Stops along a scenic road trip between Los Angeles and Denver, Colorado

MY FRIEND AND I ARE PLANNING A ONE WEEK ROAD TRIP FROM DENVER TO LA. CAN YOU PLEASE SUGGEST A ROUTE AND WHERE TO STAY TO BREAK UP THE TRIP? LEAVING DENVER LATE AFTERNOON, WHERE COULD WE STOP OVERNIGHT? G. WIESNER, HAWTHORN EAST, VIC

Driving west from Denver, first stop could be Glenwood Springs, and maybe take a dip in the thermal pools that give this resort city its name. Continue to Moab and after you cross the border into Utah take Route 128 south, a scenic drive along the Colorado River. From Moab you have access to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and in between, Dead Horse Point State Park, all outstanding places of incredible natural beauty. Spend three nights here at Moab then drive north to return to Highway 50 and continue west, then turn south when you get to Highway 72, which becomes Highway 24 and then 12.
This is a mind-blowing drive through some of the most sensational scenery the American West has to offer – along steep cliffs, high desert and wooded mountains through Grand Staircase National Monument and Bryce Canyon National Park.
Spend a couple of nights in Kanab to visit Zion National Park and the north rim of the Grand Canyon, continue to Las Vegas and on to Los Angeles.