The Rocky Mountains and the Great Parks
Offered by Scenic Roads
From Yellowstone's geysers to Utah's red lands, follow in the footsteps of cowboys and pioneers in the heart of the American Rockies.
Duration
16 days
From
US$4,714/pers.
Style
Self-drive tour
Travelers
Couple, Family, Solo, With friends, senior, groupe, Honeymoon
The spirit of travel
Embark on a 16-day circuit through the American Rockies, between mountains, wide open spaces and Far West traditions. From Denver to Yellowstone, traverse wild landscapes in the footsteps of pioneers and cowboys.
Discover Custer State Park, the sculptures of Mount Rushmore and the western atmosphere of Cody. Explore Yellowstone and Grand Teton, between geysers, hot springs, alpine lakes and wildlife.
In Utah, admire the natural arches and immense canyons carved into red sandstone. Continue the adventure in Colorado, between the vineyards of Palisade and hot springs of Glenwood Springs.
Your English-speaking guide-driver accompanies you throughout this journey on the roads of the West. An itinerary mixing nature, heritage and American culture, in the heart of the Rocky Mountain landscapes.
The stages of your journey
Highlights
Day-by-day itinerary
Arrival in Denver
Aéroport De Denver → Aurora
Arrival in Denver and welcome by your English-speaking driver-guide. Transfer to your hotel, located in Aurora, gateway to the Rockies and Southwest.
Dinner on your own.
Night at the hotel.
The alpine landscapes of the Rockies and discovery of Fort Collins
Aurora → Rocky Mountain National Park
Route to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park, located approximately 55 km northwest of Denver.
Explore the Rocky Mountain National Park, which preserves spectacular alpine landscapes, between lush meadows, pine forests, alpine tundra and steep peaks.
Have a picnic in the park.
Rocky Mountain National Park → Fort Collins
You continue your journey towards Fort Collins.
Discover Fort Collins, a former military post founded in 1864, now a college town and craft beer capital. Its historic district, Old Town, served as a model for Walt Disney for the Main Street at Disneyland: independent shops, galleries and colorful street pianos.
Dinner on your own and night in Fort Collins.
From Cheyenne to the Wild Landscapes of Custer State Park
Discover the Wyoming State Capitol, the first American state to have granted women the right to vote.
Then enjoy free time to explore the western shops in the downtown area.
Cheyenne → Custer
You continue your journey towards Custer State Park.
Lunch along the way.
Drive the Wildlife Loop Road, a scenic 29 km route through grasslands and pine-dotted hills of Custer State Park.
As you explore, you may have the opportunity to observe:
Bison and wild donkeys.
Antelope and elk.
Prairie dogs and eagles.
Dinner on your own and overnight in Custer.
Badlands, Wall Drug and Mount Rushmore Sculptures
Custer → Canyonlands National Park
Departure towards Badlands National Park.
Discover Badlands National Park by taking the Scenic Loop, a 61 km scenic road dotted with viewpoints over sculpted rock formations, prairies and fossils.
During your visit, you will also be able to observe bison, prairie dogs and bighorn sheep, regularly present in the park.
Canyonlands National Park → Mount Rushmore
Lunch at Wall Drug, a former small pharmacy founded in 1931, which has become a mythical attraction of the American West.
Visit the Mount rushmore national memorial, nicknamed the "shrine of democracy".
Admire the faces of four American presidents sculpted into the mountainside: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
Mount Rushmore → Keystone
Free dinner and night in Keystone.
Crazy Horse Memorial and hiking around Devils Tower
Keystone → Buffalo
Departure to the Crazy Horse Memorial and the Indian Museum of North America, which traces the history of Native American peoples in all their richness.
Lunch on site.
Discover Devils Tower, an imposing 386-meter monolith rising in the middle of Wyoming's prairies.
Enjoy a walk on the Tower Trail, an easy and shaded 2 km path that takes you around the monument up close.
You head back to the road towards Buffalo, a small historic town located at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains, which embodies the authentic spirit of the Far West.
Dinner on your own and overnight in Buffalo.
Crossing the Bighorn Mountains and Discovering Cody
Buffalo → Sheridan
Visit Sheridan, nicknamed the emerald city of Wyoming, where cowboys love to gather around a craft beer.
Sheridan → Cody
Take a scenic road through the Bighorn Mountains.
Lunch on the way.
Upon your arrival in Cody, discover the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a complex bringing together five museums dedicated notably to Buffalo Bill, natural history, firearms and Native American peoples.
