A remote crossroads honoring a fallen talent.

A water tower shaped like a giant coffee pot looms over a small Swedish village in Central California.

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

A natural dome made of volcanic glass in Inyo National Forest.

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

The interior of the Overlook Hotel in "The Shining" was based on this Yosemite original.

A glimpse into the lives of the the Miwok and Paiute people in Yosemite National Park.

Once America’s most beautiful army base, this abandoned military fort on the coast of Monterey Bay has been left to the elements.

The last of a gourmet supermarket chain, this store helped spark California's Food Revolution.

An Inca spa, military outpost or maybe… both?

A Christian monastery stands on what was once a holy Incan temple.

Built on the remains of one the Incas’ most important gathering spots, this square keeps the spirit of a fallen empire alive.

A painting in the historic Cathedral Basilica depicts Jesus and his disciples dining on a traditional Peruvian menu.

This geometric feat is a testament to the Incas' mesmerizing architectural abilities.

The stones of this Incan wall complex fit together so well you couldn't fit a piece of paper between some of them.

It took 82 years and four different plaques to finally get the story right.

If you’ve ever seen a picture of Machu Picchu, then you’ve seen a picture of Huayna Picchu—you just didn’t realize it.

These enigmatic columns tower over the ruins of an ancient Toltec city.

Diego Rivera's massive tiled fountain and failed infrastructure project.

It's believed this golden brick is part of the legendary lost Aztec treasure.

Come face to face with the ferocious visage of the serpent-headed mother goddess of the Aztecs.

The most complete statue of this Aztec god sits a top a throne carved with images of hallucinogenic plants.

The turquoise-studded skull of a long-dead Aztec man sits within Mexico City’s Museum of Anthropology.

The striking jade death mask of an ancient Maya king is displayed in a replica tomb in Mexico City.