National Parks Tour
A 13 Day "National Park Exploration"
Motorcoach Tour
September 12 - 24, 2017
Highlights
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Day 1. Tuesday, September 12 - America preserves its beauty in the national parks. Rustad’s has set up a tour that visits nine national parks and one national monument. Each park has its own distinct personality. Today our travels bring us to South Dakota to visit the first national park on this tour, Badlands National Park. The Badlands protects fossil beds that are 37-38 million years old. Lakota Sioux called it mako sico, “land bad”. However, it’s not that bad, it’s awesome. Wind and water have carved spires and pinnacles out of the landscape. Purple and yellow mounds with pink tops dot the western area of the park with this area being the oldest level of the Badlands. A quick stop at Wall Drug will give you the opportunity of getting a nickel cup of coffee and a donut before traveling to Rapid City and checking into the hotel. This evening a light box supper is included at the hotel. (L) (D)
Day 2. Wednesday, September 13 - Mount Rushmore is known as the “Shrine of Democracy”. Before leaving Rapid City you’ll stop to pay tribute to four great past Presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. It took Gutzon Borglum 14 years and a million dollars to carve the faces and today it is priceless. Driving out of the Black Hills, we pass through old mining towns turned tourist attractions and then pass Thunderhead Mountain. This mountain holds the carving of Crazy Horse. When finished, it is said to be the largest carving in the world. Mount Rushmore would fit on Crazy Horses forearm. With the Black Hills behind us, we enter Wyoming and travel to Lusk where lunch is included. Southeast Wyoming is pretty remote. While driving through the rural ranching country keep scanning the fields and pastures for Pronghorns. Tonight we unpack for a two night stay in the Denver area. (B) (L)
Day 3. Thursday, September 14 - A local guide will join you this morning for a circle tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. The park consists of 265,769 acres of wilderness. It will be like riding through a big outdoor classroom. You’ll learn the science, history, and geography of the area. Don’t forget your cameras for the simple things in life. There are plenty of scenic natural wonders. You may glimpse a wary, wild creature in the brush or sun sparkling in a stream. The Continental Divide splits the park in two; the east and west side. The circle tour will show you both sides. Early this evening we’ll return to our hotel. (B) (L)
Day 4. Friday, September 15 - Traveling south we leave the busy interstate highway and take a scenic byway to Canon City and the Royal Gorge & Bridge. The Arkansas River cut the narrow canyon gorge thousands of years ago. You may walk out on the bridge for a gorgeous view of the canyon. Or you may ride on the steepest incline railroad on the planet, and if you’re really brave you can ride the Royal Rush Sky Coaster and swing through the air over the gorge. If these are too wild, the aerial tram gives you a chance to wave at the rafters below. The other side of the bridge has a park with shows, music, a petting zoo and shopping. After an included noon lunch our coach will begin climbing over the Colorado Rockies. At Monarch Pass, we stop for afternoon coffee at an elevation of 11,312 feet above sea level. Tonight you’ll stay in Montrose, CO. (B) (L) (D)
Day 5. Saturday, September 16 - Traveling south to Durango, our driver guides the coach across mountain roads on one of the most beautiful major highways in America. Mesa Verde means “green table”. Mesa Verde National Park is located in the southwest corner of Colorado and contains one of the most unique archeological sites in the country. This is where the cliff dwellers of the Pueblo people, known as Anasazi, lived and farmed 700 to 1500 years ago. They worked the fields on tops of Mesa Verde and lived in cliffs beneath their farm lands. Noon lunch is included in the park and a guide joins our group for an afternoon of exploring the sites and re-telling the story of their life 700 years ago. This evening your accommodations are in Cortez, CO. (B) (L)
Day 6. Sunday, September 17 - This morning we’ll stop for a picture at the Four Corners Monument. This marks the spot where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. There must be a way you can put a body part in each state to have a picture taken. However it may be simpler just to sit down on the bronze disk embedded in granite. A more interesting way is the twister move with hands and feet each in a different state. Our coach crosses the border into northeastern Arizona. All of this area lies atop of the Colorado Plateau. It is a dry arid desert area in Navajo County. Keep your eye out for sandstone rock formations for which the area is known. Lunch is included before continuing to the Lake Powell Resort and Marina. Boarding a boat at the marina for a 2.5 hour tour of the canyon you’ll discover there is no better way to learn the history and geology of Lake Powell. The tour includes Antelope Canyon and the Glen Canyon Dam. The beautiful Navajo tapestry laden walls of the canyon are an added bonus. Legend tells us the colors were formed by the blood of monsters killed in this region. Tonight you stay at the Lake Powell Wahweap Lodge located on the lakeshore. (B) (L)
