Sagebrush Empire

San Juan County, Utah, contains some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, rich in culture and history. But it's also long been plagued with racism, bitterness, and politics as twisted as its iconic slot canyons. In April 2017, outdoor-loving Coloradoans Mark Franklin and Rose Chilcoat went camping in the Valley of the Gods. On the way in, Franklin closed the gate on a corral they passed. Two weeks later, the semi-retired graphic designer and environmental activist were facing felony charges brought by the county in retaliation for Chilcoat's past work protecting public lands. Award-winning investigative journalist Jonathan P. Thompson explores what the case can tell us about this corner of the western United States, which for five decades has been at the center of the American public lands wars.