From the beginning, the History of the Saints team, Glenn Rawson and Dennis Lyman have worked at great sacrifice to bring Latter-day Saint Church history to life. Over the years, they helped produce hundreds of Church history documentaries for television. Now comes a new endeavor. Together, they will take you to the actual sites where that history was written and heroism was forged.
The Pioneer Trail is one of the most revered chapters in our history and Glenn and Dennis are going to take you there—stand in the ruts of the trail (literally and figuratively) and tell you the history of what happened—the people, the places, the events that make our history sacred!
This bus tour will begin Salt Lake City, stopping at all the major sites and landmarks along the trail until we return to Salt Lake City. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with two old hands of the trail. (Some just call them “Rut nuts”).
The entire adventure from beginning to end promises to be instructive, edifying and inspiring. Their goal is for you to come home more determined to be as true and faithful as the pioneers were.
Join them in July or September 2025.
Tour Highlights:
Journey along the Mormon Trail
Fort Laramie National Historic Site
Scottsbluff National Monument
Chimney Rock National Monument
Tour the Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters
Mark Twain Riverboat Cruise
Historic Liberty Jail
Carthage Jail
Nauvoo, IL
Inclusions:
Comfortable transportation
9 nights hotel accommodations
9 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 6 dinners
Cheyenne Depot Museum
Fort Hays State Historic Site
Mark Twain Riverboat Dinner Cruise
Fort Laramie National Historic Site
LDS historical sites
Gratuities for included meals
Gratuities for the bus driver
Daily Breakdown:
Day 1: Depart Salt Lake City, UT (Overnight in Cheyenne, WY)
Day 2: Fort Hays (Overnight in Salina, KS)
Day 3: Independence - Liberty Jail - Kansas City (Overnight in Kansas City, MO)
Day 4: Far West - Adam-Ondi-Ahman (Overnight in Hannibal, MO)
Day 5: Carthage Jail - Nauvoo (Overnight in Nauvoo, IL)
Day 6: Nauvoo (Overnight in Nauvoo, IL)
Day 7: Iowa City - Mormon Handcart Park - (Overnight in Des Moines, IA)
Day 8: Winter Quarters - North Platte (Overnight in North Platte, NE)
Day 9: Chimney Rock - Fort Laramie (Overnight in Casper, WY)
Day 10: Independence Rock - Martin's Cove (Return to Salt Lake City)
Itinerary:
This morning, meet your guide, Glenn Rawson, then board the motorcoach and depart Salt Lake City. Travel eastward with a rest stop at Little America. Continue the journey across Wyoming as you learn more about the migration of the saints through this state. After a stop for lunch on own in Rawlins, WY, continue eastward passing through Laramie on your way to Wyoming's Capitol City, Cheyenne. Learn all about this pivotal city to the western migration and enjoy a tour of the Cheyenne Depot Museum. After checking into your hotel, join the group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Lodging: Fairfield Inn and Suites, Cheyenne, WY
Meals: D
Depart Cheyenne and travel south entering Colorado for a drive along the Front Range. Meet up with I-70 and turn eastward with a rest stop along the way. Stop in Burlington with some free time for lunch on own. In the afternoon, arrive at Fort Hays State Historic Site for touring. Then arrive in Salina, KS with some free time in the downtown area for dinner on own before checking into your hotel for overnight.
Lodging: La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Salina
Meals: B
Depart Salina and continue eastward with a rest stop near Topeka, KS. Arrive Independence, MO with free time for lunch on your own. After lunch, visit the Independence Visitors Center for touring. Next take a short drive to Liberty and the Historic Liberty Jail for touring. After checking into your hotel, join the group for a Kansas City style BBQ Dinner at a local restaurant.
Lodging: Hampton Inn Kansas City-Liberty
Meals: B,D
This morning, depart Liberty with a stop at the Three Witnesses Monument. Then travel to Far West for touring and a stop at the Far West Country Store. Next, visit Adam-Ondi-Ahman with various stops. Travel to Hamilton for lunch on your own and touring. In the afternoon, travel to Hannibal for overnight. After checking into your hotel, join the group for an evening of dinner and dancing on the Mississippi as you board the Mark Twain Riverboat Dinner Cruise.
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hannibal - Medical Center
Meals: B,D
Depart Hannibal and arrive in Quincy for touring. Lunch will be on your own today. The afternoon will be spent exploring Carthage Jail. Then travel to Nauvoo, IL and check in for a two-night stay. Tour Nauvoo and enjoy free time having dinner on your own.
Lodging: Inn at Old Nauvoo
Meals: B
Full day to explore Nauvoo with a mix of guided touring and free time to explore on your own. Lunch is on your own today. This evening, join the group for dinner at a local restaurant.
Lodging: Inn at Old Nauvoo
Meals: B, D
This morning, enjoy some additional free time in Nauvoo to explore on your own or attend a temple session. In the afternoon, begin your westward journey as you depart Nauvoo and travel to Iowa City for a stop at the Mormon Handcart Park. Later in the afternoon, arrive in Des Moines for overnight. Dinner is on your own.
Lodging: TBD Hotel in Des Moines, IA
Meals: B
After breakfast, depart Des Moines and travel to Omaha, NE for touring of the Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters. After a stop for lunch on your own in Lincoln, continue west across Nebraska learning about the trail along the way. Enjoy a rest stop at the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument. This evening arrive in North Platte for overnight. Dinner is on your own this evening.
Lodging: TBD Hotel in North Platte, NE
Meals: B
Depart North Platte following the trail on the way to Chimney Rock National Monument for touring. A box lunch is included today. Next stop at Scottsbluff National Monument, then enter Wyoming and explore Fort Laramie National Historic Site. See the wagon ruts near Guernsey and stop at Last Crossing on the way to Casper for overnight. Dinner is included this evening.
Lodging: TBD Hotel in Casper, WY
Meals: B, L, D
Enjoy one more day along the trail as you depart Casper and begin with a stop at Independence Rock followed by Martin’s Cove. Next visit the Mormon Handcart Visitors Center at Sixth Crossing. A box lunch is included today. In the afternoon stop at South Pass, Parting of the Ways, and Farson. Pass through Green River and enjoy a rest stop at Little America before the last leg of your journey brings you back to Salt Lake City and the end of your tour. Tonight, join the group for a special farewell dinner at This is the Place.
