A seat by the window: seeing the American West by coach

Jun 18, 2026

6 MIN READ

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. September 2025.

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Last fall, I spent 9 days enjoying a “sampler platter” of some of the USA’s standout national parks. Trafalgar Tours’ coach trip through the American West moves quickly – stopping at five of the major parks, including Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Zion and the Grand Canyon – all in one continuous route. Much of the trip is spent on the coach itself, watching landscapes shift by the window, then pulling off at scenic points and arriving in places without having to think too hard about how you got there. It becomes as simple as taking a seat and letting the view come to you.

A woman in a baseball cap looking out toward a wooden barn and mountains — Mormon Row, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Days 1-2: Grand Teton National Park & the Snake River

Our journey began in Jackson, Wyoming, before the coach headed into Grand Teton National Park, where the landscape opened up almost immediately. The Tetons, while one of the youngest mountain ranges in the US, are by far some of the most striking. They jut up from the valley floor with sharp edges, and in front of them sit miles of flat earth blanketed in golden sagebrush.

The next day, the coach dropped us off along the edge of the Snake River for my favorite part of the trip: a 3-hour-long float journey. It was miles of winding water, with muddy colored fish gliding below, bald eagles perched above and nothing but the peaceful sound of water trickling over rocks.

Two people in winter hats, one with binoculars, look out into river water under a nearly clear blue sky. — Scanning for wildlife on the Snake River float trip, Jackson, Wyoming.

Two photos. In the first photo, a deer stands amid rocky and grassy terrain. In photo two, a bald eagle is a speck atop a tall tree stretching toward a cloudy sky. — Left: Mule deer stand along the Snake River. Right: A bald eagle atop a cottonwood tree near the riverbank.

A blue raft near a riverbank lined with green trees and pale shrubs — Float trip on the Snake River, Jackson, Wyoming.

A bald eagle stands strongly on a branch of a leafy tree — Bald eagle perched above the Snake River, Jackson, Wyoming.

Days 3-4: Yellowstone National Park

From the Tetons, the coach continued on to Yellowstone, where the terrain shifted quickly – steam rising from geothermal vents, mineral pools in surreal shades of orange and turquoise, and stretches of terrain that felt otherworldly.

Wildlife sightings became part of the rhythm of each day, but our luck peaked when a black bear wandered casually alongside the road, close enough to bring everyone to a stop – our first true “bear jam,” and our coach was in the middle of it. It happened the day I’d been rotated to the front seat of the coach (seats shifted daily to assure everyone had a turn), giving me a clear view through the wide window. The bear just trotted alongside the road as the sunset dipped behind the trees, the light catching its fur as it moved.

Later, it was the call of “otters!” from the row behind me that sent everyone rushing to the other side of the bus. A woman and her niece had spotted them first, their small heads popping up along the river's edge – something our guide said was rare to catch, let alone from a moving coach.

Yellowstone National Park, Upper Geyser Basin.

Two photos. At left, steam rising from a colorful crust of land. At right, a man walks on a boardwalk near a steam from a geyser — Left: Steam rises from Silex Spring, a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin. Right: A visitor explores a boardwalk through West Thumb Geyser Basin.

A black bear walking on a road shoulder near a forest — A black bear in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Day 5: On the road through Idaho/Swore Farms

Longer driving days come with the territory of trips like this, but our guide filled the time with historical facts, funny anecdotes and a lot of information on parts of the American West that are often skipped, making the time pass much more quickly.

In Idaho, a stop at Swore Farms added an even more personal layer to the journey. It was an opportunity for us to step off the coach and into the working landscape of a local farm. The highlight was a tractor tour that drove us across the property while teaching us how the farm operates day to day.

What stayed with me most was how connected the farm is to its local community. Each year, families in the area nominate someone going through a difficult time, and Swore Farms provides them with a steady supply of fresh produce. It was a simple reminder of how truly important community is.

Bearded man in a black cowboy hat on a yellow and green tractor out in a field — The farm owner's father giving a tractor tour of Swore Farms, Idaho.

Day 6: Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon was one of the shorter stops, but easily one of the most interesting – our guides' favorite park for a reason. From the viewpoints, hoodoos filled the landscape in warm orange and red tones, rising from the ground in a way that almost felt like being inside a cave, but without the ceiling. The formations looked like stalagmites rising from the ground, but they were layered and textured like the canyon around them; it was hard to look away.

Six people standing at the edge of a canyon in a park — Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.

Two photos. At left, two people at a fenced overlook with a vast view. At right, large ruddy rock formations jutting into the air. — Left: An overlook in Bryce Canyon National Park. Right: Hoodoos tower above the canyon floor.

Day 7: Zion National Park

The next day, we entered Zion early in the morning, our coach dropping us off near the visitor center, where our open-air tram was waiting. It felt like the perfect way to get introduced to Zion – sitting back with my warm coffee, fresh September air moving through, watching the landscape unfold in front of my eyes.

The tram wound along the valley floor as the sun began to rise over the canyon walls. Lizards darted across the rocks, and a bighorn sheep perched along the cliffside, all while our guide shared stories of the park and the river that carved its way through. I could have spent weeks there – Zion is one of those places you don’t feel rushed to leave.

A long, open-sided white vehicle on a road near trees and cliffs — A tram at Zion National Park, Utah.

Two photos. At left, a view of ruddy cliffs along a two-way road. At right, a sheep on a cliff blends into its green and brown surroundings — Left: An open-air tram travels through Zion National Park. Right: A bighorn sheep stands on a rock outcrop in the park.

Two people on a road with ruddy mountains in the background — Visitors walking through Zion National Park, Utah.

Two photos. At left, four people beneath a shelter with mountains in the background. At right, a river is slightly visible under a sizable branch and grassy land — Left: Visitors gather beneath a shelter at the Temple of Sinawava in Zion National Park. Right: The Virgin River flows beneath sandstone cliffs in the park.

Days 8-9: Grand Canyon National Park

On the last leg of our trip, we arrived at the Grand Canyon. Our coach pulled into our first viewpoint, where the path to the rim was lined with bright yellow wildflowers – clusters of rabbitbrush bursting along the edge, almost framing the entire canyon. It was a quick stop before we headed back to our hotel for the night.

The following day, we had the full day at the park to take it all in. I ended up spending most of it watching people rappel off the edge of the canyon, later learning they were volunteers who return each year to help clean up litter across the park.

As the day wound down, a thunderstorm rolled in, slowly covering the canyon in rain. When the storm finally lifted, the canyon’s color palette had shifted in deeper, richer tones. It felt like a natural finish to the entire trip.

People at viewpoint over the rim of a vast red-rock canyon. — Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Katelyn Perry/Lonely Planet

Two photos. At left, a person making their way down the side of a mountain. At right, orange and green ropes rest at the feet of two people. — Left: A volunteer rappels into the Grand Canyon during a cleanup project. Right: Climbing ropes and safety gear are prepared by volunteers participating in the effort.

Expansive view of a reddish orange canyon with a narrow strip of water running through it — Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

By the trip’s end, my coach seat by the window had become more than just a place to sit; it was how I experienced the American West. From one national park to the next, each stop was its own standout moment, but the view in between was just as great.

All photos by Katelyn Perry/Lonely Planet

Katelyn participated in this trip on the invitation of Trafalgar Tours. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies in return for positive coverage.