Grand Canyon, Colorado, plus some

That’s a lot, but if you are the type to get up early and pack the most into your days, it’s doable. That’s what I do on vacation, but a lot of people want to sleep in and get a late start on vacations and that’s understandable. We just did 4,200 miles in 14 days and went many of the same places you plan to go.

ETA that you can raft on the Arkansas River (which is on your route). There is an outfit in Cotopaxi, rockNrow, that has a 1.5hr “family float”. RockNRow

Im copying and pasting this post I made on another thread, so the wording may not make since as it pertains to your question. Kids favorites were hiking in arches and Zion. Mom and dads favorites were hiking in arches and hiking hoodoos in Bryce Canyon. Mesa verde was our least favorite, but you couldn’t tour the cliff dwellings then either. :

I just got back from a 2 week road trip out there yesterday evening. What our trip looked like:
Day 1: MS to Walsenburg, CO.
Day 2: Walsenburg to sand dunes, NP via medano pass primitive road. Sand dunes to black canyon of the Gunnison. Stayed in delta, CO that night.
Day 3: Delta to Moab via Grand Junction. Arrived in Moab around 10:00 (I get up and get moving early on vacation). Explore arches, NP that evening.
Day 4: Canyonlands Needles district in the morning and hikes/sunset viewing at double o arch in the evening.
Day 5: Canyonlands island in the sky district in the morning, took shafer trail back to Moab.
Day 6: Sunrise in arches, a few hikes, sunset at delicate arch.
Day 7: Moab to Bryce Canyon. Spent a few hours at Capitol reef on the way. Hiked Hickman bridge and Capitol gorge.
Day 8: Sunrise at inspiration point in Bryce. Hiked queens garden/Navajo loop before most people even in the park. Hike a few other trail that day and stayed in Bryce Canyon city that night. We had a cabin booked in the park, but they shut that down and opened them up again on 6/15. I suggest staying in the park here if possible.
Day 9: Bryce to Zion. Hiked canyon overlook trail and the narrows. Stayed in Zion lodge in the park.
Day 10: Zion. Did several hikes.
Day 11: Zion to Mesa verde. Several things to do along this route. Moqui Cave, coral pink sand dunes state park, explore Kanab where a lot of old westerns were filmed. Antelope canyon And four corners if the Navajos open back up. Or swing down to the Grand Canyon. We toured Mesa verde this evening. All of the cliff dwellings were closed and so is the road to wetherill Mesa.
Day 12: Mesa verde to Salida. Drove through Durango, up to silverton, ouray, montrose (stopped back by black canyon), Gunnison (kids swam in blue Mesa reservoir), and on to Salida.
Day 13: Short rafting trip on the Arkansas River. Drove on down and made it to elk city Oklahoma. Oklahoma is out of the way, but my kids are collecting states and I hate with every fiber of my being that drive between Dallas and Amarillo.
Day 14: Elk city, OK back to MS.

Had a great trip with just over 4,200 miles in 2 weeks. I gave each of my kids (7 and 10) a notebook at the beginning of the trip and had them journal at the end of each day. They rolled their eyes when I gave it to them but by the 3rd day they couldn’t wait to write in them. They each read them to us on the way home yesterday and it was interesting to hear the kind of things that made their journal.

Mt Evans isn’t opening this year so unless they plan to ride bikes or walk up....

OP that trip looks miserable but whatever floats your boat. You smoking meth the entire time?

I’m not sure you can leave Vegas and go through Zion and get into Bryce area in enough time to raft.

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oldest son wanted to do white water rafting

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Check out the Green River.

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Then 2 nights in Glenwood Springs(Amusement Park, Hot Springs),

Then Grand Lake Co (RMNP),

Then back to Denver stopping in Golden and Boulder.

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What is your plan for Grand Lake? It seems out of the way between Glenwood & Golden.

We spent 1 night in GL last year, then took Trail Ridge Rd to Estes Park for a night then to Denver passing through Boulder. We had time to hike a few trails and see other sights.

Tell her you will take her without the kids, y’all will have a better time...

Is the shuttle a must in Zion? Have read that you can take state route 9 and hike off of the road. Am I reading this wrong?

Just bought a shuttle pass Thanks

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Should I maybe only stay one night in Glenwood Springs and make my way to RMNP.

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I would either do that or stay in Estes Park. But it depends on what time you get to Grand Lake I would think.

GL is not very big; we got there about 4:00 pm and walked around it twice before dark. I think there is more to do on the east side of RMNP but there are some easy hiking/walking trails on the west side near Trail Ridge. The ranger at the visitor center can help with that.

The other major attractions on Trail Ridge are the overlooks and the Alpine visitor center at 12,000 feet. GL is in one valley and EP in another and Trail Ridge Rd goes over the mountain between them, GL's elevation is 8,400 feet and EP's is 7,500.

This is the phone # for RMNP Trail Ridge Road Status. 970-586-1222. Sometimes it closes due to weather and I think now you need a permit to enter during the day. Presumably due to Covid 19.