A Hawaiian stairway to heaven—that you can't climb.

A prehistoric landscape hidden in the cliffs of Maha'ulepu.

This blowhole is supposedly caused by a trapped monster.

This industrial area was the dumping ground for massive amounts of trash, some of which washes up as tiny bits of sea glass.

Submerged lava formations create incredible waterworks.

A once-glowing grotto at the bottom of Waikapalae Wet Cave.

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

One of the most unusual geological features, recognizable from a dozen hit movies.

A desert ghost town—occupied for only 12 years—was once home to more than 500 silver mines.

This old mining town, deep in the California desert, has a year-round population of one.

A pair of large white marble lions guard this stretch of the Mojave Desert, and it is utterly mysterious how they got there.

The cluster of boulders near Fort Irwin is covered in military insignia.

The largest man-made crater in the U.S. marks the spot where we once tested mining with nukes.

The lowest point in North America is home to an undrinkable pool surrounded by fields of geometric salt flats.

A former utopian healing center created by a huckster and built by derelicts.

The contents of this safe survived a 37-kiloton nuclear bomb.

The largest dune field in the Mojave offers a chance of hearing the 'singing sands.'

Water of undetermined depth has attracted rare fish and cult leaders alike.

All of the 20 occupied houses in this mostly abandoned town feature some curious display of junk art.

This massive geographical sculpture is so subtle, it's possible to pass by it without noticing.

The most isolated mailbox in America lets desert travelers record their passing.

A volcanic tunnel illuminated by natural skylights offers a shaded respite from the desert sun.

This sculpture garden in Death Valley makes you feel like you've slipped into some alternate reality.

A mysterious and endangered parasitic herb from the California desert.