Wyoming/Montana/Alberta
The Best of the Grand Tetons to Banff: Iconic National Parks
Program No. 20524RJ
Explore six national parks — Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, Waterton, Banff and Jasper — and discover unique waypoints like Old Faithful, Many Glacier, Lake Louise and much more!
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800-454-5768
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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jul 9 - Jul 20, 2024
Starting at
6,199Aug 20 - Aug 31, 2024
Starting at
6,199DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jul 9 - Jul 20, 2024
Starting at
8,399Aug 6 - Aug 17, 2024
Starting at
8,399Aug 20 - Aug 31, 2024
Starting at
8,399Not seeing the date you're looking for?
To be notified if dates of this program become available, click the button below.
12 days
11 nights
30 meals
11B 9L 10D
1
Check-In, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Jackson Hole
3
Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park
Canyon Village
4
Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful Geyser
Canyon Village
8
Travel to Waterton, Buffalo Jump, Canmore
Canmore, AB
At a Glance
Prepare yourself for an adventure of monumental proportions — a journey through six national parks in Wyoming, Montana and Alberta Canada. The Rocky Mountain colossus must be seen to be appreciated, and your journey will take you to Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier, Waterton, Banff and Jasper national parks. Experience famous waypoints like Jackson Hole, Old Faithful Geyser, Mammoth Hot Springs and Lake Louise as you learn about the geology, history, flora and fauna of the Rocky Mountains.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking up to one mile daily. Standing for up to three hours. Elevations up to 8,041 feet.
What You'll Learn
- Visit the massive Columbia Icefield and venture by snowcoach onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier.
- Experience the Crown of the Continent via the Going-to-the-Sun Road as we traverse Logan Pass aboard Red Jammers in magnificent Glacier National Park.
- Discover Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, and witness an aboriginal hunting practice that was used by native people of the North American plains for almost 6,000 years.
General Notes
Transit days include one six-hour and two three-hour drives. Field trips and transit days include stops along the way, and motorcoach is equipped with a lavatory.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Cynthia Blankenship
Cynthia Blankenship fell in love with Earth science in 9th grade and never looked back. She is a geologist, outdoor enthusiast, and award-winning speaker. After two degrees in geology from Duke and Rice Universities, and 30 years in the energy industry, she is pursuing her next career passion: to make the geology of Jackson Hole understandable and fascinating for all. Through innovative displays and clear explanations, Cynthia will delight with a heightened understanding of the powerful forces that created this magical place.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Tim Raben
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Tim Raben has always enjoyed culture, history, travel, and people. A native of Rapid City, S.D., Tim’s career in insurance with The Harford Insurance Company took him and his wife, Karen, to Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, New York, and Connecticut. They then worked as business consultants in the Chicago area until they retired in Rapid City in 2004. Since then, Tim and Karen have participated in Road Scholar programs and have enjoyed their roles as group leaders.
Jack Gladstone
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Jack Gladstone is a storysmith and troubadour from the Blackfeet Nation of Montana. Regarded as a cultural bridge builder, he produces programs on indigenous history and tradition. Jack has released 15 critically-acclaimed CDs, and garnered the prestigious Best Historical Recording from the Native American Music Association. A former college instructor and Smithsonian scholar, Jack has opened shows for Rita Coolidge, Garrison Keillor and Bonnie Raitt.
Morag Mottram
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Morag Mottram was born in Scotland and immigrated with her parents to Toronto in 1964. She and her husband moved to Canmore in 2004. While managing the Banff Springs Hotel fitness facility, Morag started leading hikes and ran nature-based programs for various groups visiting the area. She is a past president of the board of directors of the Interpretive Guides Association. Morag plays the oboe and English horn in several ensembles in Calgary; she also enjoys traveling, cycling, hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, sewing, cooking, and reading.
Timothy Raben
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Tim Raben grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and attended the University of South Dakota and North Central College in Illinois. Tim and his wife Karen saw much of the country during his career in insurance. Following his career, Tim and Karen were business consultants in the Chicago area until 2004 when they retired back to Rapid City. Tim has always enjoyed culture, history, travel, and people. Tim loves running and achieved a lifetime goal by completing the Boston Marathon.
Cynthia Blankenship
View biography
Cynthia Blankenship fell in love with Earth science in 9th grade and never looked back. She is a geologist, outdoor enthusiast, and award-winning speaker. After two degrees in geology from Duke and Rice Universities, and 30 years in the energy industry, she is pursuing her next career passion: to make the geology of Jackson Hole understandable and fascinating for all. Through innovative displays and clear explanations, Cynthia will delight with a heightened understanding of the powerful forces that created this magical place.
Michael Snyder
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Michael Snyder grew up in the Black Hills near Sturgis, South Dakota on a family-owned cattle ranch as part of the fourth generation along with his two brothers working cattle, riding horses, and driving tractors. Attending college at South Dakota State University led him to internships for the South Dakota State Legislature and United States Senate along with study abroad in Florence, Italy. After graduation, Michael got involved in the travel sector and began leading trips across the country and around the world.
Nikki Heim
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Nikki Heim has been working in the field of natural resource sciences for over 15 years throughout western Canada and the northwestern United States. She held roles in terrestrial wildlife ecology, focusing on understanding population dynamics of medium to large sized carnivores and promoting wildlife co-existence, gaining a foundation in landscape ecology and wildlife management. In her free time, you can find her in the woods playing with her pup Koda, hiking, skiing, climbing, or enjoying improving her skills in nature photography.
