RMR Yellowstone Grand Loop Tour

 

DATE: August 12, 2021 - August 18, 2021

TIME: 7:30 AM

START LOCATION:  Starbucks/King Soopers Marketplace, 1850 N. College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO

COST: Registration is $550.00 per person 

(Total cost for this tour per couple, double occupancy, is estimated to be approximately $4,000. This estimate includes registration, accommodations, on your own meals (3 dinners, 1 breakfast), gasoline, and park entrance fees.)

Registration Closes on July 1, 2021 or when maximum # of registrations is reached. 

The RMR Yellowstone Grand Loop Tour is a unique opportunity to visit some of the Rocky Mountain west’s most wild and scenic places for an epic week-long tour in the company of your like-minded Porsche enthusiasts.  This extensively planned, 1500 mile driving tour bypasses dull interstate highways in favor of more exciting two-lane highways – (ones that are often marked in blue on your road maps,) to experience an engaging state of mind.  You will leave Colorado to venture across the state of Wyoming, parts of Montana, Utah and return back across Colorado along a most captivating route.  You will encounter antelope, bison, elk, deer, and maybe even a moose or a bear, so stay on the lookout for wildlife and bring your best camera! 

The tour kicks off first thing on Thursday morning, August 12 from Fort Collins, CO heading north to Laramie, WY with lunch in Casper, WY at the Yellowstone Garage.  After lunch you will continue northwest past the hot springs in Thermopolis, WY to the wild-west town of Cody, WY which is the gateway to the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park.  Cody provides for a two-night stay at either one of two best hotels in town that are pre-booked for this tour.  The first night’s dinner will be on-your-own so that you can explore the sights and sounds of this authentic western town.  But be aware of frontier justice: a street shootout starts at 6 to 6:30 pm in front of Buffalo Bill's Irma Hotel where gunfighters play legendary roles from Buffalo Bill Days.

On Friday re-assemble for a “bucket list” drive over the famous Beartooth Highway All-America Road, which crosses through three National Forests – the Custer, Gallatin and Shoshone traversing the Beartooth Plateau high above timberline for 12 miles.  You will look down onto forests and mountain lakes, passing over Beartooth Pass at elevation 10,947 feet into the big sky country along the highest paved road in Wyoming or Montana.  After descending the many switchbacks, you will be treated to a group luncheon in Red Lodge, MT which is the destination for the day’s group drive.  After lunch you will return to Cody on-your-own to close the day’s loop, then refuel and re-assemble for a chuck wagon dinner and live cowboy entertainment show at the Cody Cattle Company (show off your western duds).

On Saturday morning you depart with a provided box lunch to the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park (remember to bring your National Park Pass) on a scenic drive to the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center, which will be the destination for the group portion of the day’s drive.  From Fishing Bridge, you will be on-your-own to follow a loop drive through Yellowstone National Park at your own pace, visiting the Canyon and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River to enjoy your box lunch at Canyon Village.  From Canyon Village follow the inner loop to the Norris Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful Geyser, Historic West Thumb, to the JDR Parkway. Your lodging destination is 2-nights at the fabulous Jackson Lake Lodge located in the heart of Grand Teton National Park.  Remember to make your Saturday evening dinner reservations as soon as you register, for dinner own-your-own that evening.  Please know that some restaurants within both parks are not functioning at full capacity. 

Sunday is a driver’s and navigator’s day off, so you can take a break from driving, to explore the area and its many attractions.  You may want to book a raft trip on the Snake River, rent a runabout at the marina or join a cruise on Jackson Lake, go on a hike, bike or horseback ride, or just relax for the day.  Then re-fuel and re-assemble Sunday evening for a group banquet dinner at the rustic Hatchet Resort located a few miles east up the road towards Togwotee Pass. 

On Monday the tour departs again, heading south past Jenny Lake, with a brief stop in Jackson, WY through the Star Valley to a lunch stop in Afton, WY.  After lunch the tour proceeds through Evanston, WY crossing into Utah for a drive along Utah’s scenic Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest to a welcome reception and the night’s lodging at the Hyatt Place Park City, UT.  After the reception, dinner is on-your-own to explore the exciting scene in downtown Park City.  Enjoy your evening at one of the many après options in town, where the food, drinks, and entertainment are as unique as the establishments themselves.  If you want to party late into the night visit one of Park City's bars or clubs, but remember we start driving again in the morning toward the land of the dinosaurs. 

On Tuesday you will head east back through the National Forest over scenic Wolf Creek Pass, past the farming communities of Hanna and Duchesne to a group lunch in Vernal, UT.  After lunch you will visit the Dinosaur Quarry Visitor Center, and the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall. in Dinosaur National Park. Then turn south through Rangely, CO and over Douglas Pass through Fruita, CO, to the final night’s lodging nestled amongst the vineyards in Palisade, CO at the aptly named Wine Country Inn.  You should have time to briefly visit one of the adjacent wineries before refueling and gathering at the hotel for a complimentary glass of wine before the tour’s celebratory banquet dinner party.   

