This towering volcanic plug stands out among the dramatic formations that dot this otherworldly desert valley.

The final resting place of the living embodiment of the famous Forest Service symbol.

This highest peak in New Mexico is named after an explorer who had a habit of lending his monicker to peaks.

The world's first commercial spaceport is a disappointment of cosmic proportions.

Wee (and not so wee) footprints that insects and reptiles of the Paleozoic Era left behind.

This quirky hot springs town known to locals as "T or C" was named after a radio show.

A clear blue swimming hole with hidden caves, still unexplored.

The land is full of geologic eye candy, such as otherworldly spires, mushroom-shaped hoodoos, and prehistoric fossils.

The largest wildlife crossing in Utah allows local fauna to safely traverse the six-lane Interstate 80 at Parleys Canyon.

The highest peak in Utah is the hardest to reach, but only if explorers choose the hard way.

A proto micro-nation sometimes populated by artists, surrounded on all sides by a Utah most barren.

Come for the speed, leave in love with the desert.

A sculpture for the sun and stars, created by Nancy Holt.

Dig for your own trilobites in this goldmine of invertebrates.

These picturesque structures speckle the hill above the monastery.

A sprawling outdoor museum filled with larger-than-life works of art.

The hometown of Popeye's creator is littered with a growing collection of granite cartoon characters.

In Chicago, a pizza-enthusiast has opened a museum dedicated to the history of pizza.

These abandoned grain silos and tunnels are an urban exploration dream.