Allison, thank you so much for sharing this information. It's been very useful.

I had a hard time when I booked a rental car for our trip in May. We are picking the car up in Las Vegas and driving to Grand Canyon, then onto Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon before heading to Salt Lake City, Utah. Most of the rental cars would not allow me to take it to another airport to drop off. I did find that Avis was really the only one. Enterprise would not. I would call the rental car companies. Good luck.

Yes, many rental cars have GPS units that record the position of the car for the agency.

For some years, cars rented in Massachusetts could not be driven in NY. Don't know if that is still true, but it does show that restrictions existed in the east as well as the west.

Opps, I misread your starting location - we started in Phoenix and went around from there. Because it's off-season there, the rates were exceptionally good -not too many silly travellers want to visit the desert in the heat of the summer.

Just rented a vehicle from Budget Rental Car in California. I was allowed to venture into only adjacent states from California without penalty. A person must be careful when renting to read the full contact because my experience is that they don't ask you where you are traveling nor do they go out of their way to advise you of these restrictions. They have your credit card number and will simply bill you the additional charges upon turn in of the vehicle.

It is Buyer Beware..that's for sure!!

try booking directly with the rental agency. Budget and Enterprise are good rental agencies for longer trips in the SW. Enterprise usually has lower fees for droping off at a different location than where you picked up.

Probably the auto rental companies have insurance for certain states. If they don't insure the car in Colorado, they don't allow you to take their cars there. I'm just guessing.

Returning it in another location is a different issue that's challenging, too.

Good luck putting it together. Sounds like a nice trip.

Does anyone know if a car renter can negotiate with the agency or pay for a variance in order to get a side-trip allowed, such as the OP's to Mesa Verde?

I know this is an old thread, but thought that some here may have dealt with this.

First - I would suggest you start your own thread.

Second, your answer would depend on the agency and you would have to arrange it in advance. Some clerk at a rental agency does not have the authority to let you do anything outside your contract.

The rental car companies do have GPS trackers but they are only used in case of emergencies. The companies do not monitor you at all times. Although depending upon the terms and conditions of the company they can deny to cover any damages made to the car outside the limitations.