This work examines the geological and historical significance of the Colorado River through the lens of a modern expedition contrasted with historical records. The authors, Edward Abbey and John Blaustein, combine their respective expertise in environmental writing and landscape photography to document a two-hundred-seventy-seven-mile transit of the river. By integrating excerpts from John Wesley Powell’s original diary, the book establishes a framework that bridges nineteenth-century exploration with contemporary ecological observation.

Critics and readers frequently note the effective juxtaposition of Abbey’s narrative voice with Blaustein’s visual documentation of the canyon. Experts highlight this as a significant contribution to the literature of the American West, valued for its preservation of the river's aesthetic and historical context.