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Welcome to thorn tree.



Las Vegas to Denver on I-15/I-70 is a single, long day's drive if yoy don't stop. You don't say how many days a "few" days are. The drive itself is spectacular. I suggest you organize your trip so that you drive the whole length of the trip in daylight if you have never been over the route before.



I more or less agree with the lukewarm reviews for Albuquerque. I'd also question Cortez for any thing other than a night's sleep.

Without knowing anything else about your plans, you name 15 locations to be visited in "9-12 days." That "9-12 days" includes at least three days worth of driving. You don't have enough time to see everything you name unless you plan to be a 70 mph tourist. For people who "love the outdoors," the only "outdoor" places you mention are Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands. With a "few" days in Las Vegas, three driving days, and "2-3 days" in Denver, your 9-12 days could already be gone. You need to reduce your itinerary or increase the time you plan to travel in my opinion.

Good luck to you.

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I would basically agree with zeldasdad - except that Ouray-Durango (the San Juans) also qualifies as an "outdoors" area.

I assume the omission of Grand Canyon is intentional - e.g., you've been there before and want to concentrate on places you haven't been.

What time of year?

Do you intend to hike? Cross-country ski / snowshoe? Do photography? Just look / walk around a little? Visiting Cortez for Mesa Verde? If so, are Ancestral and/or modern Puebloan sites a more extensive interest?

3

If you've seen the Grand Canyon, you will be dissapointed by the Meteor Crater, and the dissappointment will cost you more than the admission to the Grand Canyon National Park.

If you haven't seen the Grand Canyon, go there instead of the Meteor Crater.

4

Here's your trouble; you don't know what you don't know. I could spend 3 months in Colorado and still feel cheated. It is impossible to make your selections for you.
When is your trip scheduled?
What's your budget?
What are your interests?
Do you love to fish, hike, ski, or make love out of doors? All good choices IMO.
Santa Fe and Taos are better than Albuq. What is the draw in Winslow?
I think Sedona is over-hyped, but that's just me.

I keep pitching TrailRidge Road from Estes Park to Granby, it will take your breath away, literally, 12,000+ ft. altitude with elk, deer, RM Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goats, incredable alpine eco-systems. 4 Corners, the only place in USA where you can stand in 4 states and 2 Indian nations at the same time. BTDT..Pikes Peak 14,000 + ft., Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Red Mountain pass, Flat Tops Wilderness Area, Mesa Verde. These are some choices in Colorado to google.

5

Thank you all for the feedback and responses. We are flying in at night in Vegas and spending 4 nights out of 16. We do not want to be a 70mph tourist, thus we'd like to pace it so it's not rushed yet explore more places at a descent place. Denver is an option at the moment but the more we think about it the more unattractive it gets due to the weather, the drive and just the place itself in Winter (already been there). This will be my 3rd time to Vegas but my partner's first so I am thinking of visiting Death Valley the 4th day in Vegas as I think 3 days is more than enough in Vegas.

I'd like to do a loop instead of driving back the same route and was looking for suggestions on the absolutely do not miss spots. We are not avid hikers but we do love the outdoors and planning on a few hikes. I did the "touristy" Grand Canyon and Zion tour the first time so planning to explore more this time. We are interested in walking/hiking, relaxing, photography and enjoying nature and the drive (no fishing, skiing, sports this trip). Mesa Verde is closed in the winter and we're pretty bummed out about it.

At this point, we are considering dropping Denver which leaves us with 13 days.Our trip starts end of the month and includes Christmas, New Years. Any places in particular we'd rather be during this time (besides Vegas)?

Per your suggestions, we will drop Meteor Crater, Denver - include GC. How does this look?
http://goo.gl/maps/IXy71

What should we expect to pay average/night in a hotel just to sleep in.

Any safety issues to consider? Any other recommendations for our winter trip?

Thanks so much!

6

Denver is an easy but long drive from Las Vegas. The problem at this time of year is the weather. You can't afford a delay of a day or two due to weather. Taking Denver off your itinerary is unfortunate but prudent.


You may want to plan for things to fill up those 3 days. 3 days of slot machines is a vision of hell for me. There is a vast selection of more interesting (and less expensive) activities in Las Vegas.

You can plan a loop that includes Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Staircase Escalante, Capitol Reef, Bryce, Zion, and back to Las Vegas and spend a fairly relaxed week exploring those gems. You'll average about 300 miles a day on that loop. You can spend another 1-2 days driving to Death Valley and seeing it. Death Valley is only a couple hours away from Las Vegas. If you haven't seen these places, they are all worth the drive. Remember that this trip is in WINTER. Higher elevations such as Grand Canyon's South Rim or Bryce may have a snow cover. It can be uncomfortably cold everywhere. Dress accordingly.


Not surprisingly, Christmas is the deadest time of year at Las Vegas, New Years' Eve is the busiest. Example: The same room that goes for $66 on Christmas Day goes for $480 on New Year's Eve. Never-the-less, there is probably more going on in Las Vegas Christmas Day than anywhere else on your route.


Meteor Crater is the best-preserved impact feature on planet Earth. If such things interest you, go ahead and see it. It is not that far off the loop I suggested above. It is on your loop. It is not particularly interesting or photogenic if you are not interested in the circumstances of its formation. Look up Walnut Canyon or Sunset Crater instead. They are both on the loop you described in your last post.


As noted earlier, that depends...


Not really. I presume you have experience driving on snow and know what to keep with you in the off chance that you are stranded by a storm. Don't be too friendly with strangers or get too drunk in Las Vegas. That is good advice for tourists anywhere in the world.


Have a great time. I plan to be in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve too.