A desert ghost town—occupied for only 12 years—was once home to more than 500 silver mines.

The set location for a 1987 cult classic draws international film buffs to the middle of the Mojave Desert.

A regular looking rock with an unbelievable history.

Bootleggers ran booze beneath this building before (and after) Route 66 appeared beside it.

One of the best-preserved ghost towns in Arizona speaks to the difficulties of establishing mining towns in the 19th century American West.

This immigrant bridge once spanned the Thames but is now a fixture of an Arizona city.

This huge dam across the Colorado River caused an armed standoff between two U.S. states.

The shop's owner has spent decades in the desert wearing nothing but a strategically placed sock.

Limestone caves with spectacular showcase chambers.

The state bird of New Mexico, constructed entirely out of garbage.

These unique volcanic rock formations offer the perfect opportunity to camp and hike.

These ruins of a pre-Columbian cliff village are among the most beautiful and well preserved in New Mexico.

Home of the International Space Hall of Fame.

Explore the largest pure gypsum deposit in the world, and go dune sledding while you're at it.

See massive fossils that are over 200 million years old in northeastern Arizona.

A frozen oasis lies beneath the scorching New Mexico desert.

This bird-shaped rock formation defies gravity, time, and classification.

Some 2,000 carvings show this rare desert spring has been an oasis for travelers for over a thousand years.

This spectacular track has run continuously since 1882.

A dangerous narrow-gauge railroad once traced a route through this striking canyon.

Ninety feet off the valley floor is an ancient dwelling put under protection of the U.S. government by Teddy Roosevelt.

A spiritual vortex among the red rocks in Sedona.

The world's only teal arches exist in a city that cares more about its aesthetic than an Instagram influencer.

An excursion train traverses a picturesque red-rock canyon along the Verde River.