Dinner at the ranch and overnight at the Bill Cody Ranch.
Cody, following the footsteps of Buffalo Bill and the cowboys
Optional: In the morning, possibility to participate in a horseback riding hike in the ranch.
Discover Cody, a city founded in 1896 by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
Then visit Old Trail Town, a collection of 26 wooden cabins and buildings dating from 1879 to 1901.
You will discover there in particular former hideouts of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Optional: In the evening, possibility to attend the Cody Nite Rodeo, a two-hour show dedicated to western traditions, organized since 1938.
Dinner on your own and night at the ranch.
Yellowstone, Between Mountain Lake and Hot Springs
Cody → Yellowstone National Park
You join Yellowstone National Park, America's first national park, by taking its East entrance.
You cross the park before reaching West Yellowstone for the night.
Begin your exploration at Yellowstone Lake, North America's largest mountain lake.
Continue to Mud Volcano, a geothermal area characterized by its acidic hot springs and fumaroles.
Cross Hayden Valley, where bison and elk are frequently observed, and sometimes grizzly bears and wolves.
Picnic in the park.
Discover Mammoth Hot Springs, famous for its mineral terraces with surreal colors.
Dinner on your own and overnight in West Yellowstone.
The geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone
Dedicate this day to the geothermal wonders of Yellowstone National Park.
Start with Norris Geyser Basin, one of the hottest and most acidic areas in the park.
Discover Old Faithful, a famous geyser whose eruptions can reach 45 meters in height.
Continue your exploration with a tour through the Upper Geyser Basin.
Make a stop at the viewpoint of the Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in the United States, renowned for its spectacular colors.
Lunch in the park.
Dinner on your own.
Yellowstone to the Grand Teton Mountains and Jackson Hole
Enjoy a final visit to Yellowstone by exploring West Thumb, one of the most picturesque hydrothermal areas in the park.
Yellowstone National Park → Jackson Hole
You take the road to Grand Teton National Park, where mountains, lakes, rivers and wildlife compose the landscapes at the foot of the Teton Range.
You then continue towards Jackson Hole.
Explore the landscapes of Grand Teton National Park with two stops:
Jenny Lake, a glacial lake with crystal-clear waters.
Mormon Row, famous for its wooden barns with snow-capped peaks in the background.
Picnic in the park.
Discover Jackson Hole and its iconic sites:
Town Square and its elk antler arches.
The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, known for its saddle bar stools.
Art galleries and western shops.
Free dinner and overnight in Jackson.
Salt Lake City, in the Footsteps of Mormon Pioneers
Departure from Jackson towards Salt Lake City.
Lunch during the journey.
Discover Salt Lake City, capital of Utah, founded in 1847 by Mormon pioneers.
Visit the Tabernacle of Temple Square, renowned for its remarkable acoustics, where you will listen to its organ with 11,623 pipes.
Continue with the discovery of the Neoclassical Capitol, which dominates the city.
Dinner free.
The panoramas of Dead Horse Point and the canyons of Utah
Departure heading towards Moab.
Discover Dead Horse Point State Park, which offers a breathtaking 180° panorama of a bend in the Colorado River.
Picnic on-site.
Visit Canyonlands National Park, a wild territory marked by immense canyons carved by the Colorado and Green River.
Dinner on your own.
Utah's Natural Arches and Colorado Cliffs
Discover Arches National Park, which is home to the world's largest concentration of natural arches, with over 2,000 arches recorded.
Moab → Grand Junction
Departure towards Grand Junction.
Lunch en route.
Explore the Colorado National Monument, a little-known park located off the beaten path.
Admire its glowing red cliffs, its eroded rock formations with strange shapes and its panoramic views of the Grand Valley.
Dinner on your own and overnight in Grand Junction.
Palisade Vineyards and Relaxation at Glenwood Springs Hot Springs
Grand Junction → Palisade
Set off on a bike ride through the vineyards of Palisade, followed by tastings at two local wineries.
An opportunity to discover a softer and more delicious side of the American West.
Palisade → Glenwood Springs
Lunch en route.
You reach Glenwood Springs, a charming small town located at the confluence of the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers.
Enjoy included entry to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, the world's largest outdoor hot mineral water pool, open since 1888.
Dinner on your own.
Return to Denver and Discovery of its Iconic Neighborhoods
Glenwood Springs → Denver
Departure from Glenwood Springs heading towards Denver.
Lunch along the way.
