DH and I will be driving from Florida to Colorado in August and will have about 9 days to explore. It looks like we'll arrive in Colorado the evening of August 17 and will need to leave the morning of August 27. We MIGHT be able to squeeze in another day or two if the kennel can keep our cats that long, but for now I'm planning on just 9 days. Our interests are seeing the mountains, wildlife, scenery, photography, and maybe some mild hiking (I have 2 bad knees and can only do so much of that). My original plan was to make no reservations and just drive around, stopping for the night wherever we happened to be. But I've been told that's a bad idea at that time of year and we risk not finding a place to stay. So now I have to figure out where we might be each night and for that I need help from you experts. I am completely unfamiliar with driving times, beyond what Google Maps tells me, and I know I need to figure in road construction, crowds, wildlife stops, getting out and wandering around, looking in shops, and a husband who has been known to stop every half mile to take pictures (that's only a slight exaggeration).

So if I tell you where I was thinking of going, could I maybe get some suggestions as to where we should look for lodging reservations? We're definitely open to staying at one location for a couple of days and making day trips from there, if that's a good option. And keep in mind this is a list of the places we'd LIKE to go but it could very well be too much. Don't yell at me if it's too much driving - that's why I'm asking for help before finalizing anything. BTW, we don't mind driving but do want to get out and look around too.

Rt 14, Cache La Poudre Scenic Byway, Ft. Collins to Walden
Rt 125, Walden to Granby
Rt 34, Trail Ridge Rd, Granby to Estes Park
Rts 7/72/119 Peak to Peak Hwy, Estes Park to Idaho Springs
Rts 103/5 Idaho Springs to Mt. Evans and back
Rt 62, Guanella Pass, Georgetown to Grant and back
Rt 91, I70 to Leadville
Rt 24 Leadville to I70
I70 to Rt 82 Glenwood Springs
Rt 82, Glenwood Springs to Granite
Rts 24/285, Granite to Poncha Springs
Rt 50 to Gunnison
Rts 730/742/135 to Rt 133
Rts 133/92 to Delta
Rts 50/347 to Black Canyon
Rt 550, Montrose to Durango

If I have to shorten it I'd start with the stuff at the end of the list with Durango and Black Canyon, just because they seem to far from everything else.

So what do you think? Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions.

Have you really plotted this on a map? A lot of out and back that makes no sense. Need a straighter line. If you want to shorten I drop out the first couple of days to Ft. Collins to Walden. Start it with Estes Park and Trail Ridge Road and then continue onto Georgetown and over Guanella Pass and keeping going towards Breckenridge (and I-70) or south through Fairplay to Buena Vista and north through Leadville. There are lots of scenic roads so I don't where you are picking up your information. While I like Guanella pass and often drive it in the fall, it is nothing usual when compared with other parts of the state. Personally, I would hit Georgetown, ride the train, visit the silver mine, and continue on to Frisco, west side of the tunnels. You could make a quick run up to Breckenridge from Frisco (10 miles) then onto Leadville, walk some of the Mineral Belt trail -- hard surface and relatively flat -- take Independence Pass into the backside of Aspen -- Maroon Bells -- on to Glenwood Springs. You could a quick out and back in Glenwood Canyon (I-70) and then swing south to the Black Canyon, Gunnison on you way out of the state. Time permitting your could swing by the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

I would skip Mt. Evens. It is great day trip from Denver but again nothing unusual spectacular about the drive. I don't think you need to make a lot of advance reservations for most of those areas. You need to for Estes Park since it is very popular with out of state visitors. When we travel we live and die with Hotel.com and especially Hoteltonight.com.