National Parks Explorer

Seventeen nights out of Denver taking in the Rockies, Yellowstone and the Utah canyons, which is the middle option between their two-week Rockies trip and their full three-week one. Flights, car and hotels are arranged together from the UK.

It opens over Trail Ridge Road into Rocky Mountain National Park, the highest continuous paved road in the country, then Casper and Cody on the way to two nights in Yellowstone and two in Grand Teton. Park City or Salt Lake follows, and then the route turns south into Utah for the canyons.

That second half is the point. Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and its amphitheatres of hoodoos, then two nights at Zion with Angel’s Landing and the walk up the Narrows. The Grand Canyon is taken from the North Rim here, which is higher, quieter and open only in summer. Page brings Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in a single day, then Monument Valley, then two nights at Moab for Arches, Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. Glenwood Springs closes it.

Thirteen stops over seventeen nights, with four stops of two nights. Three of the features this route is sold on, Trail Ridge Road, the Yellowstone interior and the Grand Canyon North Rim, close for around half the year and the page gives no seasonal note, so agree the dates carefully when you enquire. One overnight is given as Park City or Salt Lake rather than fixed, so ask which. The itinerary is bespoke and departures are arranged around your dates. It suits anyone who wants the Rockies and the canyons in one run.