The fifth adventure in Brand USA’s Agents on the Open Road: RoadTrips USA Edition, in partnership with Travel Gossip and Gold Medal, is a journey through the mountains and great plains of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
It takes in memorable stop-off points such as Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, with the adventure starting in Denver, Colorado.
Read the feature, then answer the question at the bottom of the page for the chance to win a £50 One4All voucher and to be entered into a grand prize draw to win a £5,000 Gold Medal voucher that can be redeemed against any 2025 Gold Medal USA package holiday.
Full details of the trip can be found here and below is a day-by-day snapshot of what to expect.
Denver Beer Trail takes in 20 craft breweries, including the city’s oldest microbrewery, Wynkoop Brewing Company. Larimer Square was the city’s first block and is now a bustling hub, while the lower downtown area, LoDo is Denver’s oldest neighbourhood, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball stadium, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and bars.
Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Denver Art Museum, which houses Native American art, the Art District on Santa Fe and the Golden Triangle Museum District.
Farmers’ market, LoDo district of Denver, Colorado
Stop in Colorado Springs at Garden of the Gods Park, to spot dramatic sandstone formations against the backdrop of Pikes Peak, then visit Seven Falls, a series of waterfalls cascading 181 feet through a box canyon. Just outside Cañon City is the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, which has one of the world’s highest suspension bridges, stunning scenery and thrilling rides such as the Cloudscraper Zip Line and Royal Rush Skycoaster.
Depart Canon City via the Gold Belt Byway and stop for lunch in the former mining town of Breckenridge. Continue to the upscale resort town of Vail, at the base of Vail Mountain. In the winter, Vail is a ski and snowboarder haven. In summer it attracts mountain bikers, hikers and golfers and hosts the annual Hot Summer Nights Concert series, art shows and farmers’ markets.
Scenic Glenwood Springs is known for its hot springs and caves. Adrenaline seekers can go white-water rafting on the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers. At Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, there are cave tours, thrill rides and restaurants.
An hour west is Grand Junction, Colorado’s fruit-growing hub, including wine-tasting tours at Grande River Vineyards and Plum Creek Winery in Palisade. Just outside the city, take in the stunning, panoramic views of the red rock canyons at Colorado National Monument on the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive. Look out for desert bighorn sheep and collard lizards.
Stop at Dinosaur National Monument to see dinosaur bones and fossils encased in rock. Hike into the mountains and canyons, spotting elk and mule deer, or view the ancient petroglyphs at McKee Springs.
At the historic mining town of Rock Springs, visit the Bureau of Land Management wild horse viewing area. Tourists in an SUV or four-wheel drive vehicle should take the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Loop.
The Old Faithful geyser at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Inset: the Old Faithful Inn
Head through Grand Teton National Park to Yellowstone National Park along the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Highway. Yellowstone sits atop a volcanic hot spot that creates impressive geothermal activity and is home to wolves, elk, bison, bear, moose and other wildlife.
Bring a picnic and await the next eruption of Old Faithful, a geyser that spews hot water high into the sky throughout the day. The Old Faithful Inn, built in 1904 from local materials, is believed to be the world’s largest log structure.
In the railroad town of Livingston, visit the Livingston Depot Center museum of railroad history. Follow the Yellowstone River Valley east to Billings, Montana’s largest city, surrounded by seven mountain ranges,
Take a slight detour to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, site of the famous 1876 battle led by Lt. Col. George Custer. Continue northeast into North Dakota to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Take the Scenic Loop Drive to experience the Northern Great Plains and the Badlands, where bison still roam.
Drive east to the Painted Canyon Visitors Center, then travel south into South Dakota, where stops include the historic mining town of Deadwood, site of one of the Old West’s most famous gold rushes and Mount Moriah Cemetery, the final resting place of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok.
Continue through the Black Hills to Sturgis, home of the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame. At Rapid City, visit Main Street Square, view life-size bronze statues of past U.S. presidents and explore galleries, museums and restaurants.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Depart early for Keystone to see the sun rising over Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The hand-carved monument depicts the faces of four U.S. Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Find out more at the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center.
The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction of the famed Lakota leader; Custer State Park is famous for buffalo herds and scenic drives. At Hot Springs, a must-stop place is Evans Plunge Mineral Springs, the town’s oldest attraction. Don’t miss the Mammoth Site, an ancient sinkhole, where the fossilised remains of more than 61 mammoths have been discovered.
