In Utah, the Flaming Gorge in the NE part of the state was an unexpected surprise for us. Moab is kind of neat, too. Nearby to Dead Horse Point, Arches NP, Canyonlands, etc. Not far from Mesa Verde, either. In Colorado Hwy 550 from Durango to Ouray, over Red Mountain Pass, is nothing short of stunning. Probably one of the prettiest drives in the USA that I’ve seen. Telluride is a beautiful spot. Take a drive through RMNP if it’s not snowing up there already and closed the road. The elk should be in the rut now and the males should be “bugling” a lot. Estes Park is a neat little town, too.
Thanks for the tips. A buddy and I drove along the Flaming Gorge on a road trip from Missouri to Idaho Falls, ID right after I graduated from Mizzou. We unfortunately didn’t time it very well and drove along the Flaming Gorge after dark! Oops. I do remember it being the most desolate place I had ever seen. We could get out of the car and look 360 degrees and not see a single light anywhere. Dead silence. Nothing but stars. For a kid who was raised in upstate NY and Missouri that was really something.