Secret Spots

12/05/2024

The narrow, moss-covered gorge follows the Oneonta Creek, which is an off-trail portion of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

12/05/2024

These expansive salt flats, located west of the Great Salt Lake, were formed when Lake Bonneville dried up, leaving a large land mass of salt stretching in every direction. Tourists are provided easy access to this area via a rest stop located just outside of the flats.

12/05/2024

This rolling landscape offers some of the most unique miles of desert in the Four Corners region. The hiking trails in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area cover around 60 square miles of remote badlands—meaning that a solitary desert hike isn't out of the question for most venturing across the ancient rock formations.

12/05/2024

Located in the Craighead Caverns in Tennessee, the Lost Sea is the United States' largest and the world's second-largest non-subglacial underground lake.

12/05/2024

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This magnificently-colored sandstone, stretching across regions of the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in Arizona, is without a doubt one of the most photogenic picks on this list. No matter the season, the rich colors of its walls, which were created by deposits of iron, cast a glow across the canyons. Since the average hike to and from The Wave is around six hours, it is recommended that hikers pack for a full day, and use caution in the heat.

12/05/2024

If you want to visit a truly unique spot, look no further than Kitch-iti-kipi, meaning "big spring" in the Ojibwe language. According to Atlas Obscura, you can find the crystal clear, freshwater spring in Palms Book State Park.

12/05/2024

"Most visitors of stunning Southern Utah pass right by one of the nation's true hidden gems as they make a straight line for the more famous destinations of Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park," Marland tells Best Life.

12/05/2024

Fort Bragg, California, is home to one of the most unique beaches in the entire country: Glass Beach, which, like its name implies, is comprised of sea glass formed by decades of trash dumped along its coastline.