First timer. Need to start and end in Denver

[AdamElm]

Hey there.
I'm planning to take my family on a roadtrip next summer. We need to start and end the trip in Denver and have around 10 days. It will be myself, my wife and our 3 kids aged between 9 and 12. We plan to hire a large RV. Want to cram in as much as we can, so happy to do a fair bit of driving.. but obviously it's a holiday, so don't want to spend the whole time driving!! Kids love doing outdoor stuff, but equally like seeing interesting culture as well.

Any recommendations would be gratefully appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance.

Adam

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

You have a whole lot of options but not so much time so you will need to do a little research and pick and choose. I'd probably start with Rocky mountain NP and either make my way to Utah and visit Arches and Canyonlands NP's. Mesa Verde, Four corners, Black canyon and Garden of the Gods are a few things you could see on the way back creating a nice loop. Another option would be to head to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons where you could still visit Rocky mountains and possibly Arches NP on the way back. I would not try to cram too much in as it's not a lot of fun for the kids to be strapped into a seat for long periods of time, they will have much more fun when running around and enjoying the great outdoors.

Once you have made a start we can help fill in the gaps and recommend scenic drives etc.

[AZBuck]

I recently (a couple of years ago) took my two grandsons (aged 11 and 14 at the time) on a loop trip that included Colorado Springs, just south of Denver. They loved it and you could do something quite similar, do just parts of it, or ignore it all together, but you can read about it HERE.

AZBuck

[travelingman]

You can't go wrong with Utah's fantastic National Parks. Make a loop and see them all.

Zion, 600 miles from Denver, will be the furthest NP. Be sure to do the Narrows Walk up the Virgin River. It is an extremely popular hike, appropriate for the entire family. After an easy mile down a paved walkway, you step into the shallow river. Spend an hour or the entire day walking into the narrowing canyon as the steep 2000 foot walls tower above you. It is spectacular and surreal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwZQQ52fOOs

Bryce, about 2 hours away, boasts a scenic walk unlike any other. You walk down into the natural amphitheaters past "hoodoos" and other eery formations. You can then walk along the forest paths and climb back out another trail. It's an experience one ought not to miss. And for something a little different, you can sign up for a trail ride down.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5IAiW2NAuUw

Other National Parks have already been mentioned, but there are some noteworthy State Parks too. Off the beaten path is Goblin Valley SP. Words cannot explain the strange grotesque landscape, but a picture is worth 1000 words. This is where part of the movie Galaxy Quest was shot. Remember Tim Allen's altercation with the rock monster? That was here!

To add another dimension to your vacation experience, consider Geocaching. Use a handheld GPS, or even your cellphone, to discover places you never knew existed.

https://www.visitutah.com/things-to-do/geocaching

If you really want to get off the beaten trail, head into the San Rafael Swell. It's a great place to explore, and go geocaching.

Have fun!

[DonnaR57]

From Denver airport (DIA), Zion is 630 miles. It's beautiful mileage, but definitely more than a 1 day drive in an RV!

We drove that, one time, in 1 day. We were in a mini-van towing a utility trailer. I had calculated it as 560 miles. It was an hour more than that. This was pre-Internet days, when I still added up mileages the long way. To say the least, I was not a very popular person in my family, as we were on the road for 12+ hours out of Denver!


Donna

[travelingman]

Yes, Zion is a two day trip. I just mentioned the distance as being the furthest point of the trip, the midpoint. You definitely need to take your time driving an RV!

[AdamElm]

Hey there from London.

We are planning our first road trip in August. Starting and ending in Denver where I have family. We will have around 10 days and are planning on going down to Santa Fe with various stops that have been recommended (e.g Garden of the Gods, Arkansas River, Lake Pueblos, Great Sand Dunes, Taos).

First question. Any other great ideas on where to stop or what activities to do. I have 3 boys aged 9-12.

