Suggestions for trips/tours starting from Denver?

[Fat Tone]

You guys are always great with suggestions for this sort of thing, so I thought I'd give it another go

Long story short: I will be flying in to Denver with my Wife next June, and flying out again a fortnight later on July 4th.

What we do in between isn't decided, except we think it will be an ambitious tour of national parks.

We are open to organised tours, car/motel, RV, or even something completely left-field.

I welcome your suggestions.

Many thanks,

Tony.

[Dr Mordrid]

You'll be in Colorado so obviously Rocky Mountain Natl. Park (CO) and Grand Canyon in neighboring Arizona, but other must see's in the West are Yellowstone (Wyoming - just North of CO), Yosemite (CA), Death Valley (CA) and Sequoia (the giant redwoods, CA). I dunno if you'd want to go this far but Mammoth Cave (Tennessee) is spectacular.

[Fat Tone]

Cheers Doc, will take a look at some of those. We've already done the Grand Canyon and Death Valley, so we won't head that far West (ruling out Sequoia). You must have a fast car

Any suggestions for transport options?

Cheers

T.

[Fat Tone]

We are homing in on a route:

Denver,
Rocky Mountain NP
Cheyenne
Fort Laramie
Mount Rushmore
Sheridan
Devils Tower
Yellowstone
Grand Teton
SLC
Arches
Mesa Verde
Denver

It's quite a lot for a fortnight (~2100 miles, probably a bit more) but there's some flex in the middle section to press on or take a break if we need it.

Still undecided on car or RV. It looks like we need to decide soon as RV spots can be limited in June.

[cjolley]

Pike's Peak on the way back to Denver?
You don't have enough planned.


PS Bolder is a nice place to lunch on the way to RMNP

[Fat Tone]

If there was any spare time over the holidays, wifey had us planning this trip

Pretty much as above, except no Fort Laramie, add in Cody before Yellowstone (including visiting a Rodeo), take out Mesa Verde and add in Pike's Peak - thanks for the suggestion Chuck

11 hotels in 15 nights!

Was hoping to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in SLC but they are on tour then.

Still planning the finer details of the activities. We have found roadtrippers.com very good for planning the trip. It's specifically good for USA and will overlay accommodation, attractions, scenic drives etc etc on a map and plot a route and calculate distances and print off your itinerary. You can even book hotels through it (no surprise there).

[Kruzin]

If you are travelling I-25 into Wyoming, you'll pass right through Casper. Stop in for a beer

[Fat Tone]

Sadly we aren't heading through Casper, but if you fancy scaling Mount Rushmore in your Jeep let me know

T.

[Kruzin]

I don't have that Jeep any more....tboned by a teenager several years ago. I have a different Jeep now, but I wouldn't trust it on a long road trip....and I don't think my current road trip car would do too well scaling the faces
Hell, if you're gonna hit Denver, Rushmore and Yellowstone, you'll be driving a circle around me...

[Fat Tone]

I can see your problem!

You are right, we will be circling you...

route.jpg

[Kruzin]

Douglas is only 50 miles away on a 75/80mph speed limit highway

[Umfriend]

It is too bad I never go the the US, I'd love to see WY. Years ago (~15) I had it in my mind that once I got rich (never gonna happen) I'd emigrate to WY: Half the size of France and just 500K people. Thought about starting a tree farm there. Later found out it gets cold over there...

[Fat Tone]

We are covering 6 states as it is. Considering changing the route from Cheyenne to Keystone so we can take in Nebraska and get it up to 7.

That will take our total state count up to 15. I have a feeling European tourists rack up more states than many locals.

[Kruzin]

I wouldn't go out of your way to see Nebraska. There is NOTHING there but miles and miles of corn fields and flat terrain. Has to be the most boooooring state to drive through. Hard to stay awake through it.

[Fat Tone]

What, no shrine to Penny?