That's not entirely correct. You have to be legally able (under both state and federal law) to own a firearm in order to carry one, open or concealed. A permit is required to carry into a restaurant or bar that serves alcohol. "No gun" signs have the force of law, statewide. Always get trained and learn the law before you carry a gun.

It is, however, straightforward to get a Utah Concealed Firearms Permit without being a resident of Utah.



Both states are gun-friendly and honor many other states' permits.

Cody's book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586852345/ref=nosim/equippedtosur-20/

chaosmagnet, you are indeed correct. I was a bit casual in my gun law statements. Thanks for putting a finer point to the topic.

Nomad

OP didn't say if it was high desert or low desert. Significant difference. High desert can mean much greater fuel consumption (steep grades) and much lower temps at night.

I second this. A handgun permit is not a "carry anywhere" permit. This is probably true in your home state that has issued you the permit. When you go to another state, you have to be extra cautious. Learn the law!

Not too long ago two out-of-state tourists got into trouble for carrying handguns in New York City. How were they caught? Upon seeing the "no handguns" or "check your handguns" (for police officers) sign at the entrance of a tourist attraction, they asked where they could check their gun. Oops.

There is nothing about desert conditions that makes carrying a firearm any more or less useful than many other locales. Proximity to our southern border might be another matter, especially if you are getting into secluded areas, which doesn't sound likely, since you are evidently staying on pavement. I haven't spent any time near the border recently, but I have lots of experience with sunny southern Arizona....

On a hot day in the desert, water is everything. The rest of your gear is relatively insignificant. "Ration your sweat, not your water" is a common motto. Don't exert yourself in mid day heat, but slow down and take a siesta. Wait for the cool of the evening and early morning to exert yourself or do any significant walking.

Note that construction workers and other outdoor types get early morning starts - typically with first light. Plan your schedule for early starts and get off the roads and out of the sun as early as possible.

A full floppy brimmed hat is a very important item, preferably of cotton (so you can soak it).

Finally, July is the beginning of "monsoon season" in southern Arizona and it is possible that you may have all the water you can handle. Flooding is a real possibility, so do not stay in dry streambeds and prepare to deal with thunderstorms and (briefly) heavy rains.

You were somewhat vague about your precise location, but check the elevations you will be traveling. If you get over 4000 feet ASL, the day may be hot, but you won't be in desert country. I am leaving for South Dakota to dig mammoths in a few days, and day time temps exceeding 105 degrees will be routine, but no one regards the Black Hills as "desert." This time of year, you need to be prepped for hot weather nearly everywhere in the continental US (except coastal California, where I now reside....)

Map & compass.

I will offer a few thoughts as a long-time desert explorer.
By no means do I count myself as some sort of expert, and other advice here may be better than mine.

1. I strongly suggest that you travel ONLY on well-paved roads. Avoid sand, dirt, and bad asphalt. You will find that the apparently "simple" act of changing a tire in 105-110 degree heat becomes are very unpleasant experience. If you ever make the mistake, as I have a couple of times, of actually getting your vehicle stuck in sand in that kind of heat, and having to dig out, you will quickly realize that you are caught in a major survival threat. The effect of that heat is much worse than most people think. Even if you have got multiple bottles of Gatorade. There's a pretty good chance you can just flake out from heat overload. Hence - travel on good roads with a good car that has air conditioning.

2. Cell phone coverage is not guaranteed in all areas, although it's pretty good in most places.

3. Forget mixing drinks. Have multiple bottles of Powerade or Gatorade with you. Ready to go.

4. Driving and scenery are much more pleasant if you time them for the early morning, or evenings. No glare. You can see nice scenery. You're NOT fighting the heat if you have a breakdown. In the middle of the day - shack up at some pleasant stopover, have some long cold drinks and rest.

5. In spite of the incredible paranoia about "bad people" in the middle of nowhere in the desert - I have yet to meet even one. And that's after 30+ years of desert travel. There are some slightly weird and half-baked "desert rats" out there. They tend to be isolationists. But they're not serial killers. They just have a hermit kind of mentality, that's all. It would probably be socially unacceptable if you just went around shooting them :-)

6. You can take a gun if you want ... but the fierce heat is your real enemy. Early mornings and evenings are you friend.

7. ENJOY the desert. It's a beautiful place! Most people never even give it the time of day - they're too busy driving to a casino somewhere.

Pete2

I've used it on two occasions before, and it seemed to work well enough? A tire plugging kit along with an outlet-powered air pump might be a better precaution than the fix-a-flat, then.



I don't think anyone was advocating shooting hermits. I just believe that when you're in the middle of nowere with a significant wait for help, it is better to be prepared for the situations you can prepare for. One is far more likely to need a fire extinguisher than a sidearm, in most places, but having the capability of self-defense is never a bad thing.