Visit Fort Robinson State Park, where Crazy Horse died in 1877 and the Cheyenne Outbreak happened in 1879. It draws people for its spectacular scenery and herds of longhorn and buffalo. At Scotts Bluff National Monument, walk on parts of the original Oregon Trail. Drive to the summit of the bluff for valley views of the North Platte River.
Travel southwest to Cheyenne, Wyoming’s capital, and visit the Cheyenne Depot, a 19th century railroad station that now houses a visitor centre and interactive museum.
Explore Rocky Mountain National Park. In the summer months, take the Trail Ridge Road, starting at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and follow the trail to the Alpine Visitor Center, viewing Sundance Mountain and Tombstone Ridge along the way.
Have lunch on the historic boardwalk of Grand Lake, then continue along the shores of Lake Granby and hike through meadows at Winter Park Resort before returning to Denver.
Scott Hadden, Director at Manchester-based Mark Bratt Travel
“Denver is a real frontier city. A baseball match is a must (even if you are not a huge fan), due to the backdrop and the setting sun from Mile High Stadium over the Rockies.
Leaving the city via the Rockies, we headed off to Cheyenne, Wyoming and on to Scotts Bluff Nebraska (which given my name was a must see!). This was one of the real surprises of the trip, the unique geography and history was really interesting, and it was not something I knew much about prior to travelling to the region.
Mount Rushmore is always a great draw and make the miles worthwhile, it is definitely worth spending a day in the Black Hills, or even panning for gold at Hill City.
Entering North Dakota, you are even asked by the residents of South Dakota why you are heading north! Theodore Roosevelt National Park is why. No crowds, stunning scenery and the chance to see wild bison. The drive across Montana the next day was as long as it was beautiful, the painted canyon is a site to behold and seeing it just at the side of the road is really something else.
Billings was perhaps a welcome bit of civilisation (we ate at our favourite chain restaurant, the Outback Steakhouse) before heading into Yellowstone and Grand Tetons for four days of nature. Words can barely describe that place – the hot pools, the geysers, the wildlifes, it is a truly unique place and it remains one of my favourite ever destinations.
Returning to the Rockies was a great end to the trip and Vail out of ski season is a fun place to finish your tour with all the bike routes and other outdoor adventure activities they run there whilst waiting for sun.
This part of America may look to be hard to get to but it’s not and is so often overlooked for a road trip destination. But for me, it is perhaps the greatest road trip of them all.”
Penny Jenner, agent with Not Just Travel
“The iconic Mount Rushmore is really impressive from the roads outside of the park, even before you enter. From there, we made our way through South Dakota and stopped at the Crazy Horse Memorial.
Here, you really are in the heart of the reservations, and you can learn all about the historical events that took place. If native American culture and history is your thing, this is a go-to place.
We camped at the Badlands. The geological formations have rich fossil beds, with strong native American heritage, which are stunning to view. I recommend anyone to visit this area. You won’t be disappointed.”
There are plenty more road trip suggestions on the USA Itineraries section of the Brand USA website.
Also check out the newly refreshed Brand USA training platform, USA Discovery Program.
Gold Medal offers 14 nights for two adults, including London-Denver return flights, accommodation and parking at three-star hotels throughout the itinerary, fully inclusive Mitsubishi Mirage or similar two-door car hire with one free additional driver and Alamo ‘Skip the Counter’ service, from £2,439 per person, departing 12 May 2025. Quote ref 42420031.
To book this or any USA RoadTrip itinerary, call 0800 014 7777 or visit goldmedal.co.uk
Answer the question based on these itineraries correctly to be entered into the grand prize draw to win a £5000 Gold Medal voucher that can be redeemed against any 2025 Gold Medal package holiday. There’s also a £50 One4All voucher up for grabs each month.
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How many Presidents' faces are shown on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
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The closing date to enter this month’s draw is 3 October 2024. View the competition Terms & Conditions.
The post Agents on the Open Road: RoadTrips USA Edition – Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains appeared first on Travel Gossip.
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It takes in memorable stop-off points such as Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, with the adventure starting in Denver, Colorado.
Read the feature, then answer the question at the bottom of the page for the chance to win a £50 One4All voucher and to be entered into a grand prize draw to win a £5,000 Gold Medal voucher that can be redeemed against any 2025 Gold Medal USA package holiday.
Full details of the trip can be found here and below is a day-by-day snapshot of what to expect.
