A lumberjack in Finnish Lapland did not want to cut down his Arctic pines, so he offered them up to be adopted by nature-lovers.

This narrow coastline trail through the dense Kauai wilderness is among the most beautiful and dangerous in the world.

Beautiful waterfalls grace a canyon visibly torn by a violent tornado.

The Sighignola summit on the Swiss border offers views so breathtaking it's been named one of the most beautiful places in Italy.

The remains of this deep, dark mine have left behind a haunting rocky warren of tunnels.

The world's toughest modern Christian pilgrimage leads directly to the gates of Hell.

A meandering boardwalk across the bogland leads to a "stairway to heaven" with sublime views.

An ocean in the making, in the Ethiopian desert.

Unexplained bald patches in the landscape grow and recede over time, as though they are somehow alive.

An arresting arch punched straight through a mountain provides one of the most scenic spots, and challenging climbs, on the planet.

These beautiful historic watchtowers were used for both scanning the desert for enemy invaders and observing the celestial world.

Robot jockeys ride their humped mounts to victory as part of a 21st-century twist on an ancient desert sport.

This scalding hot river was thought to be a myth until one geoscientist made it his quest to study the mystical waters.

The shallow, salty inlet was a safe haven for 19th-century pirates.

Massive stele returned to Ethiopia after 70 years in Rome.

The hottest place on the planet.

Ethiopia's "smoking mountain" is in one of the hottest regions on the planet and is home to two lava lakes.

Supposedly this Ethiopian chapel holds the Ark of the Covenant, guarded by virgins who cannot leave the building.

Reaching the "Church in the Sky" requires scaling the cliff face of a sandstone pinnacle with a 650-foot drop.

Modern-day cave dwellers carve elaborate homes out of volcanic debris.

In this tiny Iranian town playing on the roof isn't just encouraged, it's the only place to go.

A stone wall that mysteriously moved three feet from its foundation.

The ancient tomb acts as a calendar that keeps perfect time.

This abandoned racetrack looks like it is set to hold competitions in the apocalypse.