Fly into Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park on your own time. Transfer, on your own, into the town of Jackson to the Rustic Inn. Enjoy some downtime or explore Jackson on your own before meeting the rest of the group at dinner. D
After breakfast, take a ride up the Bridger Gondola at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort to experience the high alpine terrain of the Tetons. This 12-minute ride in a safe and private gondola cabin whisks you over 2,700 vertical feet above the valley floor. Take a walk among wildflower meadows, taking in sweeping views of Grand Teton National Park from up high, before riding the gondola back down to the base. After lunch, get ready to get wet rafting some of Wyoming’s finest whitewater through the scenic Snake River Canyon. Dinner tonight is at a local favorite in Jackson. B, L, D
This morning, we say goodbye to Grand Teton National Park as we make our way north to Yellowstone. Our 2.5 hour drive will be broken up by stops along the way for beautiful photo opportunities and a chance to stretch our legs. Enjoy a picnic lunch at West Thumb Geyser Basin, where you’ll get up close views of geothermal features on Lake Yellowstone’s shoreline. The West Thumb boardwalk loops through an array of dynamic geysers and hot springs with names like Abyss Pool, Fishing Cone, and Lakeshore Geyser. Continue another hour through Hayden Valley on the lookout for bears, bison and wolves. Embark on a back country hike full of surprises that include spectacular views high above the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. B, L, D
Mid-morning, we hike Artemesia Trail to walk through the Upper Geyser Basin “the back way.” After watching an iconic Old Faithful Geyser eruption, we’ll enjoy a guide-prepared picnic lunch. This afternoon, we hike along the Firehole River to an overlook of Grand Prismatic, the third largest hot spring in the world. Tonight, our accommodation is located in the Gallatin Canyon, on a beautiful 320 acre spread of land. B, L, D
After breakfast on the ranch, we gear up to go zip lining! Experience a thrilling zip line tour under towering limestone cliffs, through pine forests and across a rushing river. This area is where the movie A River Runs Through It was filmed, so you could say the scenery is pretty magnificent. Enjoy a picnic lunch in a picturesque location along the Gallatin River, surrounded by towering cliffs of the canyon before we depart for the next leg of your trip. Get comfortable for a scenic drive (2.5 hours) to Fairmont Hot Springs, where we’ll overnight to break up our drive to Glacier National Park. Tonight, enjoy a traditional handmade Italian dinner. B, L, D
Take some time to relax in Fairmont Hot Springs’ pools this morning before or after breakfast. Two Olympic swimming pools and two mineral soaking pools (one of each indoors and outdoors) are fed by a virtually unlimited supply of 155 degree natural hot spring water, cooled to various temperatures for your comfort. We’ll depart late morning to finish up the rest of our drive to Whitefish, just outside of Glacier National Park (4 hours + stops). Lunch today will be at a stunning mountain restaurant overlooking the breathtaking Flathead Lake. Spend the evening exploring the town of Whitefish and dining on your own. B, L
Today we explore the Crown of the Continent as we hike the Highline Trail (also known as the Garden Wall) to Haystack Butte and back. To get there, we drive along the famed Going to the Sun Road to Logan Pass where our hike begins. The surrounding alpine environment will wow you with its vibrant wildflowers, precipitous peaks and even the occasional mountain goat or bighorn sheep. This evening, we get together for one last group dinner to toast to a wonderful trip spent exploring three of our nation’s most beautiful national parks. B, L, D
This morning we have time for one last activity before saying our farewells. Take the Gondola up Whitefish Mountain and soak up the incredible views as you hike back down. Transfer to either your Whitefish hotel or the Kalispell airport for your departure home.
**Trip itineraries are subject to change without notice due to road, weather and other factors outside of our control, for the safety and enjoyment of our guests, as deemed necessary and appropriate by Austin Adventures. B
