The Pioneer Heritage Tour
June 1 – 3, 2026
Join Tom Pettit on this spiritual journey along the Pioneer Trail in Wyoming. Visit the sacred sites of Martin’s Cove, Sixth Crossing, Rock Creek Hollow, and other places where the pioneers sacrificed on their way to Zion. Hear the history and the stories, then walk in the footsteps of these faithful Saints at the actual locations where it all happened. This tour is available for all ages.
Register Here
June 1
Our pioneer adventure begins! We will depart from Salt Lake City today. Traveling on a deluxe chartered bus, we will arrive in Casper, Wyoming later this afternoon. While traveling, listen to stories from Church History and Pioneer stories of some of the thousands of Saints who made the trek West to the Salt Lake Valley. (Dinner provided)
June 2
Today our focus will be on the story of the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies. The history and the stories will be told in there entirety. We will visit sacred sites where these handcart pioneers experienced pivotal moments in their journey. Sites we will visit will include:
Bessemer Bend: The site of the last crossing of the Platt River and the site where the first rescuers from Salt Lake met the Martin Handcart company.
Independence Rock: A landmark used by more than 450,000 westward travelers to guide them on their journey. See hundreds of pioneer names carved in this huge rock.
Martin’s Cove: The sacred site where the Martin Handcart Company found shelter during a winter storm. Rescuers would help these pioneers move out of the Cove and toward the Salt Lake Valley. We will spend several hours at this sacred spot, having the chance to experience all that is offered here. You may choose to walk to and through Martin’s Cove. You can even choose to pull a handcart while doing so if you would like. Missionaries and a Visitors’ Center are at this site.
Sixth Crossing: The sacred place where rescuers met the Willie Handcart Company. Missionaries and a Visitors’ Center are at this site. Here you will walk in the steps of the pioneers.
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner provided)
June 3
Our pioneer adventure continues! Our historical focus will be on the miraculous rescue of the handcart pioneers.
We will visit sacred Rock Creek Hollow. After traveling the most difficult portion of the trail (Rocky Ridge), the pioneers arrived at Rock Creek Hollow where 15 members of the Willie Handcart Company are buried. Rescuers met the Willie handcart company here.
While traveling, we will continue to hear the history and the stories while taking note of several landmarks the pioneers used to help guide them on their journey.
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner provided)
Pricing Information
The per person prices include: Deluxe chartered bus, two night hotel accommodations, all meals except one lunch, personal tour guide, on bus history and stories told by Tom Pettit, and cold bottled water each day.
$599
Quad Occupancy
$639
Triple Occupancy
$699
Double Occupancy
$999
Single Occupancy
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the arrows below to find out more details about this tour. Each tour participant should be able to walk up to three miles each day unassisted.
Walking the Trails
You will hear the history and the stories while traveling on the air conditioned bus. When we arrive at the sites, you can choose what you would like to do. There are so much to see and do at each Visitors’ Center. You can also choose to walk to and through Martin’s Cove. If you do, you will walk at your own pace, and go as far as you would like. The round trip walk from the parking area to Martin’s Cove is nearly 7 miles.
Buses
Our deluxe chartered bus provides the best comfort available for our journey. We only charter the best buses and also the best professional drivers. We will only take one bus on each tour. Having one bus allows Tom Pettit to spend the whole day with you telling the history, and the stories.
Departure and Return
We will depart from Salt Lake City on June 1, 2026 and return to Salt Lake City on June 3, 2026. The exact location where you will meet the bus will be determined later. If you are traveling to Salt Lake from outside the area, we can help arrange additional hotel nights on either side of the tour.
Booking Requirements
An initial payment of $300, per person, is required to confirm your reservations. This payment is applied to your total amount due
Terms and Conditions
All Rates are per person and based on hotel room occupancy. Prices listed are cash/check prices. If you wish to pay by credit card, the bank’s 2.9% transaction fee will be added to your final balance.
A Word of Thanks
Thank you for considering the Pioneer Heritage Tour with Living Heritage Tours. We are very excited to help those that participate have an incredible experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives!
Tom has become a student of the information taught on this and other Church history tours. He has been teaching the gospel to youth and adults continuously for the last 25 years by serving in various Church callings. Tom served his mission in Australia. He and his wife Lesa have five children and live in Lehi, UT.
Book Your Tour Today
Hear the stories and read the revelations at the actual sites where they took place.Be taught while traveling and while visiting sacred sites by historical guides, set apart missionaries, and each other. We won’t just talk about the history of these places, but how the stories of the past can help us draw closer to the Savior in our everyday lives!