Day 1, Denver, Colorado
Denver Beer Trail takes in 20 craft breweries, including the city’s oldest microbrewery, Wynkoop Brewing Company. Larimer Square was the city’s first block and is now a bustling hub, while the lower downtown area, LoDo is Denver’s oldest neighbourhood, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball stadium, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and bars.
Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Denver Art Museum, which houses Native American art, the Art District on Santa Fe and the Golden Triangle Museum District.
Farmers’ market, LoDo district of Denver, Colorado
Day 2, Denver to Cañon City, Colorado
Stop in Colorado Springs at Garden of the Gods Park, to spot dramatic sandstone formations against the backdrop of Pikes Peak, then visit Seven Falls, a series of waterfalls cascading 181 feet through a box canyon. Just outside Cañon City is the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, which has one of the world’s highest suspension bridges, stunning scenery and thrilling rides such as the Cloudscraper Zip Line and Royal Rush Skycoaster.
Day 3, Cañon City to Vail, Colorado
Depart Canon City via the Gold Belt Byway and stop for lunch in the former mining town of Breckenridge. Continue to the upscale resort town of Vail, at the base of Vail Mountain. In the winter, Vail is a ski and snowboarder haven. In summer it attracts mountain bikers, hikers and golfers and hosts the annual Hot Summer Nights Concert series, art shows and farmers’ markets.
Day 4, Vail to Grand Junction, Colorado
Scenic Glenwood Springs is known for its hot springs and caves. Adrenaline seekers can go white-water rafting on the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers. At Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, there are cave tours, thrill rides and restaurants.
An hour west is Grand Junction, Colorado’s fruit-growing hub, including wine-tasting tours at Grande River Vineyards and Plum Creek Winery in Palisade. Just outside the city, take in the stunning, panoramic views of the red rock canyons at Colorado National Monument on the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive. Look out for desert bighorn sheep and collard lizards.
Day 5, Grand Junction, Colorado to Rock Springs, Wyoming
Stop at Dinosaur National Monument to see dinosaur bones and fossils encased in rock. Hike into the mountains and canyons, spotting elk and mule deer, or view the ancient petroglyphs at McKee Springs.
At the historic mining town of Rock Springs, visit the Bureau of Land Management wild horse viewing area. Tourists in an SUV or four-wheel drive vehicle should take the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Loop.
Days 6 and 7, Rock Springs, Wyoming to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming/Montana/Idaho
The Old Faithful geyser at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Inset: the Old Faithful Inn
Head through Grand Teton National Park to Yellowstone National Park along the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Highway. Yellowstone sits atop a volcanic hot spot that creates impressive geothermal activity and is home to wolves, elk, bison, bear, moose and other wildlife.
Bring a picnic and await the next eruption of Old Faithful, a geyser that spews hot water high into the sky throughout the day. The Old Faithful Inn, built in 1904 from local materials, is believed to be the world’s largest log structure.
Day 8, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming/Montana/Idaho to Billings, Montana
In the railroad town of Livingston, visit the Livingston Depot Center museum of railroad history. Follow the Yellowstone River Valley east to Billings, Montana’s largest city, surrounded by seven mountain ranges,
Day 9, Billings, Montana to Medora, North Dakota
Take a slight detour to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, site of the famous 1876 battle led by Lt. Col. George Custer. Continue northeast into North Dakota to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Take the Scenic Loop Drive to experience the Northern Great Plains and the Badlands, where bison still roam.
Day 10, Medora, North Dakota to Rapid City, South Dakota
Drive east to the Painted Canyon Visitors Center, then travel south into South Dakota, where stops include the historic mining town of Deadwood, site of one of the Old West’s most famous gold rushes and Mount Moriah Cemetery, the final resting place of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok.
Continue through the Black Hills to Sturgis, home of the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame. At Rapid City, visit Main Street Square, view life-size bronze statues of past U.S. presidents and explore galleries, museums and restaurants.
Day 11, Rapid City to Hot Springs, South Dakota
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Depart early for Keystone to see the sun rising over Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The hand-carved monument depicts the faces of four U.S. Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Find out more at the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center.
The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction of the famed Lakota leader; Custer State Park is famous for buffalo herds and scenic drives. At Hot Springs, a must-stop place is Evans Plunge Mineral Springs, the town’s oldest attraction. Don’t miss the Mammoth Site, an ancient sinkhole, where the fossilised remains of more than 61 mammoths have been discovered.
