Wild West Yellowstone

Adventure Tours of the Wild West and Yellowstone National Park – Daily Itinerary

With these national parks small group tours you will explore the back country of Nevada, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Great Basin, and Grand Teton


Travel Dream West’s adventure tour to Yellowstone National Park begins in the beautiful coastal city of San Francisco, California and continues with endless picture-perfect views of western US landscapes. The daily itinerary below with links to more information about each sight will help you decide that these small group tours tours of Yellowstone, Yosemite, Great Basin and Grand Teton national parks are truly the right tours for you. View unique famous natural wonders in the Western US while riding in the comfort of our air-conditioned tour van and exploring nature on many walks and hikes.

Our small group tours will cover many western highlights, and frequent stops at special historic and naturally beautiful locations provide diverse insights. For your convenience we will stay at the same hotel for two nights where possible, and balance the outdoor adventure travel with time for leisure and other recreation. Come join us as we explore the scenic splendor of this natural, largely untouched western landscape. Come ready to be dazzled by western wildlife, wildflowers, cliffs, waterfalls, geysers and much more.

Also visit Wildlife Expedition/Yellowstone Tour for an alternate Yellowstone tour.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River


Main Attractions on the Adventure Tours of Wild West Yellowstone, Days 1-8 - Click on images for information on each highlight

Day 1: San Francisco

Meet in the lobby of our base hotel at 4:00pm, where your tour leader and driver will greet you. Drive over Golden Gate Bridge; stop for walk at an overlook in Marin headlands; enjoy dinner in the lovely bayside town of Sausalito; receive your travel documents and get to know your travel companions. 1 night in San Francisco. We will gladly help you reserve nights before the tour, to allow more time in San Francisco.

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

Sausalito

Sausalito

Day 2: San Francisco – San Juan Bautista – Mariposa

Travel along the Pacific Ocean on scenic Highway 1. Our first stop is at a marine preserve where we get a closer look at the coastal ecosystem. At midday we step into California’s Spanish colonial past at the San Juan Bautista Mission.

Pacific Coast Highway

Pacific Coast Highway

San Juan Bautista

San Juan Bautista

Day 3: Giant sequoias – Yosemite National Park

Today we explore the famous Yosemite National Park, a highlight of our journey, with short hikes (up to 2-1/2 hrs). Enjoy the incredible views from Glacier Point, and hike among the largest and some of the oldest trees of the world, the Sequoias of the Mariposa Grove. We picnic in the Yosemite Valley along the Merced River and enjoy the unique cliffs and waterfalls of the area.

Mariposa Grove Sequoias

Mariposa Grove Sequoias

Yosemite N.P.

Yosemite N.P.

Day 4: Yosemite National Park – Tioga Pass – Mono Lake – Bridgeport

Today we drive over scenic Tioga Pass (elevation: 9943 feet, 3031 meters) crossing the Sierra Nevada mountain range. We stop for a hike over beautiful glacial meadows. On the east side of the Sierras we explore alkaline Mono Lake with its otherworldly Tufa formations. We also visit California’s largest mining ghost town at Bodie State Historic Park. Tonight we stay in farming community of Bridgeport

Tioga Pass cedar tree

Tioga Pass cedar tree

Mono Lake Tufa

Mono Lake Tufa

Day 5: Bridgeport – Lake Tahoe – Virginia City

A scenic drive along the Sierra Nevada mountain range leads to the clear waters of Lake Tahoe. We’ll enjoy magnificent views today, stopping for an easy hike to an alpine lake. We will continue to Virginia City, a Nevada city rich in frontier history, including mining, trading, and shoot-outs. 1 night in Virginia City.

Bodie Ghost Town

Bodie Ghost Town

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

Day 6: Fort Churchill – Pony Express Station – Tonopah

Following the loneliest road in America, Hwy 50, we reach Fort Churchill, a way station on the Pony Express and Overland Telegraph route. There is a visitor center and the nearby Buckland Station, a Pony Express stop and former hotel built in 1870. We stop at Walker Lake for picnic and visit Tonopah’s historic silver mine, once the largest in the state. One night in Tonopah’s historic Grand Hotel.

Virginia City, Nevada

Virginia City, Nevada

Tonopah, Grand Hotel

Tonopah, Grand Hotel

Day 7: Extraterrestrial Highway – Cathedral State Park – Ely, Nevada

A drive on the Extraterrestrial Highway, known for UFO sightings is a unique experience. We picnic at the ET Rest Area and arrive at a fascinating State Park for a short hike and lots of unusual photo opportunities and fascinating rock formations. In the evening we reach Ely, a copper mining town in the outback of Nevada. One night in Ely.

Cathedral S.P.

Cathedral S.P.

Ely,Nevada

Ely,Nevada

Day 8: Great Basin National Park – Salt Lake City

Today we visit the museum and region of the Nevada Northern Railway, with its historic steam train. Then we climb from low-lying desert to high elevation Great Basin National Park. We take a hike up through mountain scenery to the bristlecone pines (9800 ft /3000m), the oldest living trees in the world, bent and twisted from surviving in harsh conditions. Spend the night in a small town in Utah.

Nevada Central Railroad

Nevada Central Railroad

Great Basin N.P.

Great Basin N.P.

Page 2 of Adventure Tours to Yellowstone : Days 9 through 15

If you have any questions about our Yellowstone National Park and western states travel tour, please feel free to contact us at info@traveldreamwest.com. Our Wild West Yellowstone tours leave four times a year and can also be reserved for a group as a custom adventure travel tour.