heres how to look at things from a natives eye. hear me out on this big time.
first zion is beautiful. but 89 heavily traveled by........you guessed it.........mormons/ranchers/geologists/forest service and worst of all drunk indians. also lots of semis supplying surrounding area with haagan daas ice cream/coke/beer/fuel. i mean lots of traffic!
once down below zion you are in the high dezert. no waa waa! no aqua, no nada! then you reach north rim. water is there thanks to forest service. entry to north rim off of 89. once you leave north rim your back onto the kaibab plateau and once again no mas aqua! until you reach south rim which has water trucked and railed from williams. from williams to flag or vs versa you are up in elevation along I-40 w/pine trees.
in other words zion/n. rim/s. rim park areas/flag and williams will have water and conifer mixed with oak/juniper. every where else is the bleakest crap sandstone in either red or gray colors. and i mean MOONSCAPE!
there is going to be more navajo sandstone crammed up your orfices than you can imagine. kinda like our almost 3 week trip in hell to lake powell one july back in 1991.
may temps in dez will reach 100 degrees. june your gonna die thru until late sept. thank global warming/el nino/la nina!
just be prepared and dont ride at night unless on dirt road or trail. have lights bulbs batteries helmet lights etc.
if you go back country anywhere above flag and south rim. you are in the middle of freaking nowhere. no hospitals no nothing. st george is last big???? town, until flag or williams.
if you see a UTAH highway patrol be cool and tell him your intentions. maybe he will radio ahead and keep an eye on you guys. same with AZ dept public safety. they can give you low down on conditions.
but remember this...........this is where cattle mutilations have occurred. kinfolk have been abducted and molested by aliens, impregnated and then returned to earth to spawn more aliens! many strange night sightings of lights. very strange lights. kinda like AURORA PROJECT LIGHTS! be very aware for they are out there!
hell probably the worst thing thats gonna happen is tripping over tent guy line at 2am while getting up to go pee!
your gonna have a blast. just be prepared for all situations. a snub .38 or .357 w/some snake shot and some hollowpoints will do everything you need. hell thars not that many roads out thar cuz nobody lives thar! cuz thars no water! just wind/clouds/rain/sun/weeds and more navajo sandstone than MARS!
note sandstone. locals about 1 million years b.c. put on TIZWIN binge and went nuts drawing teradactyls/martians/naked women/bighorn sheep screwing/deer screwing etc. on this wall. they were bored to tears and had nothing to do. so this was the result of their truly "wasted efforts"!
keep eye out for arrowheads and fetish's. everywhere if you know how to look. think like an indian!