Day 7. Monday, September 18 - Don’t forget your cameras! Our coach travels through the Arizona desert and skirts the southern boundary of the Vermilion National Monument on our way to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The north rim is 1,000 feet higher than the south rim, more remote and less developed. Lunch is included at the Lodge, and then you’ll have free time to experience the grandest of canyons. Retracing our route through the Kaibab National Forest, our coach travels to Springdale, Utah and to our hotel for a two-night stay. Being the hotel is located in a great spot on Main Street, the little town is yours to explore. (B) (L)
Day 8. Tuesday, September 19 - Zion National Park is located in Southwest Utah. Sandstone Cliffs loom 2,000 to 3,000 feet above the canyon floor. Our hotel is just a short distance from the entrance to the park. Grab your camera and a bottle of water! Today is a free day to explore the park. Our coach can take you to the Visitor Center; or if you choose to sleep in, you can take a shuttle. Once in the park a shuttle will take you on a tour, making stops where you can hop off and on as you choose. The tour includes the Zion Loop where you’ll be mesmerized by its towering stone cliffs. The best way to experience the scenery is walking the trails. (B)
Day 9. Wednesday, September 20 - Bryce Canyon National Park is our destination this morning. You’ll note that Bryce Canyon isn’t really a canyon but a large natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of a plateau. Bryce sits much higher in elevation than Zion. The rim varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet. One of the features is the hoodoos, formed in the Claron formation. Others say they were formed by wind, water and ice erosion. The Native Americans say that long - long ago people moved into the area and made the coyotes angry with bad behavior. Coyote put a curse on them turning them into “legend people” turning them to stone. Whatever the case, when the sun turns the formations from a deep rose to a bright orange, some think it’s a mystical playground for fairies. After riding through the park taking pictures, our coach turns toward Moab and to the hotel where you can unpack for two nights. (B) (L)
Day 10. Thursday, September 21 - An experienced park guide will accompany our group today through Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse State Park. Did you know that Arches National Park lies on top of an evaporate layer or salt bed one-thousand feet thick in places? They say that is the main cause of the arches, spires, and balanced rock including the world famous Delicate Arch. Today we enjoy the results of that time period as we drive the loops to marvel at the formations created by eroding sandstone. Canyonlands National Park is located a short distance from Arches National Park; however they are very different parks. Two great rivers in the west meet in Canyonlands National Park dividing it into three distinct regions. Island in the Sky is in the north located between the Green River and Colorado Rivers. This is the district most visited because of its spectacular overlooks. The Needles are east of the Colorado River. The Maze district is located west of the Colorado and Green Rivers. The Maze is the wildest and most remote section of the park. We end our tour with a visit to Dead Horse State Park, which is as amazing as the 2 National Parks we just visited. After a busy day sightseeing in the parks you’ll enjoy some free time in downtown Moab before returning to our hotel. (B) (L)
Day 11. Friday, September 22 - Leaving Moab our coach turns north, keep an eye out for big horn sheep and soaring eagles! Traveling east through the high desert farming town of Grand Junction we stop in Glenwood Springs where noon lunch is included at the Rivers Restaurant. The ride between Grand Junction and Denver has to be one of the most beautiful drives on any interstate in the country. You won’t want to miss any of the views— so don’t even think of dozing off. Tonight we stay in Westminster, CO. (B) (L)
Day 12. Saturday, September 23 - Our coach turns toward home, but the fun isn’t over. Traveling north into Nebraska we follow I-80 east. This route was once called the Oregon Trail. This afternoon we see the Archway Monument spanning the interstate. Once inside the museum an escalator brings you into the back of a covered wagon, and you step back in time. You walk with the early pioneers as they travel west to a (hopefully) better life. After picking up a postcard or cookbook in the gift shop the driver continues on to the accommodations in Grand Island. (B) (L)
