Based upon his time working as a park ranger at the Arches National Monument in Utah from 1956-57, Abbey provides a commentary upon experiencing raw nature in that format. Part memoir and part political commentary, Abbey communicates his own thoughts inspired by experiences during that period.
Abbey devotes much time to the study of the park's flora and fauna. Since the camp was relatively undeveloped at the time (namely it had no roads), the wildlife remained practically undisturbed. Abbey records intensive studies of say the way the biosphere adapts to climate change during the different seasons throughout the year. He conducts experiments to better study the plants and animals under his care, of both observational and tactile natures.
Much of the text explores the interaction of civilization with nature, especially the toxic effects of industrialization on the park. Even though the park itself was protected land, increasing human populations in the surrounding area influenced migration patterns, natural resources which were vital to the survival of certain species, and even water quality. Abbey positions himself in stark opposition to the dramatic consequences of human contamination of preserved grounds. With this in mind he adamantly opposes the vehicle paths which are eventually installed in the park. He also proves the negative effects of the Department of Agriculture's push to reduce populations of apex predators in the area. This interference leads to booming populations further down the food chain, which eventually erode the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
Abbey also writes about his time in the southwest, during which he explored a great deal of wilderness and encountered various people groups. He notes the idiosyncrasies of the types of people he meets in such a harsh environment -- Native Americans, traces of gold miners from a previous generation, Mormons, Basque, and the occasional hikers. During this stretch of his adventures, Abbey devotes more attention to the populations of humans in the area than compared to his measured analysis of the wildlife in Utah. Still the emphasis of his discourse is upon the delicate balance of the ecosystem and how humans seem to upset that balance so much.
