That Wild Country - An Epic Journey through the Past, Present and Future of America’s Public Lands

Aug 7, 2026

That Wild Country traces how America’s public lands were created, contested, and carried forward, while confronting today’s pressures such as chronic underfunding, development interests, invasive species, and climate change. Mark Kenyon intertwines personal adventures with the historical forces that shaped key landscapes, from Yellowstone and Theodore Roosevelt National Park to the wilderness and forests across the country. The narrative functions as both an exploration and a call to collective action, inviting hikers, boaters, hunters, and anglers to discover what is at stake and to help keep these lands public.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages235

Reading Time6 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

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Introduction

Yellowstone National Park

Chapter I Myth and the Majesty

Chapter II The Beginning

Theodore Roosevelt National Park & the Little Missouri National Grassland

Chapter III Pilgrimage

Chapter IV Lighting the Fire

Lewis & Clark National Forest & the Bob Marshall Wilderness

Chapter V Untouched

Chapter VI The Wilderness Idea

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Chapter VII Family

Chapter VIII Relentless Momentum

Ruby Mountains Wilderness

Chapter IX Common Ground

Chapter X A Fire Ignites

Arches National Park & the Uinta National Forest

Chapter XI Misadventure

Chapter XII The New Threat

Grand Teton National Park & Custer Gallatin National Forest

Chapter XIII Confronting the Bear

Chapter XIV Joining Forces

Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve

Chapter XV Hope

Acknowledgments

Selected Bibliography

About the Author

PRAISE FOR THATWILD COUNTRY “When friends complain to me about the ideological divisions ripping America in two, I cheer them up with stories about our public lands. Right now, groups and individuals as diverse as the nation itself are coalescing around the rallying cry of ‘Keep It Public’ as we fight to defend the environmental integrity and accessibility of our public lands. Let Mark Kenyon’s That Wild Country be our guiding text. Not only does Kenyon tell you why and how we have public lands, but he also tells you why and how we’ll keep them. Read this book and join the movement.” —Steven Rinella, bestselling author of The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook and American Buffalo “This is a must-read for all public-land owners. Mark weaves his own adventures and connections to public land into the history on how we were gifted this great legacy. Read this book, be inspired, and become engaged.” —Land Tawney, president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers “More than a century ago John Muir warned that ‘Wilderness is a necessity . . . They will see what I meant in time.’ For better or worse we have arrived in the cultural moment that the wandering Scotsman foresaw, when the landscapes that are most vital to the survival of America’s soul are also the most jeopardized. Thoroughly immersed in said moment, with pure heart and true aim, Mark Kenyon has written an engrossing walkabout of his own that pairs an impassioned, unquenchable desire for wild country with a rare, marksman-cool ability to articulate the complex issues and stakes in our fight for public lands. A wonderful debut.” —Chris Dombrowski, author of Body of Water “America’s public lands are under assault, from chronic underfunding, development interests, invasive species, and climate change, among other threats. Against this backdrop, Mark Kenyon eloquently explores how many of these public lands came to be, and why they are more important today than ever. That Wild Country is more than a lesson; it is a personal journey of discovery to which all public-lands users, from hikers and boaters to hunters and anglers, can relate.” —Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) Text copyright © 2019 by Mark Kenyon All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Little A, New York [www.apub.com](www.apub.com) Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Little A are trademarks [of](of Amazon.com)[ ](of Amazon.com)[Amazon.com](of Amazon.com), Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542043045 (hardcover) ISBN-10: 1542043042 (hardcover) ISBN-13: 9781542043069 (paperback) ISBN-10: 1542043069 (paperback) Cover design by Kristen Haff Interior photographs courtesy of the author First edition [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) CONTENTS START READING Introduction YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Chapter I MYTH AND THE MAJESTY Chapter II THE BEGINNING THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK & THE LITTLE MISSOURI NATIONAL GRASSLAND Chapter III PILGRIMAGE Chapter IV LIGHTING THE FIRE LEWIS & CLARK NATIONAL FOREST & THE BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS Chapter V UNTOUCHED Chapter VI THE WILDERNESS IDEA PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL LAKESHORE Chapter VII FAMILY Chapter VIII RELENTLESS MOMENTUM RUBY MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS Chapter IX COMMON GROUND Chapter X A FIRE IGNITES ARCHES NATIONAL PARK & THE UINTA NATIONAL FOREST Chapter XI MISADVENTURE Chapter XII THE NEW THREAT GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK & CUSTER GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST Chapter XIII CONFRONTING THE BEAR Chapter XIV JOINING FORCES YUKON-CHARLEY RIVERS NATIONAL PRESERVE Chapter XV HOPE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ABOUT T

FAQs

What themes does That Wild Country focus on?

The book centers on the history and meaning of America’s public lands and the threats they face today, blending exploration with a call to keep these places public and protected.

How does Mark Kenyon structure the story?

Kenyon pairs his own adventures and connections to public land with a guided tour through major parks, forests, and wilderness areas, moving from origins to current stakes.

Which threats to public lands are highlighted in the book?

The text emphasizes chronic underfunding, development pressures, invasive species, and climate change as major challenges to environmental integrity and accessibility.

Aug 7, 2026

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