The Great American Frontier

Arrive in Rapid City by mid-afternoon and transfer to your historic hotel in the heart of downtown. Set at the edge of the Black Hills, Rapid City was founded during the gold rush of the 1870s and is now a lively cultural hub where pioneer and Sioux heritage intermingle. Meet your fellow travelers and Smithsonian Journeys Expert for an introductory talk and a welcome dinner this evening. (D)

After breakfast, travel east to Badlands National Park, a vast, arid landscape of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires that rise out of the largest expanse of mixed-grass prairie in the country. Explore the less-traveled the North Unit, stopping at viewpoints to take in lunar-like panoramas and learn about the treasure trove of fossils that have been found here. Then head to the South Unit where a member of the Lakota people joins you to share insights about the geography of the southern Badlands and the history and culture of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Return to the Black Hills late in the day and settle into your lodgings within Custer State Park, a 71,000-acre wildlife reserve that is home to a large herd of free-roaming bison as well as pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and elk. (B,L,D)

Meet Mount Rushmore face to face this morning on a unique guided tour that incorporates the monument’s historical context and the solitary landscapes that surround it. Continue down the road to the Crazy Horse Memorial, an enormous mountaintop carving that has become a sprawling homage to American Indian history and culture—and is still a work in progress. Take the remainder of the day to explore beautiful Custer State Park, from its evergreen-fringed lakes and rolling grasslands to its surprising rock formations. You might walk the banks of French Creek, where General George Custer’s expedition first discovered gold in 1874, or visit a prairie dog town to watch the amusing antics of black-tailed prairie dogs as they scurry about, feeding, grooming, and communicating with each other. Back at the lodge, enjoy time to relax before dinner tonight. (B,L,D)

Set out on a road trip across the frontier lands of eastern Wyoming, stopping to visit Devils Tower, a volcanic rock pillar that juts vertically 1,267 feet. Hear about the tower’s sacred symbolism to the American Indian tribes of the region and take in views of the extraordinary natural monument as you walk a paved trail around it. Then trace the path of early pioneers, crossing the plains to the town of Buffalo, where you’ll stay in one of Wyoming’s great frontier hotels. The history of the Old West is told in its past guests: Buffalo Bill Cody, Teddy Roosevelt, Calamity Jane, and even Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. (B,L,D)

Your road trip through the Old West turns north into Montana today, where you’ll follow in the footsteps of General George Custer and his troops on the banks of the Little Bighorn River. In the company of a local guide, trace the events that led to the fateful battle in 1876, hearing the story from an Native American perspective. At the site of Sitting Bull’s camp, you’ll be treated to a colorful recounting of the history that unfolded on the ground beneath your feet. Drive on to Red Lodge, tucked at the foot of the Beartooth Mountains, Montana’s highest peaks. Enjoy a free evening to get acquainted with this quintessential frontier town, originally built around coal mining and now brimming with art galleries and local charm. (B,L)

Set off on the legendary Beartooth Highway on the next leg of your road trip. This steep, breathtaking mountain road is the “back way” into Yellowstone National Park and has been called one of the most beautiful drives in America. Ascend to Beartooth Pass—poised at nearly 11,000 feet—and keep an eye out for wildlife as you enter Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley. Stop to admire the gushing waterfalls and vivid colors of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. At day’s end, arrive at your lodge in the heart of Yellowstone National Park. (B,L,D)

Get an early start for a full day of extraordinary sights and experiences in the world’s first national park. Encounter some of the park’s most iconic features, including the timely Old Faithful geyser, and follow your guide to hidden treasures as well. After lunch, explore the park’s geyser basins in depth; Yellowstone holds the most extensive concentration of geysers in the world along with hot springs of dazzling colors and steaming fumaroles. Tonight, toast your journey across the great American frontier at a celebratory farewell dinner. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, savor the spectacular views along the road trip’s final stretch, which brings you  through the park and into the big sky country of Montana’s southern Rockies. Arrive in Bozeman in time for afternoon flights home. (B)