Discover downtown Denver, including:
LoDo, the city's historic district.
Larimer Square
Union Station
The Capitol
16th Street Mall
Civic Center Park.
Continue your visit in RiNo, Denver's artistic district, renowned for its street art.
Dinner on your own.
Price per person
Indicative price per person, based on double room. Each trip is customized according to your preferences.
This trip can be tailored to your preferences
This itinerary provides an excellent foundation for discovery, but it can be fully customized. Our local advisors build each trip tailored to your budget, dates and preferences.
Not included
- 14 dinners
- Tips for the driver-guide, recommended at $10 per person per day
Included
- English-speaking driver-guide throughout the circuit
- 12-seater van, groups of 2 to 10 people
- 15 nights in hotels, including 2 nights at the Bill Cody Ranch
- 15 breakfasts
- 14 lunches
- 1 dinner at the ranch in Cody
- Activities: Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Bike ride and wine tasting in Palisade, Entry to Glenwood Springs hot springs
- Entry to parks and natural sites
- Discovery of Western Cities
Practical Information
Registration is considered firm and final after payment of a deposit of 30% of the total price and acceptance of the specific terms of sale.
The balance must be paid no later than 45 days before the departure date.
See our specific terms of sale for full details.
In the event of cancellation by the traveller, the following fees apply:
- Plus de 60 jours avant le départ : 40 % du prix total (acompte retenu)
- Entre 60 et 30 jours avant le départ : 50 % du prix total
- Moins de 30 jours avant le départ : 100 % du prix total
We strongly recommend taking out cancellation insurance. See our specific terms of sale for full details.
In small groups. From 2 to 10 travelers, aboard a 12-seater van, accompanied by an English-speaking guide-driver who tells you about the West in your language and knows the best viewpoints for each stage.
Chapka — Cap Explorer
Our insurance partnerTravel with peace of mind with our partner Chapka. Cancellation, repatriation, medical expenses, baggage… All the coverage for a worry-free trip.
Travel with peace of mind — I'll handle the insuranceFrequently asked questions
Visitors benefit from the visa waiver program for tourist stays, with an authorization (ESTA) to request online before departure (21 USD, valid for 2 years). A valid biometric passport is required. Processing takes a maximum of 72 hours (often just a few hours). Check the specific conditions for your nationality with the embassy or consulate of your country of residence before booking your trip.
Go to the My Trips section to find all your projects.
You can send a message to your host directly from the Tea Lounge.
For a tailor-made quality trip, budget between €250 and €430 per day per person, including accommodation, meals, internal transportation and activities. International flights (€400-900 return depending on the season) are additional. Distances require car rental and/or domestic flights.
Your documents are accessible in the Documents tab of your trip.
Absolutely. We adapt each itinerary to travelers' profiles. For families, we prioritize relaxed pacing, family-friendly accommodations, educational and entertaining activities, and comfortable private transfers. Our English-speaking local guides know how to capture children's attention with age-appropriate stories.
It's simple. You exchange with our local team to define your wishes, budget and dates. You receive a detailed itinerary proposal within 48 hours. You adjust every detail together until it's perfect. You confirm and travel with peace of mind. Your local agency remains available 7 days a week throughout your trip.
In case of emergency, contact your local agency immediately.
Payment is generally made in two installments.
Our agency is part of the Nomadays network, registered in France. You benefit from APST (Association Professionnelle de Solidarité du Tourisme) coverage, which protects 100% of your funds. Secure payment, repatriation insurance included, and English-speaking assistance 24/7 on the ground throughout your stay.
Let's talk about your adventure — American West
Exploratrice des routes américaines, based in Miami
Bretonne expatriée aux USA depuis plusieurs années. Globe trotteuse, amoureuse des voyages et des Etats Unis , elle à créé Scenic Roads dans le but de faire vivre à chacun son american dream !
En permanence sur le terrain elle arrive toujours à nous dégoter des supers spots photos, des randonnées inoubliables, des restos atypiques, bref vous l' aurez compris c est la référence pour vous proposer les petit bijoux aux USA
Ses coups de coeurs aux USA :
L'ouest Américain, l'Alaska , la Louisiane ainsi que le Wyoming et le Texas pour les cowboys !!
Ses expériences préférées :
Faire du chien de traineaux en Alaska
De la plongée à Hanauma bay à Hawaii
Manger des gumbos à la Nouvelle Orléans
Monter au Summit de New york
Rouler pendant des heures sur les routes des USA, cette sensation de liberté est unique
