Is this nuts??

[quinnc19]

My DD and I are booked on the Arizona/Utah Adventures by Disney trip this June. Here is my current plan (please tell me if I am crazy). Fly into LAX and spend 3 nights at DL (hopefully GCV). Leave early on a Saturday and drive to Sequoia, spend night in park lodge. Drive to Joshua Tree next day and spend night. Meet tour in Phoenix next afternoon. Tour spends 2 days in Sedona, 3 in Grand Canyon, 3 near Moab, Utah. Tour then transports to Grand Junction, CO. When I looked at the map I said to myself "You can't just leave without seeing any of Colorado", so I am considering spending a night in Aspen and taking the scenic route to Denver, departing on an evening flight. I've looked at driving distances and they don't seem completely unreasonable for people who travel a lot in the car. What do you think?

 

[StageTek]

Sounds like a great adventure to me! A little nuts, but so much fun.

 

[usnuzuloose]

You have a lot of driving. Sounds fun though.

 

[5forMickey]

So are you thinking that you will drive from grand junction to aspen for the night and then drive to Denver early the next day? This would be quite doable but you won't really have much time to see or do anything. There is some beautiful places to see and If you are into hiking or want to visit hot springs that could consume a whole day, it just depends on what it is you want to see and do. With just one day you will mostly just be driving.

 

[quinnc19]

Thanks for the replies! I should get to Grand Junction about 10 am and drive right to Aspen. I was hoping to have a little time to look around that day, maybe a short hike? We are going to take a 5 o'clock flight the next day, getting to Denver via Independence Pass.

 

[marthachick]

In June/July of this year, DH, DS & I flew to Las Vegas. Rented a car, spent 1 night in Vegas. Got up the next day, drove to Bryce Canyon, then to Kanab, Utah. Spent 1 night. Got up the next day, and drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Spent 1 night at the cabins there. Got up the next day, drove to Four Corners National Park where we spent maybe 45 minutes. Drove to Durango, Colorado. Spent 2 nights there. Got up the second morning & drove to Arches National Park (near Moab, UT). Left Arches & drove to Denver. At night. In the rain. Spent 2 nights in Denver. Left there & flew home. We were gone from home Saturday to Saturday. Drove almost 1500 miles out west. And we were exhausted. WHAT A BLAST!!!! When I had posted our itinerary on Trip Advisor, the "experts" said it couldn't be done. They said we would "miss" everything. No, we weren't able to see every nook & cranny or to "absorb" everything but man, what a trip!

It is the ONLY trip DH has ever asked to go back on. So I'm planning another great adventure out west.

So, yes, you can do it, but I would go on Mapquest or Google Maps to check distances and drive times. Don't let anyone talk you out of what may be the trip of a lifetime. I checked, and rechecked several time on drive times, distances, making hotel reservations based on Trip Advisor.

 

[quinnc19]

Thanks for the support - think we are going for it!