Some landscapes look as though somebody made them up. Rocks balance on narrow stems, a beach turns green and a waterfall pours through darkness far underground. Nature has been working on its stranger attractions for a very long time.
These five formations from the Oddities Directory are worth building a stop around. They range from a guided cave visit to remote desert exploring, so choose your adventure with a little care.
1. Bisti Badlands Hoodoos
Near Farmington, New Mexico
The Bisti Badlands look like geology got bored with sensible shapes. Mushroom-shaped hoodoos, balanced rocks and bands of color spread across a nearly treeless basin south of Farmington. Pick a direction and another strange silhouette seems to appear beyond the last one.
Erosion did the sculpting here, leaving a landscape that feels wonderfully unfamiliar without a single built attraction. Visiting takes preparation: most formations have no marked trails, so bring offline maps, plenty of water and sun protection. Unpaved access roads can become impassable after rain. The Directory’s location points to the main parking area, not a particular hoodoo. This free wilderness stop rewards planning and patient exploration.
Explore Bisti Badlands Hoodoos in the Oddities Directory
2. Secret Caverns
Howes Cave, New York
A waterfall roughly 100 feet tall is impressive anywhere. Put it deep inside a limestone cave and the visit becomes considerably stranger. Secret Caverns delivers that underground surprise after a descent through stairs and uneven passages, with eccentric hand-painted roadside signs setting the mood before you go below.
The waterfall is the big payoff, but getting there is part of the experience. This is a paid guided tour through a cool, damp cave, so wear shoes with good traction and check current tour details before traveling. Unlike an overlook where you hop out for a quick picture, Secret Caverns asks you to follow the route down and let the landscape reveal its hidden feature.
Explore Secret Caverns in the Oddities Directory
3. Papakōlea Green Sand Beach
Near Naalehu, Hawaiʻi Island
Papakōlea’s sand really is green. From the rim of an eroded volcanic cone, the cove puts olive-colored grains between rust-brown cliffs and blue ocean. The color comes from olivine crystals released as waves break down the volcanic rock, with heavier green grains remaining while lighter material washes away.
Reaching the beach means roughly a 2.5-mile walk each way across exposed coastal terrain, followed by a steep, rough descent. There are no beach services or lifeguards, and strong surf and currents can make swimming hazardous. Bring water, sun protection and sturdy footwear. Walk established routes, respect nearby cultural sites and leave the sand where it belongs. A photograph is the souvenir this fragile shore can spare.
Explore Papakōlea Green Sand Beach in the Oddities Directory
4. Goblin Valley State Park
Near Green River, Utah
Goblin Valley looks populated even when you have the view to yourself. Thousands of squat sandstone hoodoos crowd the valley floor, their bulbous tops and lopsided outlines suggesting a gathering of stone creatures. One odd rock is interesting. A whole basin of them starts to feel like a neighborhood.
The goblins formed as erosion removed softer material beneath more resistant rock. Visitors can wander among the formations, which makes the scale and variety much easier to appreciate than from a distant lookout. State park admission is required. Keep your exploration gentle: these shapes are fragile, and climbing on or damaging them can undo what took an enormous amount of geological time to create.
Explore Goblin Valley State Park in the Oddities Directory
5. Fantasy Canyon
Near Vernal, Utah
Fantasy Canyon squeezes a remarkable amount of weird into a small patch of desert. Thin sandstone ribs, miniature arches, knobs and shapes resembling faces or animals sit close together, as though somebody carved a sculpture garden and forgot to tell anyone.
Different parts of the sandstone resisted erosion at different rates, allowing wind and water to leave behind the intricate forms. The compact site makes it possible to notice plenty without a long expedition, but it deserves a slow look. Viewing is free. Keep your hands and feet off the formations: the sandstone is soft, brittle and surprisingly easy to damage. Half the fun is deciding what each shape resembles without touching a thing.
Explore Fantasy Canyon in the Oddities Directory
Give the landscape time to surprise you
These are five separate trip ideas rather than one practical driving route. Secret Caverns offers a guided experience, while Bisti and Papakōlea need more preparation for exposed terrain. Goblin Valley and Fantasy Canyon reward unhurried looking. Check the Directory entries before leaving, and treat the fragile features as something to photograph rather than climb or collect.