Second thing I really need help with. We are then considering driving west to Airzona or Grand Canyon and then I guess head back to Denver via Moab. It's a long drive and so I don't know whether we have enough time and if there are enough things to do to make it worth while.

Final question. Any feedback on whether we should either do it in an RV or hire a car any stay in hotels. Cost is a factor but also what's best to try and fit in as much.

Any advice or thoughts would be really appreciated!
Thanks

[Southwest Dave]

Hi and welcome back to RTA !

I have merged the thread with the one you created last year asking about the same trip. As you can see there were a few replies that will be worth going over. The RV or car and Motels come up quite a bit so it's a question of taste and budget. The RV isn't usually the budget choice, it's a lifestyle decision. Once you add the initial rental costs to the mileage charges, fuel costs, campground charges and other extras like kitchen and bedding kits, generator usage etc it will likely add up to more than a car and a family motel room. For a camping family experience we love it and I am never happier than sat around a campfire looking at the night sky's, especially in the heart of a National park. Camping in the National parks (especially in peak season) does require you book a site as early as possible as they are very popular and limited in numbers.

You certainly have time to cover the mileage to the Grand canyon and back and see some sights in each direction, but 10 days will go quickly and you will have to select attractions that suit you as a family. I'm pretty sure the Kids will be happy running around in the great outdoors and taking in the sights themselves, but things like Denver Zoo and Royal Gorge bridge and park you may find entertaining. Again, it all comes down to prioritising your time and seeing what will fit into your timeline.

This was our Denver loop trip in an RV. We had more time but it will show you some of the area.

[AdamElm]

Thanks to everyone for the input so far. Here's what I've currently got sketched out, but have a few questions and would generally love any feedback on 1) Does this seem reasonable, 2) Any good stops long the way.

Day 1: Leave Denver for Garden of the Gods. Spend the morning there. Then drive to Cotopaxi and spend the afternoon rafting (Sleep in Cotopaxi)

Day 2: Drive to Great Sand Dunes and spend the afternoon there (sleep there)

Day 3: Drive to Santa Fe, stopping to see the Rio Grande Bridge and spending time in Taos (sleep in Santa Fe)

Day 4: Spend the day in Santa fe

Day 5: Drive to Flagstaff, stopping at the Petrified Forest along the way.

Day 6: Drive to Grand Canyon and spend the day (sleep around there)

Day 7: Drive to Page and do Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon (Sleep around there)

Day 8: Drive to Moab and spend the rest of the day there (sleep there)

Day 9. Drive to Colorado Springs and spend the day there (Sleep there)

Day 10: Drive back to Denver.

All feedback greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!

[Midwest Michael]

The two potential problem spots I see are at the beginning and the end of your trip.

First off, does "day 1" include your flights from London? Or are you planning on spending some time in Denver itself before getting on the road?

Second, be aware, if you're planning on renting an RV, you're probably not going to be able to get on the road first thing in the morning (and they rarely allow pickup on the same day as an international flight arrival). Picking up an RV takes some time, as they go through the RV with you, showing you how everything works, and how it needs to be operated.

Third, even if you are staying in Denver on "day 0" and just renting a car, day 1 still probably has too much stuff for a single day (and flat out impossible if you're arriving from London and/or picking up an RV the same day). Rafting is a great idea, and I imagine your kids will love it, but it's also a tiring and time consuming activity. On days where we've gone rafting, it has always been the activity for the day - trying to cover a couple hundred miles, and tour garden of the gods on top of that is just too much.

It's also worth nothing that Garden of the Gods is near Colorado Springs, so I don't quite understand why you would then drive from Moab back to Colorado Springs at the very end of your trip - the direct route taking you right back through Denver again, so you're talking about a very long drive, with a lot of retracing your steps of top of that. Just do Colorado Springs, including Garden of the Gods on Day 1.

As it is, you also really aren't leaving yourself any time for Moab, which to me would be a shame. Driving there from Page will take a much of the day - especially in an RV - and then driving onto even Denver (much less CO Springs) again will take a large portion of the day.