Decommissioned experimental solar facilities that pioneered solar energy technology.

Like a kitschy mirage in the Mojave, this eatery serves up classic 50s-style diner meals and a dinosaur sculpture garden.

This strangely vacant Western amusement seems to be an empty tribute to residents of Lucerne Valley.

The set location for a 1987 cult classic draws international film buffs to the middle of the Mojave Desert.

One of the ghostly stops along Route 66.

The ghost town that ended up on Ebay.

The stone-covered graves lie within the ruins of an Old West ghost town.

Crumbling pink walls and murder memorials preserve the pioneer history of Joshua Tree.

This conservation area is also home to many of the region's desert tortoises.

A fake town founded by Western movie stars is now becoming a hip desert community.

A music-filled, booze-soaked oasis in the desert.

A ring of creosote bushes that are estimated to be 11,700 years old.

At the western edge of Palm Springs, a rugged desert canyon trail leads to a waterfall at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains.

Traversing these canyons, visitors can take in stunning views and glimpses of the region's history.

You don't have to be a diplomat to visit the so-called Camp David of the West.

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

Built for an exposition in 1915, these horticultural displays have stood the test of time.

One of the few remaining carousels built by master amusement park carver Charles I.D. Looff.

L. Frank Baum wrote part of the "Wizard of Oz" series in this wooden Victorian beach resort.

A historic train ride from California to Mexico.

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

The remnants of an early automobile route across shifting sand dunes can still be found in the deserts of Southern California.

A wondrous place to watch a special flower bloom.

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