural habitat on a 2-hour Jeep safari. Sunrise offers the most peaceful and picturesque hour to encounter these incredible beasts, but you can start later in the morning if you prefer and still have a wonderful time. Take a short drive from Rapid City to Custer State Park where an experienced guide will take you off-road onto the private, interior dirt roads of the Park, not even accessible on the Park’s Wildlife Loop. You will be taken straight to where the animals roam and weave through the local herd of around 1,300 free-roaming bison and other native wildlife like pronghorn antelope, elk burros, deer, coyotes, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs. Spend the rest of the day exploring the beautiful trails in Custer State Park before heading back for some last minute rest and relaxation in Rapid City.