FutureIsNow

Greetings travel gurus!

My beau and I are venturing to Colorado (Estes, specifically) in August for a wedding...

From there, planning to travel down Colorado, dip into New Mexico, drive across Arizona to the Grand Canyon (seems to be a confusing destination for planning!) and end our adventure in Las Vegas. We want to hike, behold nature and eat the best food imaginable.

Leaving Colorado 8/10 and leaving Vegas 8/17...

SO:
- Are there any northern Arizona or New Mexico places we should check out?
- Southern Utah destinations worth checking out?
- Car rental companies that can help with avoiding the one-way fees I see mentioned?
- Restaurants or quirky places that demand attention?

Thank you all very much!

Tabernash2

You have one week, and it sounds too busy to me. There's not a lot of 'beholding of nature' in LV. Can you just focus on CO, instead? Or did you buy airfare already?

spirobulldog

You would be much better off to just see part of Colorado. Colorado has so much to offer that even a week isn't enough. Arizona and New Mexico also need ample time. I agree with tabernash.

mlgb

Stay as high up in elevation as possible.

August is pretty miserable in the desert parts of the Southwest.

Tabernash2

Good point about the heat!

Nelson

Presuming that you've already bought tickets and are committed to seeing the Grand Canyon, then I'd recommend not dipping down into New Mexico. Instead stay in Colorado longer and angle down through Utah.

From Estes go across Trail Ridge Road and make your way to Grand Junction and Moab, lots of routes to chose from. Then hit Arches, Goblin Valley, Capitol Reef, Zion. Go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon - start booking immediately, already too late but you could get lucky. Then on to Vegas.

It's a rushed trip and it will be hot as the hinges, but "presuming that you've already bought tickets".