An award-winning author and photographer returns to the Arctic to document the effects of climate change.

Forty years ago, the park ranger Jon Waterman took his first journey into the Alaskan Arctic, to the Noatak headwaters. He was astonished by the abundant wildlife, the strange landscape, and its otherworldly light—how the “frequent rain showers glow like lemonade poured out of the sky.” Taken with a new sense of wonder, he began to explore the North on several trips in the 1980s.

After a 30-year absence from the Noatak, he returned with his son in 2021. Amid a now-flooded river missing the once-plentiful caribou, he was shocked and heartbroken by the changes. The following year, in 2022, he took one final journey “into the thaw” to document—for this lushly illustrated and scholarly book—the environmental and cultural changes wrought by the climate crisis.

A widely published author and photographer, Waterman’s narrative alternates between adventure and wilderness memoir and plainly stated natural history of the area. Chased by bears, sometimes alone for weeks on end amid hordes of mosquitoes, he notes the extraordinary changes from 1983 until the present day: brush grown over the tundra in a phenomenon called Greening of the Arctic, tear-drop-shaped landslide thaw slumps—a.k.a. thermokarsts—caused by thawing permafrost, and an increasing loss of sea ice as he travels along the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The author also spends time with the kindhearted, welcoming Inuit or Inupiat most affected by the Arctic crisis, who share how their age-old culture has attempted to cope with “the thaw.” Stricken by the change, Waterman paints an intimate portrait of both the villages and the little-visited landscape, because “it’s high time that we truly understand the Arctic.” He writes, “Lest we forget what it once was.”

Through his quest for wonder—in prose illuminated by humility and humor—Waterman shows how the Arctic can confer grace on those who pass through. Despite the unfolding crisis, as a narrative of hope, at the book’s end he suggests actions we can all take to slow the thaw and preserve what is left of this remarkable, vast frontier.

From the deep forests of the Canadian Northwest to the red-rock deserts of the American Southwest, North America offers a myriad of opportunities for hiking, camping, trekking, and simply enjoying the abundance of the natural world. This opulent volume highlights 41 of those wilderness locations.

Filled with authoritative maps, data-driven graphics, awe-inspiring photographs, and thoughtful essays, this vivid book will feed the soul of everyone who loves wild places. Six lush chapters take readers from the eastern woodlands to the central plains, from the northern wilderness to southwestern desert lands—including key wilderness areas in Canada and Mexico.

You’ll discover the fascinating history of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks, learn about fossil remains on the Upper Missouri River, gaze through the rainforest canopy of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, and experience Grand Canyon Parashat’s Dark Sky Park. A special section rich in maps and graphics highlights 13 thematic topics, such as the National Scenic Trail System and the human impact on wilderness areas.

With more than 250 maps, both archival and custom-made for this volume, National Geographic Atlas of Wild America was named best book/atlas of 2023 by the international Cartography and Geographic Information Society.

A beautiful book, bursting with information and lyricism, this fascinating illustrated atlas will inspire all who have journeyed into the wild—and intrigue many who still hope to do so.

The first book of its kind, this stunning atlas showcases America’s spectacular park system from coast to coast, richly illustrated with an inspiring and informative collection of maps, graphics, and photographs.

From the white sand beaches of Dry Tortugas to the snowy peaks of Denali, this captivating book combines authoritative park maps with hundreds of graphics and photographs to tell the stories of America’s sixty one beloved national parks. Former ranger and author Jonathan Waterman introduces readers to the country’s scenic reserves and highlights the extraordinary features that distinguish each: magnificent landmarks, thriving ecosystems, representative wildlife, fascinating histories, and more. With striking imagery and state-of-the-art graphics reflecting details of wildlife, climate, culture, archaeology, recreation, and more, this lush reference provides an up-close look at what makes these lands so special–and so uniquely American. A heartfelt foreword from National Geographic CEO Gary Knell reminds us how important these lands are to our lives and our national pride.