Places exploringwithesch Wants to Go

A mysterious light floating in the trees of Arkansas may be a piezoelectric effect.

The final remnant of the Arkansas zinc industry is this historically protected ghost town.

The only diamond mine in the world where you can keep what you find.

This futuristically sylvan church is a glass-enclosed marvel of modern architecture.

A natural formation that resembles a camel resting in the New Mexico desert.

All that remains of this abandoned coal town is a beautiful, haunting cemetery.

This volcano rises like a giant anthill from the plains below, with a road spiraling up to the rim.

The most powerful laboratory radiation source in the world pulses with 1,000 times the electricity of a lightning bolt.

The remains of a historic ranch house that witnessed the Civil War battle dubbed the “Gettysburg of the West.”

This sparsely populated town offers a look back in time.

A somber monument commemorates the site of a Native American reservation marked by suffering.

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

Its history includes dinosaur fossils, cattle rustlers, Georgia O'Keeffe, and a mythical giant rattlesnake named Vivaron.

The outcropping is graffitied with the name of the beloved musical Muppet television series.

Life-sized sculpture of a blue whale made of hand-recycled plastic trash.

Setting this massive marionette aflame rids Santa Fe of doom and gloom for another year.

Recycling meets art in this colorful barricade.

In 1967, murder and mayhem disrupted the tranquility along this quiet stretch of Old Route 66.

In a largely deserted ghost town, a little brick building recalls its history as a gold rush hub and haven for outlaws.

A wealth of pop culture statuary and green chile dishes give this roadside restaurant clout.

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

Some 2,000 carvings show this rare desert spring has been an oasis for travelers for over a thousand years.

The building stands within a quiet, postcard-perfect New Mexico village.

The winter home of thousands of beautiful snow geese and sandhill cranes.