Hidden Gems of the Great American West — Wyoming and Dakota

Wyoming is a pearl in the crown of natural and cultural treasures of the Great American West. However, the state is known for its Western part — Yellowstone, Tetons and the Town of Jackson — an upscale ski resort.

Wyoming has so much more to offer! We will explore the less visited eastern part of the state, and neighboring South Dakota. We visit famous, not to miss places like Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower and we spend lots of time visiting places that you don’t see in “bucket lists”.

That means less people know about these amazing places and hiking trails, beaches and viewpoints are not crowded.

We will visit Medicine Bow National Forest that is part of the Rocky Mountains that offers excellent hiking and solitude; Bighorn Canyon is vast and stunning but also off the charts of bucketlisters, so get visited mostly by locals.

If you like hot springs — Wyoming has lots of them. We will spend two nights in hot springs resorts and also visit Hot Springs State Park.

In this trip you will have a chance to see the Real Rural America that doesn’t change fast. Cute small towns, friendly people that talk to each other on the streets. This part of the country is very different from the densely populated coastal areas.

So, if you are looking for an unique and authentic experience; visited most bucket list destinations and got tired of crowds, traffic and lines; want to see a very different America — this tour is exactly what you need.

This tour is good for reasonably fit people of all levels, who like hiking.

Route

Rapid City, SD — Mount Rushmore National Monument — Devils Tower National Monument — Cody, Wy — Bighorn Canyon — Thermopolis, Wy — Hot Springs State Park — Medicine Bow National Forest — Saratoga Hot Springs — Casper, Wy

July 27th.  Afternoon arrival to Rapid City, SD. Driving to Mount Rushmore National Monument – 30 mins. Exploring. Stories about the American past and wars with Native Americans. Driving to the town of Deadwood, South Dakota – 1 hour. Night in a hotel in Deadwood, SD.

Deadwood is one of those cute strange towns in the middle of nowhere, its history connected with the Gold Rush. We will explore the town and have dinner there.

July 28th. Drive to Devils Tower National Monument, 1 hour 15 mins. Devil’s Tower was the first National Monument in the USA. It is a unique geological formation and one of the biggest basalt column formations in the world. Native tribes around consider this place as sacred and have lots of myths and legends connected to this place.

We will be exploring the Monument – hiking different trails to and  around 4 miles. Driving to Cody, Wy 5 hours —  it will be our longest drive in this journey. We will stop for a short rest and picnic on the way in Bighorn National forest. Cody is a cowboy capital of the West – a little town with vibrant energy and perfect restaurants! Night in a hotel in Cody, Wy.

July 29th. Driving to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area – 1 hour. Bighorn Canyon is a lesser known treasure to be discovered. It offers breathtaking scenery and countless recreational opportunities, including hiking and swimming. Also, Bighorn Canyon offers that few national parks do – beauty, serenity and solitude. We will be exploring the park  — hiking, swimming and sightseeing. In the afternoon – drive to Thermopolis – 1 hour 30 mins. Relaxing in hot springs. Exploring Hot Springs State Park. Night in a hotel with hot springs in Thermopolis.

July 30th. Driving to Medicine Bow National Forest – 3.5 hours. Exploring Wind River Canyon on the way. Medicine Bow National Forest is a part of the Rocky Mountains Range. It is beautiful, peaceful and un-crowded. We will explore the park by hiking mountain ranges, forests and alpine meadows. 30 mins drive to  Saratoga Hobo Hot Springs – super cool small and old town in the middle of nowhere, with awesome hot springs flowing into the river. It is possible to soak in the bathhouse plus soak in cold/hot water in the river. Besides that, locals are friendly, food is cheap and good and local beer is produced!

Night in a hotel in Saratoga Hot Springs.

July 31st. Lazy morning in the Hot Springs. Farewell brunch. Driving to Casper, Wy, 2.5 hours. Flight home.

Price for 1 person in a group of 7 people