An abandoned early 20th-century gold mine in a spectacular setting overlooking Bridgeport Valley and the Sierra Nevada.

This Gold Rush ghost town was once the subject of a territorial dispute between California and Nevada.

Bodie's 20th-century rival was a paragon of respectability and calm—but the mines eventually ran dry.

Salt is slowly eating away this abandoned saltworks town in the desert.

Abandoned hotel with adjacent lake and golf course.

This impressive tunnel was dug entirely by hand over the course of 36 years.

The liveliest ghost town in the state.

Hike amid the palm trees that thrive among Southern California's Indio Hills.

This general store offers visitors a glimpse back into the 1930s.

Instead of faces, these sculptures have barcodes—statements on societal dehumanization.

A bust of the entertainer and politician sits in an alcove at the Palm Springs Airport.

This giant spider sculpture made from the iconic car is one giant visual pun.

Traversing these canyons, visitors can take in stunning views and glimpses of the region's history.

At the western edge of Palm Springs, a rugged desert canyon trail leads to a waterfall at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains.

The so-called "Bridge of Thighs" in Palm Springs allows nudists to discreetly cross the road.

A 250 million-year-old rock formation has earned a rather unique nickname.

A pair of large white marble lions guard this stretch of the Mojave Desert, and it is utterly mysterious how they got there.

Finally the worlds of UFO enthusiasts and beef jerky lovers have come together in this roadside shop.

This giant temperature attraction created some giant electric bills.

The remnants of an early automobile route across shifting sand dunes can still be found in the deserts of Southern California.

A collection of anti-communist sculptures stands watch in the Mojave Desert.

The world's most active stratovolcano is almost always erupting.

Deep in the Guatemalan jungle stands an ancient pyramid that once marked the reign of a king.

The site of the climactic scene from the classic horror film is now a historic landmark.