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

This lighthouse has been guiding shipping into the Golden Gate since before the American Civil War.

See four top-secret US spy aircraft of the Cold War era, including the legendary SR-71 Blackbird and the A-12 Oxcart.

Unusual white sandstone formations in the Los Padres National Forest.

For decades, the largest tungsten producer in the U.S. was located in a spectacular setting in the high Sierra Nevada, with some of the workings over 11,000 feet.

After the nearby mercury mine shut down, this town was abandoned and declared a Superfund site.

California's largest steel arch bridge.

A collection of anti-communist sculptures stands watch in the Mojave Desert.

Beneath the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge is the “Gibraltar of the West Coast,” a fort built to protect the San Francisco Bay from naval attack.

A unique collection of old miners' cave homes carved in to the hillside cliffs near Death Valley.

Colorful sedimentary rock layers provide opportunities both for hiking and photography.

A showcase of engineering might that was also symbolic of westward expansion.

Built to hold Gold Rush wealth, this building has withstood the test of time.

The first lookout in Yosemite.

The second-largest giant sequoia in the world.

The viewpoint for this attractive, off-the-beaten-path waterfall is reached by a paved, wheelchair-accessible trail.

A train tunnel that was made obsolete by the dam it helped create.

Deep vertical fissures like miniature slot canyons cut across the cemented volcanic rock of Black Point above Mono Lake.

The tallest bridge in California was constructed for a project that was eventually cancelled.

In one of the hottest parts of the Mojave Desert, shallow bedrock forces the typically dry Mojave River to the surface in this canyon, providing a vital oasis for humans and wildlife.

California's first suspension bridge.

Someone really, really wanted to save this fast-food icon from demolition.

California's longest-running tourist attraction is a stump.

Try the frozen treat that inspired Arrested Development's famous banana stand.