America's Greatest Treasures: Self-Launched Denver to Salt Lake City
10 days · United States (Rocky Mountains & Yellowstone)
Cosmos charges £1,900
No-markup version: ~£1,310 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Cosmos's 10-day coach tour from Denver to Salt Lake City, covering the Black Hills, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, Deadwood, Cody, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Salt Lake City. Instead of a 42-50 person motorcoach and guided commentary, you'll travel by Greyhound/FlixBus and rent a car only for the park-heavy middle section, staying in hostels, motels and park gateway guesthouses. All the headline sights are public land or free to enter on foot; you self-book the optional extras (chuckwagon supper, Snake River float) directly. Costs are rough backpacker/budget estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Denver
Denver, Colorado
Fly into Denver International and take the RTD A Line train to Union Station (~£8, 37 mins) — far cheaper than a taxi. Check into a downtown hostel or budget motel, then walk the 16th Street Mall and LoDo for a cheap dinner. Pick up any groceries and a reusable water bottle; you'll need it in the parks. Book your onward Greyhound/FlixBus to Rapid City tonight for the following morning.
🚌RTD A Line train from DEN ~£8
🛏Downtown Denver hostel dorm or budget motel (~£35)
- →RTD A Line airport train
- →16th Street Mall & LoDo walk
- →Denver Union Station
Denver to Rapid City via the Black Hills
Rapid City, South Dakota
Take the Greyhound/FlixBus from Denver to Rapid City (~£60–75, 9–11 hrs, often with a change in Cheyenne or Sioux Falls — check schedules carefully as this route is infrequent). Alternatively hire a car in Denver one-way and drive the ~6.5 hrs yourself, which gives you the scenic Black Hills drive the coach tour includes. Arrive in Rapid City, check into a hostel or motel near downtown, and explore the preserved 1880s storefronts on Main Street and the City of Presidents statues.
🚌Bus ~£65 (or one-way car hire split between travellers, ~£40 pp/day)
🛏Rapid City hostel or motel (~£45)
- →Greyhound/FlixBus Denver to Rapid City
- →Scenic Black Hills drive (if self-driving)
- →Main Street Square & City of Presidents statues
Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore & Deadwood
Rapid City / Deadwood
Rent a car locally (or use the seasonal Black Hills shuttle/tour shuttles out of Rapid City if you're not driving — day tours run ~£60–80). Drive to the Crazy Horse Memorial (entry ~£10) for the self-guided visitor centre and viewing deck, then to Mount Rushmore National Memorial — parking is ~£8 per car, entry is free. Walk the Presidential Trail boardwalk for close-up views. Finish with the scenic Iron Mountain Road or Needles Highway drive and stay overnight in the historic gambling town of Deadwood (budget guesthouse ~£50).
🚌Local car hire ~£25 pp shared + fuel
🛏Deadwood budget guesthouse (~£50)
- →Crazy Horse Memorial self-guided visit
- →Mount Rushmore National Memorial + Presidential Trail
- →Iron Mountain Road / Needles Highway scenic drive
- →Deadwood historic Main Street
Deadwood to Cody
Cody, Wyoming
Head west across Wyoming via I-90 and US-14 through the Bighorn Mountains — a long but stunning drive (~5.5 hrs). If you're not self-driving, the practical independent option is a Greyhound/FlixBus combination via Buffalo or Sheridan, or joining a small-group shuttle; this leg is genuinely awkward without a car, so consider keeping the hire car from Rapid City. Arrive in Cody, the self-styled 'Rodeo Capital of the World', and wander the historic downtown. Budget cabin or motel ~£55.
🚌Car hire + fuel ~£35 pp shared
🛏Cody budget cabin/motel (~£55)
- →Bighorn Mountains scenic drive
- →Cody downtown & historic Irma Hotel
- →Optional: Buffalo Bill Center of the West (~£18 self-booked)
Into Yellowstone: Canyon & Lower Falls
West Yellowstone, Montana
Drive the scenic Chief Joseph Highway or the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway into Yellowstone's East Entrance (7-day park pass ~£28 per vehicle — split it). Today tackle the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: park at Artist Point and hike the short Brink of Lower Falls trail for the classic viewpoint. Continue south through Hayden Valley (bison and elk spotting at dusk) and stop at the mud pots and geyser basins. Overnight in West Yellowstone (hostel/motel ~£60, book early — summer fills fast).
