The decaying adobe remains of an old homestead are just off the beaten path in Joshua Tree National Park.

A giant desert bird that once swung music fans at Coachella now has a home in a nearby traffic circle.

Walk through the actual strap iron cells and solitary chambers of Arizona Territory’s first prison.

Along a California highway is a kind of Jurassic Park made of metal.

Since World War II people have been decorating this stretch of the Yuma desert with signatures arranged out of rocks.

Semi-recognized center of the world, with many oddities.

A monument to a one-legged kidnapper, horse thief, and charlatan asks visitors to throw rocks in a pile.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.

A UFO scrapyard in the California desert.

This historic tower in the California desert promises visitors a "vortex of good vibes".

Catch a glimpse of the elusive Peninsular bighorns right off of the desert freeway.

These lush groves of fan palms rise up like oases out of southern California's Colorado Desert.

Version of the French Riviera destroyed by the sea.

An off-grid art installation that encourages its visitors to imagine a world without waste.

Burping, gurgling geothermal mud pots by the Salton Sea.

Huge otherworldly domed rocks on the shore of a deadly lake.

At this deceptively beautiful beach, nothing is what it seems.

Erroneously called the world's tallest flagpole, this landmark is devoted to "good neighborliness."

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

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

This famous Nevada gold mine, once a hotbed of Wild West shenanigans, is now open for tours.

A mining town once rife with murderous disputes over its copious treasures now creates income as a popular spot for photo shoots.

The cluster of boulders near Fort Irwin is covered in military insignia.

This sculpture garden in Death Valley makes you feel like you've slipped into some alternate reality.