Day 12, Hot Springs, South Dakota to Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska
Visit Fort Robinson State Park, where Crazy Horse died in 1877 and the Cheyenne Outbreak happened in 1879. It draws people for its spectacular scenery and herds of longhorn and buffalo. At Scotts Bluff National Monument, walk on parts of the original Oregon Trail. Drive to the summit of the bluff for valley views of the North Platte River.
Day 13, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska to Estes Park, Colorado
Travel southwest to Cheyenne, Wyoming’s capital, and visit the Cheyenne Depot, a 19th century railroad station that now houses a visitor centre and interactive museum.
Day 14, Estes Park to Denver, Colorado
Explore Rocky Mountain National Park. In the summer months, take the Trail Ridge Road, starting at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and follow the trail to the Alpine Visitor Center, viewing Sundance Mountain and Tombstone Ridge along the way.
Have lunch on the historic boardwalk of Grand Lake, then continue along the shores of Lake Granby and hike through meadows at Winter Park Resort before returning to Denver.
Trade views
Scott Hadden, Director at Manchester-based Mark Bratt Travel
“Denver is a real frontier city. A baseball match is a must (even if you are not a huge fan), due to the backdrop and the setting sun from Mile High Stadium over the Rockies.
Leaving the city via the Rockies, we headed off to Cheyenne, Wyoming and on to Scotts Bluff Nebraska (which given my name was a must see!). This was one of the real surprises of the trip, the unique geography and history was really interesting, and it was not something I knew much about prior to travelling to the region.
Mount Rushmore is always a great draw and make the miles worthwhile, it is definitely worth spending a day in the Black Hills, or even panning for gold at Hill City.
Entering North Dakota, you are even asked by the residents of South Dakota why you are heading north! Theodore Roosevelt National Park is why. No crowds, stunning scenery and the chance to see wild bison. The drive across Montana the next day was as long as it was beautiful, the painted canyon is a site to behold and seeing it just at the side of the road is really something else.
Billings was perhaps a welcome bit of civilisation (we ate at our favourite chain restaurant, the Outback Steakhouse) before heading into Yellowstone and Grand Tetons for four days of nature. Words can barely describe that place – the hot pools, the geysers, the wildlifes, it is a truly unique place and it remains one of my favourite ever destinations.
Returning to the Rockies was a great end to the trip and Vail out of ski season is a fun place to finish your tour with all the bike routes and other outdoor adventure activities they run there whilst waiting for sun.
This part of America may look to be hard to get to but it’s not and is so often overlooked for a road trip destination. But for me, it is perhaps the greatest road trip of them all.”
Penny Jenner, agent with Not Just Travel
“The iconic Mount Rushmore is really impressive from the roads outside of the park, even before you enter. From there, we made our way through South Dakota and stopped at the Crazy Horse Memorial.
Here, you really are in the heart of the reservations, and you can learn all about the historical events that took place. If native American culture and history is your thing, this is a go-to place.
We camped at the Badlands. The geological formations have rich fossil beds, with strong native American heritage, which are stunning to view. I recommend anyone to visit this area. You won’t be disappointed.”
There are plenty more road trip suggestions on the USA Itineraries section of the Brand USA website.
Also check out the newly refreshed Brand USA training platform, USA Discovery Program.
Gold Medal offers 14 nights for two adults, including London-Denver return flights, accommodation and parking at three-star hotels throughout the itinerary, fully inclusive Mitsubishi Mirage or similar two-door car hire with one free additional driver and Alamo ‘Skip the Counter’ service, from £2,439 per person, departing 12 May 2025. Quote ref 42420031.
To book this or any USA RoadTrip itinerary, call 0800 014 7777 or visit goldmedal.co.uk
Your chance to win a £5,000 Gold Medal voucher
Answer the question based on these itineraries correctly to be entered into the grand prize draw to win a £5000 Gold Medal voucher that can be redeemed against any 2025 Gold Medal package holiday. There’s also a £50 One4All voucher up for grabs each month.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
How many Presidents' faces are shown on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
Name *
First
Last
Job Title *
Company Name *
Work Email *
Do you currently use any of these Brand USA tools? (tick all that apply)
- RoadTrip USA Itineraries
- USA Discovery Program
- MediaValet
- GoUSA TV
The closing date to enter this month’s draw is 3 October 2024. View the competition Terms & Conditions.
The post Agents on the Open Road: RoadTrips USA Edition – Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