🚌Car hire + fuel ~£30 pp shared
🛏West Yellowstone hostel or motel (~£60)
- →Yellowstone East Entrance drive
- →Artist Point & Brink of Lower Falls hike
- →Hayden Valley wildlife spotting
- →Mud pots & geyser basin walk
Old Faithful & the Geyser Basins
West Yellowstone, Montana
Full day in the geyser country. Start early at Old Faithful — check the predicted eruption times at the visitor centre, then walk the boardwalk loop through Upper Geyser Basin to Morning Glory Pool (~3 miles, flat). Continue to Grand Prismatic Spring and hike the overlook trail for the aerial view. Grab a cheap lunch from a park general store and spend the afternoon at Midway and Lower Geyser Basins. Second night in West Yellowstone.
🚌Car hire + fuel ~£20 pp shared
🛏West Yellowstone hostel or motel (~£60)
- →Old Faithful eruption & Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk
- →Grand Prismatic Spring overlook hike
- →Midway & Lower Geyser Basins
- →Visitor centre ranger talks (free)
Grand Teton National Park to Jackson
Jackson, Wyoming
Drive south through Yellowstone's South Entrance into Grand Teton National Park (separate pass ~£28/vehicle; an America the Beautiful annual pass at ~£63 covers both and pays off if you add more parks). Stop at Jenny Lake for the flat lakeshore trail or the shuttle boat (~£15) to Cascade Canyon. Continue to Jackson, a compact mountain town with a lively wooden-boardwalk square. Overnight in a Jackson hostel (the town has a well-regarded hostel dorm, ~£45).
🚌Car hire + fuel ~£25 pp shared
🛏Jackson hostel dorm (~£45)
- →Grand Teton South Entrance drive
- →Jenny Lake lakeshore trail / shuttle boat
- →Jackson Town Square & elk antler arches
Jackson: Snake River float
Jackson, Wyoming
Self-book an 8–13 mile scenic float on the Snake River direct with a Jackson operator (roughly £80–90, cheaper than the tour's optional add-on) — book online the day before and look for afternoon departures. Alternatively, hike the free trails at Teton Village or cycle the paved pathways. In the evening, opt for a chuckwagon-style supper at a local ranch if you want the Wild West experience without the coach markup. Second night in Jackson.
🚌Local shuttle/walk ~£8
🛏Jackson hostel dorm (~£45)
- →Snake River scenic float (self-booked, ~£85)
- →Teton Village / Cache Creek trail hike
- →Optional ranch chuckwagon supper (~£60)
- →Jackson galleries & bars
Jackson to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Return any hire car in Jackson, then take a Greyhound/FlixBus via Idaho Falls to Salt Lake City (~£45–60, 7–8 hrs) — book in advance. Arrive and check into a hostel or budget hotel downtown (~£40). Do a self-guided walk of Temple Square (free visitor centres), the Utah State Capitol (free entry, great views from the rotunda steps) and the downtown grid. Cheap dinner at a food hall or a local diner.
🚌Bus ~£52
🛏Salt Lake City hostel or budget hotel (~£40)
- →Greyhound/FlixBus Jackson to Salt Lake City
- →Temple Square self-guided visit
- →Utah State Capitol building
- →Downtown Salt Lake City walk
Salt Lake City & depart
Salt Lake City, Utah
Morning hike at Ensign Peak (free, 30 mins up for the best city-and-mountains view) or a soak in the Great Salt Lake at Antelope Island State Park if you have time. Take the TRAX light rail to Salt Lake City International Airport (~£2, 20 mins) for your flight home. If you want to extend, budget extra nights here — hostels are cheap and the Wasatch Mountains are on the doorstep.
🚌TRAX Green Line to SLC airport ~£2
🛏—
- →Ensign Peak hike
- →Optional Antelope Island State Park (~£12)
- →TRAX light rail to airport
Self-launched vs. Cosmos
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Cosmos | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,310 | £1,900 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £590 per person (31%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Cosmos-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,310
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does America's Greatest Treasures: Self-Launched Denver to Salt Lake City cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,310 per person for 10 days in United States (Rocky Mountains & Yellowstone). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Cosmos?+
Yes — Cosmos charges around £1,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,310 — a saving of roughly £590 (31%) per person.
How long is the United States (Rocky Mountains & Yellowstone) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through United States (Rocky Mountains & Yellowstone).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, road-trip, hiking trip through United States (Rocky Mountains & Yellowstone), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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