Five is better than four.

It's been a very long time, so I don't have much advice as far as hotels and such. But I've done quick drives similar to this in CO and other places. I stayed at greatly reduced at ski lodges in the off season but maybe they've done better lately about drawing a non-ski crowd.

But as a fellow photography and scenic drive enthusiast, I don't see anything too amiss about your time table. Comes out to a couple of a day of driving with lots of opportunities to stop, stretch the legs and capture a good view without it necessitating exploring shops and attractions in town. Due to winding roads, it does take a while to get through RMNP. Might be worth it from time to time to park and take a quick hike up a trail for a better view though.

Seemed like the towns you listed were less intended as destinations than to explain the points you're thinking of driving through. That makes sense to me, from a photography standpoint.

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