Day 13. Sunday, September 24 - What was your favorite National Park? Was it the historic messages carved into South Dakotas Mountains? Were the highlights for you the majestic Rocky Mountains? Did you peer into the depths of the Royal Gorge, the Black Canyon or Grand Canyon? Did you put a part of yourself in the Four Corners? Did you marvel at the colors of Zion, Bryce and Arches National Parks? Whatever you choose, it doesn’t matter. You all stood in awe of America’s national treasures. Her natural beauty! Lunch is included today in Sioux Falls, SD and you’ll arrive back to Rustad Tours late afternoon. (B) (L)
Day 2. Wednesday, September 13 - Mount Rushmore is known as the “Shrine of Democracy”. Before leaving Rapid City you’ll stop to pay tribute to four great past Presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. It took Gutzon Borglum 14 years and a million dollars to carve the faces and today it is priceless. Driving out of the Black Hills, we pass through old mining towns turned tourist attractions and then pass Thunderhead Mountain. This mountain holds the carving of Crazy Horse. When finished, it is said to be the largest carving in the world. Mount Rushmore would fit on Crazy Horses forearm. With the Black Hills behind us, we enter Wyoming and travel to Lusk where lunch is included. Southeast Wyoming is pretty remote. While driving through the rural ranching country keep scanning the fields and pastures for Pronghorns. Tonight we unpack for a two night stay in the Denver area. (B) (L)
Day 3. Thursday, September 14 - A local guide will join you this morning for a circle tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. The park consists of 265,769 acres of wilderness. It will be like riding through a big outdoor classroom. You’ll learn the science, history, and geography of the area. Don’t forget your cameras for the simple things in life. There are plenty of scenic natural wonders. You may glimpse a wary, wild creature in the brush or sun sparkling in a stream. The Continental Divide splits the park in two; the east and west side. The circle tour will show you both sides. Early this evening we’ll return to our hotel. (B) (L)
Day 4. Friday, September 15 - Traveling south we leave the busy interstate highway and take a scenic byway to Canon City and the Royal Gorge & Bridge. The Arkansas River cut the narrow canyon gorge thousands of years ago. You may walk out on the bridge for a gorgeous view of the canyon. Or you may ride on the steepest incline railroad on the planet, and if you’re really brave you can ride the Royal Rush Sky Coaster and swing through the air over the gorge. If these are too wild, the aerial tram gives you a chance to wave at the rafters below. The other side of the bridge has a park with shows, music, a petting zoo and shopping. After an included noon lunch our coach will begin climbing over the Colorado Rockies. At Monarch Pass, we stop for afternoon coffee at an elevation of 11,312 feet above sea level. Tonight you’ll stay in Montrose, CO. (B) (L) (D)
Day 5. Saturday, September 16 - Traveling south to Durango, our driver guides the coach across mountain roads on one of the most beautiful major highways in America. Mesa Verde means “green table”. Mesa Verde National Park is located in the southwest corner of Colorado and contains one of the most unique archeological sites in the country. This is where the cliff dwellers of the Pueblo people, known as Anasazi, lived and farmed 700 to 1500 years ago. They worked the fields on tops of Mesa Verde and lived in cliffs beneath their farm lands. Noon lunch is included in the park and a guide joins our group for an afternoon of exploring the sites and re-telling the story of their life 700 years ago. This evening your accommodations are in Cortez, CO. (B) (L)
Day 6. Sunday, September 17 - This morning we’ll stop for a picture at the Four Corners Monument. This marks the spot where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. There must be a way you can put a body part in each state to have a picture taken. However it may be simpler just to sit down on the bronze disk embedded in granite. A more interesting way is the twister move with hands and feet each in a different state. Our coach crosses the border into northeastern Arizona. All of this area lies atop of the Colorado Plateau. It is a dry arid desert area in Navajo County. Keep your eye out for sandstone rock formations for which the area is known. Lunch is included before continuing to the Lake Powell Resort and Marina. Boarding a boat at the marina for a 2.5 hour tour of the canyon you’ll discover there is no better way to learn the history and geology of Lake Powell. The tour includes Antelope Canyon and the Glen Canyon Dam. The beautiful Navajo tapestry laden walls of the canyon are an added bonus. Legend tells us the colors were formed by the blood of monsters killed in this region. Tonight you stay at the Lake Powell Wahweap Lodge located on the lakeshore. (B) (L)
