Rocky Mountains Road Trip From Las Vegas

The first leg of the journey takes you from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon National Park, in Utah, as you begin making your way toward the Rockies. While this portion of the road trip can be done in just about four hours, and you can certainly do it all at once, you don’t have to. If you want to take a more leisurely pace, you can stop off and see top sites along the route, such as Valley of Fire State Park, with its eye-catching red sandstone, just a short distance from Vegas, or, after you cross the Utah state line, Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area, with its Joshua trees. Zion National Park is also along the way. If you’d prefer a city stop, try charming St. George, Utah.

However you get there, though, once you arrive in Bryce Canyon, you’ll be treated to gorgeous views of the park’s characteristic rock formations, known as hoodoos. A sunrise or sunset hike is an excellent option here, but if you didn’t pack your hiking boots, consider going on a horseback riding tour, or just enjoying the scenic drive that takes you to some of the most beautiful viewpoints within the park. If you’re traveling in the winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also an option.

There are two campgrounds within Bryce Canyon National Park, but note that only one is open year-round.

The next portion of this campervan adventure is similar, taking just about four hours as you cross the state, to Arches National Park. Again, though, if you don’t want to drive straight through, you can make a few slight detours, to Capitol Reef National Park or Manti-La Sal National Forest. Otherwise, though, there’s not a whole lot of stop-over options during this part of your journey.

Once you get to Arches National Park, though, there’s plenty to do. Obviously, you have to see the natural stone arches, of which the park boasts thousands. Arches National Park offers lots of hiking, with trails of varying difficulty, and options for even the most novice hikers. Additionally, the park is renowned for its stargazing.

Do note, though, that this is a pretty popular national park, so, if you visit during the summer, you might need to battle some crowds. Due to the park’s popularity, you do need a reservation to enter the park, April 1–Oct. 31. You can make your reservation on the National Park Service’s website.

It’s also advised that you make a reservation at the park’s lone campground, well in advance, if you plan to visit during this timeframe. Luckily, even if you can’t snag a campsite for your campervan at the on-site campground, there are lots of other options in nearby Moab.

Finally! The highlight you’ve been waiting for, for the entirety of your Las Vegas campervan rental adventure — Rocky Mountain National Park.

Getting there will take about five hours, and you’ll go from the eastern side of Utah, all the way up through Colorado, until you reach the national park, which is located just outside of Denver. Along the way, there are mountain views aplenty, and you’ll pass famous Colorado destinations such as Vail and Breckenridge, both worth a short detour if you have the time.

Once you arrive at Rocky Mountain National Park, there are multiple places for you to set up your campervan, so long as you’re visiting during the summer season (only one campground is open during the winter, when amenities in the park are sparse). The campgrounds differ in terms of price, amenities and whether or not they’ll be able to accommodate a campervan, though, so read up on your options before you arrive. Also, note that summer visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park must make a reservation for a timed entry, in advance.

So, what should you do while you’re there? Beyond taking a scenic drive along Bear Lake Road and Trail Ridge Road (the highest continuously paved road in North America!), you can also go on a hike, go fishing and visit the Holzwarth Historic Site, which reflects life in the Rocky Mountains more than a hundred years ago.

Want to pair your visit to Rocky Mountain National Park with some city sightseeing? Denver, Aurora and Boulder are all nearby.

After taking as long as you like to really explore Rocky Mountain National Park and the surrounding area, it’s time for you to take your campervan south, as we begin making our way back toward Las Vegas. If you didn’t have a chance to sightsee in Denver, Aurora or Bolder during your stay in the national park, now’s the time to do so, as traveling to the fourth stop on our itinerary requires driving through all three.

Getting to Santa Fe, New Mexico, will take an entire day of driving, so we recommend breaking it up a bit. National forest sites abound along this route, many offering campgrounds, such as Pike-San Isabel National Forest, Gunnison National Forest, Rio Grande National Forest and, lastly, Santa Fe National Forest.

Once you get into Santa Fe, park your campervan at one of the city’s top-rated campgrounds, such as Santa Fe Skies RV Park, or if you’d prefer to still surround yourself with nature, while taking day trips into the city, Hyde Memorial State Park RV Campground.

As for how to fill your days, Santa Fe offers a long list of historical landmarks and museums to check out, including the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, New Mexico History Museum and New Mexico Museum of Art.

It’s time to return your Las Vegas campervan rental, but we’re not quite done with the sightseeing just yet. Getting from Santa Fe to Las Vegas takes about nine hours, so you’ll want to break up the driving with a stop at Petrified Forest National Park, which is nearly the half-way point between the two.

Petrified Forest National Park is a can’t-miss experience if you’re traveling through this part of the country, whether you’re traveling in a campervan or otherwise. Known for its amazing fossils and the surrounding Painted Desert, it’s a relatively small site, so you can drop in for even just an hour and enjoy a scenic drive with stops at points of interest. However, if you plan to stay longer, you can really get an in-depth experience of the park and all it has to offer (it even has its own paleontology lab!).

Unfortunately, there is no campervan camping allowed in the park, but you can find campgrounds in nearby Holbrook, Sun Valley, St. Johns or Joseph City.

When you’re ready to move on, you’ll have a half-day drive back to Vegas, where you can either return your Las Vegas campervan rental immediately, or hang on to it for a few more days of enjoying the sights and sounds of the city, without the need to pay for a pricey hotel stay on the Strip.

This campervan excursion from Las Vegas to Rocky Mountain National Park couldn’t be more convenient! Whether you want to see and do it all in a week, or you want to take your time, this itinerary will help you plot your upcoming adventure.

Ready to go? Reserve your Las Vegas campervan rental now — or just get a quick quote as you plan your perfect road trip.