michellep's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Manitou Springs, Colorado

Rainbow Falls

Hidden beneath a bridge, this waterfall is known for the large amounts of graffiti painted on its base.
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Cheyenne Mountain Complex

The superstar of Cold War nuclear bunkers has been featured in countless films but is now barely operational.
Cascade, Colorado

Pikes Peak Summit House

Thanks to a quirk of elevation this gift shop produces magic doughnuts that are found nowhere else on Earth.
Alamosa, Colorado

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

When ecosystems collide in the arid Southwest.
Center, Colorado

UFO Watchtower

One woman's UFO-themed campground, complete with self-built energy vortexes, UFO-themed weddings, and magic bushes.
Cripple Creek, Colorado

Vindicator Valley Trail

This Colorado hiking trail provides a small gold mine of abandoned gold mines.
Florence, Colorado

Desert Reef Hot Springs

This naturally-sourced hot spring is now home to a clothing-optional resort.
CaƱon City, Colorado

Royal Gorge Bridge

The highest bridge in America was built for an almost unnervingly small amount of money.
Caledon, Ontario

Cheltenham Badlands

These strikingly barren, rolling red hills were caused by bad farming practices.
Amarillo, Texas

Combine City

These half-buried combine harvesters just off Route 66 are an homage to the Cadillac Ranch.
Amarillo, Texas

Cadillac Ranch

A sculpture made of 10 Cadillacs as a monument to the "Golden Age" of the American automobile.
Holbrook, Arizona

Petrified Forest National Park

See massive fossils that are over 200 million years old in northeastern Arizona.
Magdalena, New Mexico

The Very Large Array

Twenty-seven massive radio antennas on the high plains of New Mexico search for life on other planets.
Canyon, Texas

Palo Duro Canyon

The Grand Canyon of Texas.
Panhandle, Texas

Pantex Plant

The only nuclear weapon assembly and disassembly plant in the U.S.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

Sitting in the arguable birthplace of the Wild West, this museum holds the largest collection of bronco busting bric-a-brac in the world.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Architectural DNA

An old spiral fire escape dangles above a public courtyard in Midtown Oklahoma City.
Alamogordo, New Mexico

PistachioLand: World's Largest Pistachio

This is one really big nut.
New Mexico

Trinity Atomic Bomb Site

Twice a year, visitors can tour the desolate site that birthed the Atomic Age.
Bosque Farms, New Mexico

Pueblo of Isleta

This centuries-old pueblo church houses the body of a Franciscan friar who is said to be a rare "incorruptible" corpse.
Tijeras, New Mexico

Starfire Optical Range

The U.S. Air Force has an anti-satellite laser weapon.
Albuquerque, New Mexico

The De Anza Motor Lodge

A burnt-out motel with priceless Native American artwork in the basement, redeveloped into apartments.
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Pueblo MontaƱo Chainsaw Sculpture Garden

When life gave this firefighter a forest fire, he made a rough-hewn sculpture park using a chainsaw.
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Tumbleweed Snowman

Albuquerque found the perfect use for tumbleweeds at Christmastime.