Day 7. Monday, September 18 - Don’t forget your cameras! Our coach travels through the Arizona desert and skirts the southern boundary of the Vermilion National Monument on our way to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The north rim is 1,000 feet higher than the south rim, more remote and less developed. Lunch is included at the Lodge, and then you’ll have free time to experience the grandest of canyons. Retracing our route through the Kaibab National Forest, our coach travels to Springdale, Utah and to our hotel for a two-night stay. Being the hotel is located in a great spot on Main Street, the little town is yours to explore. (B) (L)
Day 8. Tuesday, September 19 - Zion National Park is located in Southwest Utah. Sandstone Cliffs loom 2,000 to 3,000 feet above the canyon floor. Our hotel is just a short distance from the entrance to the park. Grab your camera and a bottle of water! Today is a free day to explore the park. Our coach can take you to the Visitor Center; or if you choose to sleep in, you can take a shuttle. Once in the park a shuttle will take you on a tour, making stops where you can hop off and on as you choose. The tour includes the Zion Loop where you’ll be mesmerized by its towering stone cliffs. The best way to experience the scenery is walking the trails. (B)
Day 9. Wednesday, September 20 - Bryce Canyon National Park is our destination this morning. You’ll note that Bryce Canyon isn’t really a canyon but a large natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of a plateau. Bryce sits much higher in elevation than Zion. The rim varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet. One of the features is the hoodoos, formed in the Claron formation. Others say they were formed by wind, water and ice erosion. The Native Americans say that long - long ago people moved into the area and made the coyotes angry with bad behavior. Coyote put a curse on them turning them into “legend people” turning them to stone. Whatever the case, when the sun turns the formations from a deep rose to a bright orange, some think it’s a mystical playground for fairies. After riding through the park taking pictures, our coach turns toward Moab and to the hotel where you can unpack for two nights. (B) (L)
Day 10. Thursday, September 21 - An experienced park guide will accompany our group today through Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse State Park. Did you know that Arches National Park lies on top of an evaporate layer or salt bed one-thousand feet thick in places? They say that is the main cause of the arches, spires, and balanced rock including the world famous Delicate Arch. Today we enjoy the results of that time period as we drive the loops to marvel at the formations created by eroding sandstone. Canyonlands National Park is located a short distance from Arches National Park; however they are very different parks. Two great rivers in the west meet in Canyonlands National Park dividing it into three distinct regions. Island in the Sky is in the north located between the Green River and Colorado Rivers. This is the district most visited because of its spectacular overlooks. The Needles are east of the Colorado River. The Maze district is located west of the Colorado and Green Rivers. The Maze is the wildest and most remote section of the park. We end our tour with a visit to Dead Horse State Park, which is as amazing as the 2 National Parks we just visited. After a busy day sightseeing in the parks you’ll enjoy some free time in downtown Moab before returning to our hotel. (B) (L)
Day 11. Friday, September 22 - Leaving Moab our coach turns north, keep an eye out for big horn sheep and soaring eagles! Traveling east through the high desert farming town of Grand Junction we stop in Glenwood Springs where noon lunch is included at the Rivers Restaurant. The ride between Grand Junction and Denver has to be one of the most beautiful drives on any interstate in the country. You won’t want to miss any of the views— so don’t even think of dozing off. Tonight we stay in Westminster, CO. (B) (L)
Day 12. Saturday, September 23 - Our coach turns toward home, but the fun isn’t over. Traveling north into Nebraska we follow I-80 east. This route was once called the Oregon Trail. This afternoon we see the Archway Monument spanning the interstate. Once inside the museum an escalator brings you into the back of a covered wagon, and you step back in time. You walk with the early pioneers as they travel west to a (hopefully) better life. After picking up a postcard or cookbook in the gift shop the driver continues on to the accommodations in Grand Island. (B) (L)
Day 13. Sunday, September 24 - What was your favorite National Park? Was it the historic messages carved into South Dakotas Mountains? Were the highlights for you the majestic Rocky Mountains? Did you peer into the depths of the Royal Gorge, the Black Canyon or Grand Canyon? Did you put a part of yourself in the Four Corners? Did you marvel at the colors of Zion, Bryce and Arches National Parks? Whatever you choose, it doesn’t matter. You all stood in awe of America’s national treasures. Her natural beauty! Lunch is included today in Sioux Falls, SD and you’ll arrive back to Rustad Tours late afternoon. (B) (L)
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TOUR COST PER PERSON
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Trips Include:
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