On Wednesday you will traverse through the forest up over the Grand Mesa, down through Cedaredge and the orchards of Hotchkiss and Paonia, and then back up over McClure Pass to the tour’s final group luncheon at the Homestead in the River Valley Ranch, Carbondale.  After lunch you will drive through fashionable Aspen, up the narrow (watch for the single-lane sections) curvy highway to a photo op at the summit of historic Independence Pass, elevation 12,095 feet!  From the pass you will travel through the historic mining town of Leadville, over Fremont Pass then through downtown Frisco and Keystone.  Finally, you will wind your way up to another photo op for the day’s third crossing of the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass, before reaching the tour’s destination in historic Georgetown and a grand finale celebration.  From Georgetown you can tour the town and find dinner at a local restaurant before returning home on-your-own at your leisure with many memories of your adventures during the week’s tour and the good times you’ve had with your many new Porsche club friends.

Registration Package and Cost

The registration package $550 per person includes:

- Luncheon at Yellowstone Garage in Casper WY on Thursday

- Luncheon at Foster & Logans P&G in Red Lodge MT on Friday

- Chuckwagon Dinner and Show in Cody on Friday evening

- Box Lunch to-go on Saturday (bring a small cooler)

- Banquet Dinner at Hatchet Resort in Moran on Sunday Evening

- To go Breakfast on Monday

- Luncheon at Colter's Lodge in Afton, WY on Monday

- Welcome reception at the Hyatt Place hotel in Park City UT on Monday evening

- Luncheon at Plaza Mexicana in Vernal UT on Tuesday

- Dinner Banquet Party at the Wine Country Inn in Palisade CO on Tuesday evening

- Luncheon at Homestead B&G in Carbondale CO on Wednesday

- Discount lodging rates with a breakfast provided each day except Sunday

- Participation in the tour group’s drives and activities

- PCA insurance coverage of the tour liability

- Tour credentials and goodie bag

 

The registration package does not include:

- Dinners on Thursday (in Cody, WY), Saturday (in Moran, WY), and Monday (in Park City, UT)

- Entry fees to National Parks or Monuments, [note: due to Covid restrictions an advance reservation fee is currently required for timed tickets for the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/quarryreservations.htm]

- Lodging costs (see below)

- Personal activities on Sunday for the driver’s and navigator’s day off

The above costs that are not covered by the event registration and paid separately are estimated at about $1,500 per person based on double occupancy lodging.

 

Participation from other PCA Regions is most welcome!  Depending on the level of interest from other PCA Regions, limited single-day driving tours on certain days may be added as a supplemental registration.  Please contact the Tour Leader below to express interest.

After registration you will receive the lodging contact information and group codes for the discount room blocks.  To receive the discount lodging rates you must register and book your rooms by June 12.  After June 12 the registration fee will not be refunded upon cancellation.  Please review each hotel’s cancellation policies at the time of booking.  Lodging rates (double occupancy) are:

• Cody Hotel Cody WY: $249.00 + $32.92 tax and fee per night for Thursday & Friday, 2-nights 8/12 & 8/13 (king or double queen room, limited availability).
• Best Western Premier Ivy Inn & Suites, Cody, WY: $289 + $31.79 tax per night for Thursday & Friday, 2-nights 8/12 & 8/13 (double queen room).
• Jackson Lake Lodge, Moran, WY: $356 + $41.16 tax (non-view double Cottage room), or $367.00 + $42.43 tax (non-view ground level double Patio Cottage room) per night for Saturday & Sunday, 2-nights 8/14 & 8/15.
• Hyatt Place Park City, UT: $129.00 + $13.23 tax for Monday night 8/16 (king or double queen).
• Wine Country Inn, Palisade CO: $134.00 + $9.75 tax for Tuesday night 8/17 at Wine Country Inn, Palisade (king or double queen). 

Subsequent to confirmation you will receive an email that will include information for the Thursday, Saturday, and Monday evening dinners on-your-own.  It is highly recommended to make your dinner reservations for Saturday night in Moran immediately after registration, as the restaurants inside the National Park will become fully booked for dinner well in advance.

 

REGISTRATION FEES:  $550.00 per person - 

Please arrive at 7:30 AM to sign in. Driver's meeting PROMPTLY at  8:00 AM.  All participants will be verified of registration and must sign a PCA tour event waiver, COVID waver, and attend a drivers' meeting.

Important Details: All registrants that will be driving must have a current/valid driver’s license.  For member’s children under the age of 18, a minor liability waiver form must be signed by both parent(s) or legal guardian(s).  The minor liability waiver form is available at http://rmr.pca.org/files/Event%20Organizer%20Documents/Event%20Chair%20Manual%202015/602_Driving_or_Riding_Minor_and_Parent_Form-WAIVER-PCA2009.pdf.

Adult wavers will be sent via email after registration is confirmed.

EVENT CHAIR:  Holly Jackson at hobars911@hotmail.com or the Tour Co-Chair, Mark Taylor at markbtaylor@msn.com

Registrar: John Donahue at jdogden@aol.com