Odd outsider art installations surround a Gold Rush-era ghost town.

Towering basalt columns, a creation of fire and ice.

Factory that once supported an entire company town of 350.

The echoes of a railroad town that solemnly mark the end of the line.

A classic American barn that was the home of a classic American television star.

"Only the devil could play golf here."

The liveliest ghost town in the state.

Magical-looking cottages that inspired one of the most famous animated films ever.

Finale of "William Tell Overture" can be heard as drivers pass over grooves in the road.

Aqueducts have dramatically changed this old lake, now home to tufa towers and its very own species of tiny brine shrimp.

Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.

It should come as no surprise that the best view of the Hollywood sign is from Batman's lair.

Subterranean house made out of a grain silo, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The oldest lighthouse on America's west coast no longer needs keepers, yet they maintain the site anyhow.

The famous animator's private station house and man-cave was the birthplace of imagineering.

The diverse and sometimes odd cultural heritage of the Golden State is collected, examined, and displayed in this proud museum.

Under the right circumstances, this waterfall in Yosemite briefly turns a luminescent fiery orange.

A ring of creosote bushes that are estimated to be 11,700 years old.

Costumed elves and mountain bikers co-exist peacefully at this abandoned Christmas-themed adventure park.

Abandoned anti-ballistic missile base.

This municipal playground was co-created by the father of one of the most playful characters ever.

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

An unreal vintage shop that wears its dadaist influence on its zombie fish.