"As an observation, I've given up trying to self hire for a short one off trip."
I've found a standard 2 hour "biennial" is all that's demanded for Pa28 or C172.
There was rental at Flagstaff but that was years ago. With the huge population increase, likely to be more now.
My rentals have been from Grand Junction, Colorado, flying to Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico Consider flying North over Utah - much less busy airspace, spectacular scenery.