The location of the last stand of Charles Manson's doomsday cult.

This old mining town, deep in the California desert, has a year-round population of one.

The first life claimed by this record-breaking peak wasn't lost to exposure or a fall but rather lightning.

The rocks in this arid basin leave trails of movement behind them.

This crumbling Death Valley mining complex was known for its use of giant, 20-mule team wagons.

A ghost town that held steady longer than most, but finally gave up the ghost.

This gallery of prehistoric red ochre art lines the wall of a scenic segment in Utah's San Rafael Swell.

Once a menacing challenge for trailblazers, this trail is now the most scenic drive in Utah.

Giant, natural amphitheaters made of delicate geological formations called "hoodoos."

This quiet park's strange sedimentary spires were named after Kodak's color film.

This rugged area of red rocks and arches is often considered one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

The hike through a narrow river flanked by the 2,000-foot-tall walls of Zion Canyon is one of the best in the world.

Legends surround this jagged rock formation in the New Mexico desert.

The marker offers a rare chance to be in four U.S. states at once, though there's some controversy over its geographic accuracy.

A spiritual vortex among the red rocks in Sedona.

This 4,000-foot-diameter hole is touted as "the most well known, best preserved meteorite crater on Earth."

Eons ago, a rushing lava river formed this pristine passage through solid rock.

One of the largest, oldest, darkest, quietest motel rooms in the world.

Oddly shaped rock formation, misassociated with a nearby utopian community.

Despite being one of the most photographed vistas in the Rockies these twin peaks are rightfully known as the "Deadly Bells."

When ecosystems collide in the arid Southwest.

The world's largest wooden trestle stretches across this desert canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

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

A small sculpture garden that provides a microcosmic representation of California.