This trench, some 2,300 feet long, is only the most prominent relic of a largely forgotten episode of placer mining on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada.

This Gold Rush ghost town was once the subject of a territorial dispute between California and Nevada.

Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.

In the middle of the desert, miles from any human life, sat an anomalous pay phone that still magically answers your calls.

This historic estate on the east shore of Lake Tahoe was home to an eccentric millionaire (and his pet elephant, Mingo).

Eastern zen meets Western grit in these four little trees growing out of a rock on Lake Tahoe’s Nevada shore.

The world’s largest concentrated solar plant generates as many problems as megawatts.

Brightly colored 30-foot-tall totems light up the desert sky just outside Las Vegas.

A homage to the King at the hotel where he revived his career.

Formerly the world's largest, this Willy Wonka-esque contraption runs 24/7.

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

One of the only known surviving coconut palm trees in the entire state.

This strange seaside tower got its name from a wealthy eccentric who would hide coins among its stones.

This wooden statue commemorates a man who spent nearly 40 years waving hello to the people of Laguna Beach.

A mosaic map made of over 100,000 tiles depicts the geological features and sea creatures that live along this San Diego beachside community.

Every weekend, people gather here for a brief chance to see their loved ones on the other side of the United States–Mexico border.

After starting as a whimsical tourist attraction that eventually found its way to ruin, these renovated canals offer a lush and exotic locale on the Pacific Coast.

This iconic neon jester is a local landmark that you might recognize from his cameos in film and television.

One of the world's longest murals depicts the history of diversity in Los Angeles.

Apartment building was once posh playground to the Hollywood elite.

The largest collection of two headed animals in the world.

Where a great scandal unfolded with a famous female revivalist at its center.

In one Santa Monica parking lot a mushroom cloud made of chains heralds a message of peace.

A sign at the end of the Santa Monica Pier marks the traditional end of the legendary American highway.