Drive up a paved road into "Nevada's Yosemite" for exquisite views and mountain hiking in an alpine setting.

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

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

Dig for your own trilobites in this goldmine of invertebrates.

Largest collection of mounted dinosaur specimens in the world.

The largest island on the great salt lake is home to curious creatures and strange stories.

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

This Florida sinkhole hides a rainforest-like micro-environment in its depths.

A trek through the solar system here on earth.

The world's largest occupied bat houses hold hundreds of thousands of flying mammals.

As its grandiose name implies, this wooden dome is unsurpassed in size.

The honor of highest point in Michigan was almost given to the wrong peak before this mountain won out by 11 inches.

The highest point in Wisconsin is capped by two towers that are not as mythic as Tolkien's but provide much better views.

A remnant of the last Ice Age, this lake is surrounded by fascinating rock formations.

This family driveway also serves as the highest point in Illinois.

This cave holds a surprisingly colorful variety of geological oddities.

A bypass decorated with large wooden troll carvings.

Hidden away in the city of Madison, Wisconsin is a nearly forgotten home that Frank Lloyd Wright built for a childhood friend.

Comprised of Spanish war cannons, this sculpture once graced the bow of a WWI warship.

A hundred-year-old museum filled with giant physics toys and experiments designed by grad students.

The arboretum whose marshy soil sucked up the dreams of housing developers.

The oldest university museum west of the Mississippi retains its 19th century feel.

The highest point in Iowa, while not that impressive to mountain states, has earned its own monuments.

The ravine where Jesse James supposedly performed an impossible jump to evade capture.