Mike Pflaum
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Mike Pflaum recently retired from a four-decade career with the National Park Service in a variety of positions and parks. He served over half of his career in Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and Badlands. He served as park superintendent or acting park superintendent in six different park areas. Mike holds a B.S. in recreation and park administration, and minor degrees in geology and in earth science. Mike has served as a federal law enforcement officer, EMT, park medic, firefighter, search and rescue technician, and instructor.
Natallia Fodemski
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Natallia Fodemski began her career as a group leader in 2009. She started a small business, and led private and group outings including hikes and adventures all over Colorado State, gradually adding other states. In 2019, she graduated from International Guide Academy in Denver with a Certificate of International Tour Director and Guide. She also has years of experience working as a program coordinator at the Center for Creative Leadership and at Colorado College Fine Art Museum.
Ida Snorteland
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Ida Marie Snorteland graduated with a degree in home economics from the University of South Dakota. Ida worked for the Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University as an area home economist headquartered in Pierre, and ended her career in Lawrence County as an extension educator in family and consumer sciences. Immediately after retiring, she led the Spearfish Tobacco Free Coalition for almost two years and worked as a Medicare educator. In her free time, she likes to read, sew, and quilt.
Judy Uwiera
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Judy Uwiera and her business partner opened CalgaryWalks & Bus Tours in 2014 and offers walking and bus outings year-round. She grew up in Calgary and has always had an interest in learning the history of the city she calls home. Her extensive background as a stage manager, trainer, and event planner, along with her interest in travel, history, and storytelling, assists in providing an entertaining trip full of stimulating facts and stories of Calgary.
Suggested Reading List
(6 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Best of the Grand Tetons to Banff: Iconic National Parks
Program Number: 20524
Crown of the Continent
A professional naturalist's incredible, personal portrait of America's largest and most pristine wilderness in the lower 48 states: the Northern Continental Divide ecosystem in Montana, Alberta, and British Columbia. This vast area includes two national parks in two countries (Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes in Canada), three designated wilderness areas including the famous Bob Marshall Wilderness. This book describes the area's geology, wildlife, plant life, and crucial environmental issues with over 150 stunning photographs.
Wildflowers of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks
The purpose of this paperback book is to picture and describe the beautiful wildflowers of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks as well as the other areas included in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Wildflowers of Glacier National Park
Wildflowers of Glacier National park and Surrounding Areas is a user-friendly guide featuring over 300 of Glacier National Park's most common plant species. From wildflowers to trees to grasses and sedges, this book features beautiful photographs, detailed descriptions, notes on habitat and fun facts for each plant. It's a perfect plant reference for anyone with an interest in the natural history and splendor of Glacier National Park.
Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone
Empire of Shadows is the epic story of the conquest of Yellowstone, a landscape uninhabited, inaccessible and shrouded in myth in the aftermath of the Civil War. In a radical reinterpretation of the nineteenth century West, George Black casts Yellowstone's creation as the culmination of three interwoven strands of history - the passion for exploration, the violence of the Indian Wars and the "civilizing" of the frontier - and charts its course through the lives of those who sought to lay bare its mysteries: Lt. Gustavus Cheyney Doane, a gifted but tormented cavalryman known as "the man who invented Wonderland"; the ambitious former vigilante leader Nathaniel Langford; scientist Ferdinand Hayden, who brought photographer William Henry Jackson and painter Thomas Moran to Yellowstone; and Gen. Phil Sheridan, Civil War hero and architect of the Indian Wars, who finally succeeded in having the new National Park placed under the protection of the US Cavalry. George Blacks Empire of Shadows is a groundbreaking historical account of the origins of Americas majestic national landmark.
Rocky Mountains; Smithsonian Natural Histotry Series
The Rocky Mountains are one of the Earth's most spectacular geological features, containing vast stretches that remain wild and untamed. The diversity of life found along the Rockies' 2,000 mile range is so varied that the mountains are divided into three regions: the Northern, Central, and Southern Rocky Mountains. Scott A. Elias discusses the unique features of each region in his comprehensive natural history of "the backbone of the continent." Elias examines the physical environment of each of the three regions, looking at geology, important land forms, climatology, soils, water resources, and paleontology. reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals.
The Great Divide: The Rocky Mountains in the American Mind
For most of our Nation's history, Americans have identified with the "purple mountain majesties" of the Rockies. Trappers and debutantes, miners and missionaries, artists and drinkers, escaped slaves, independent women abandoning hoopskirts, and assorted black sheep of respectable families have all sought refuge and inspiration there. This spectacular landscape has always offered a sense of freedom from crowds and conformity--a world, as Frederic Remington described it, "beyond derby hats and mortgages bearing eight percent." Gary Ferguson spins magnificent tales about the vivid characters who have peopled this majestic region, from the original Indian inhabitants and their interactions with European explorers, to the delirious victims of gold rush fever, to hippies in the Sixties, to today's adventure travelers in high-tech outerwear toting satellite phones into the wild. Throughout, he explores the ebbs and flows of America's attitude toward the vast expanses that embody our sense of freedom.