Climate
Summers are hot, highs often reach well over 100 degrees. Summer nights are cool and pleasant. Expect afternoon thunderstorms from mid-June to late August. Winters can be cold and windy, with ample amounts of snow. The snow often melts within a few days, turning the dirt roads into mud pits.
Flora and fauna
Pinyon Juniper woodlands, desert grasslands and lush riparian areas.
Landscape
Deep sandstone canyons, surprisingly impressive waterfalls and acres of roadless wilderness. This is a desert lover's paradise.
History
First explored by Spanish priests seeking a route from Santa Fe to the California missions, this area of southern Utah remains one of the most sparsely populated regions in the West. For many years it received only token protection and was not part of the national park system, but threats to develop it for mining and commercial use led the Clinton administration to place it in National Monument status in 1996. This was done without consulting area residents and was not seen favorably in Republican-dominated Utah. It is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, rather than by the National Park Service.