Las Vegas to Denver 1 – A beautiful breathtaking route that features spectacular scenery – perfect for nature lovers. This diverse route combines the glacial peaks of the Rocky Mountains (in Colorado) with the deserts of southern Utah. In addition to visiting the cities of Denver Las Vegas and charming small towns (Aspen, the towns along the Million Dollar Highway and more), this route leads to 8 (!) National Parks – Rocky Mountains, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion, in addition to few National Monuments and State Parks and many other nature sites. This route crosses the Rocky Mountains several times, and in cases of extreme weather (especially during transition months in Autumn) roads along it may be temporally closed.
Day 1 – Land in Las Vegas and spend the afternoon in the city
Lodging location: Las Vegas
Day 2 – Enjoy the day in Las Vegas
Lodging location: Las Vegas
Day 3 – Drive to Zion National Park and visit the park, 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Springdale
Day 4 – Spend the day in Zion National Park’s Canyon
Lodging location: Springdale
Day 5 – Drive to Bryce National Park on scenic route 9 and visit the park, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Bryce
Day 6 – Drive to Moab through Capitol Reef National Park (it is highly recommended to drive via scenic roads 12 and 24 and on the way visit Goblin Valley State Park), 5 hours drive
Lodging location: Moab
Day 7 – Visit Arches National Park, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Moab
Day 8 – Visit Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky district), 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Moab
Day 9 – Go on a half day rafting tour on the Colorado River (out of Moab) and then drive to the Monument Valley, 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Goulding’s or The View Hotel
Day 10 – Spend the morning in the Monument Valley and then drive Mesa Verde National Park or Cortez, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Mesa Verde or Cortez
Day 11 – Spend the day in Mesa Verde National Park and then drive to Durango, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Durango
Day 12 – Drive north on the scenic Million Dollar Hwy and visit the picturesque towns and natural areas along this route, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Ouray
Day 13 – Visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Montrose
Day 14 – Drive to Aspen and enjoy this town’s many activities, 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Aspen
Day 15 – Spend the morning in Aspen and in the afternoon drive to Grand Lake via scenic route 82, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Grand Lake
Day 16 – Cross the Rocky Mountain National Park on Trail Ridge Road and stop and hike along this scenic route, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Estes Park
Day 17 – Hike and travel in the eastern part of the Rocky Mountain National Park, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Estes Park
Day 18 – Spend the morning in the eastern part of the Rocky Mountain National Park and drive to Denver, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Denver
Day 19 – Fly Home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our Southwest USA destinations pages, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
