cmandler's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Point Arena, California

Bowling Ball Beach

The mysterious round rocks of Schooner Gulch.
Abiquiu, New Mexico

Echo Amphitheater

Natural sonic phenomenon comes with a grisly legend of murder and blood.
Michigan City, Indiana

Mysterious Sinkholes of Mt. Baldy

A chilling disappearance (and rescue) of a child uncovers a geological mystery.
Reno, Nevada

Pyramid Lake

This Nevada lake holds its titular natural pyramid and, if the legends are true, a number of dangerous spirits.
Mono County, California

Crowley Lake Columns

Eons old volcanic activity created one of the most stunning rock formations in the United States.
S'Archittu, Italy

S'Archittu

The titular "little arch" near this Italian resort is one of the most popular diving spots in the country.
Calhan, Colorado

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Wondrous sandstone hoodoos where Native Americans collected clay for pottery, 9,000 years ago.
Kato Kastania, Greece

Kastania Cave

This remarkable cave was discovered after a shepherd watched bees enter and exit through a small fissure.
Iceland

Berserkjahraun

This scenic Icelandic lava flow is named for a pair of Berserkers who were murdered, according to a famous Saga.
Faroe Islands

Lake Sørvágsvatn

The largest lake in the Faroe Islands seems to be held hundreds of feet above sea level thanks to an optical illusion.
Chamarel, Mauritius

Seven Coloured Earths

This small group of sand dunes manages to pack in a strange rainbow of colors.
Carcross, Yukon

Carcross Desert

This tiny square mile of Canadian sand was once considered the world's smallest desert.
Rome, Italy

Monte Testaccio

This hill made entirely of ancient Roman jars was simply a garbage dump to the people of the time.
Forsand, Norway

Kjeragbolten

This giant boulder is pinched over a 1000-meter abyss by two mountains.
Gerlach, Nevada

Fly Geyser

A collision of human error and natural geothermal pressure created this rainbow-colored geologic wonder.
Acre, Israel

Rosh HaNikra Grottoes

The bluer than blue waters in these natural Israeli caves are reached via the world's steepest cable car.
Risoul, France

Plan de Phazy

Since ancient times these picturesque springs have been providing bathers with healing waters.
Staffordshire, England

Lud's Church

This haunting stone chasm is a hotbed of mossy rock and English legend.
Malampa Province, Vanuatu

Ambrym Island

Plains of ash and pair of semi-active volcanoes contribute to the otherworldly beauty of this little-known Vanuatu island.
Bodo, Norway

Red Beach at Mjelle

According to the locals, the sands of this secluded Norway beach are infused with gemstone particles.
Zhangye Shi, China

Zhangye National Geopark

These layered sandstone mountains in China look like they are made of pressed crayons.
Leiden, Netherlands

Leiden Stones

A trio of red, white, and blue stones embedded in the streets of Leiden are markers of medieval territory and law.
Touchet, Washington

Twin Sisters

Legend says that these tall basalt pillars are the petrified wives of a trickster god.
Vantage, Washington

Ginkgo Petrified Forest

An exercise in patience and imagination, where Mother Earth turned common stuff into precious hidden treasures.