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!