A massive volcanic plug is now a protected area that hosts a number of bird species.

A massive hydrovolcanic explosion left a half-mile wide crater in Death Valley.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.

Marta Becket's hand-painted theater in the desert.

One of the most elaborate displays of Jellyfish is on display at the aquarium.

This stretch of beach along California's central coast is a busy highway for the largest seal in the northern hemisphere.

This dormant volcanic crater has been converted from a roiling pit of magma to a pleasant hiking spot.

The tragedy of the Japanese internment camps is remembered here by a stark "Soul Consoling Tower."

An abandoned Jazz Age dream home and con man's hideout in Death Valley.

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

Smooth basaltic rocks tell a tale of ancient glacial waterfalls.

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

Along a California highway is a kind of Jurassic Park made of metal.

Travelers leave tea kettles in a remote part of Death Valley as part of a mysterious, decades-old tradition.

A world-class observatory in the California desert.

The abandoned train depot now doubles as a well-placed rest stop for those who take the road less traveled.

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

A regular looking rock with an unbelievable history.

The highest dunes in California are the most likely place in the area to hear the Singing Sands.

Not merely a museum – but a whirring powerhouse that offers a subterranean peek into the heart and soul of cable car operations.

The ghost town that ended up on Ebay.

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

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

The ghostly remains of an accidental sea.