5 Most Unique Otherworldly Places in California
Last Updated on April 27, 2026
Death Valley alone could qualify for this list considering its out-of-this-world landscape, but I wanted to pick just one of its most colorful spots.
Artists Palette is hidden between the gray hills of Badwater and Furnace Creek, showing an unusual variety of colors along its hills. You can explore Artists Palette from Artists Drive or take some time in the parking lot to admire the scenery.Â
What makes this place special?
The colors of Artists Palette come from a long build-up of volcanic materials like chlorite and iron oxide scattered along the land. This collection creates the beautiful colors Artists Palette is known for, which is how it got its name.
The hills look beautiful for most of the day, but it looks the most vibrant during blue hour or a cloudy day. Bright sun washes out the colors so I really suggest you wait until after sunset to see the vibrant blue and turquoise hues.
Photography tips
I’ve talked a little bit about this in my Insta carousel which you can check here, but Artists Palette’s most famous view may not be obvious at first. You need to take the middle trail by the parking lot to find this shot, which isn’t the most common trail people take. When you get there, you can look up and see the iconic rolling hills Artists Palette is known for.
To take a perfect shot, come during blue hour (within an hour after sunset, or an hour before sunrise) and manually adjust white balance on your camera until it sees what your eyes see (in most cases you’ll need to change it to colder setting).
The Eastern Sierra area of California is a lot of things, from scenic to nostalgic, but some of its places are truly otherworldly. The ancient structure of the Crowley Lake Columns is one of them. They can only be seen during low tide, usually during dryer part of the year. The surrounding lake is known as a boating and kayaking space, but during fall and winter time you’ll be able to see these bone-like columns up close.
What makes it so special?
The Crowley Lake Columns have an alien appearance you may not find anywhere else in California. These columns were formed from the lava and ash of a volcanic eruption, creating ridges that formed these tall columns.Â
You’ll need to take a high-clearance 4-wheel vehicle to drive to the beach where the Columns are, or you can take a 4-mile hike from the nearest road. Once you get there, you’ll be able to see the columns and really feel the scale of their creation.
Photography tips
The columns look stunning anytime during the day, so you can explore the area at any point so long as the waters are low. You can check water levels here or scroll through Instagram, as most people will be tagging this location when it’s dry enough.
Bring protective gear for your camera since the area can get dusty, especially when you’re taking the trail. This is also a great time to bring a drone. Check out my reel from Crowley Lake for an example!Â
Have you ever wanted to walk on the surface of another planet? You can get that same feeling when you wander around Trona Pinnacles, a strange landscape with thin peaks that create odd colors and shapes. The Trona Pinnacles is just south of Death Valley in the California Desert National Conservation Area, which makes it a nice place to stop by along with the other views in Death Valley.
What makes this place so special?
Trona Pinnacles was formed from the remains of an ancient lake, which left over 500 tufa spires sprawling across just under 4,000 acres of land. These spires are rare to see in the wild since they normally form from limestone in water, which is probably why Trona looks so otherworldly to us. I’ve heard Mars once had water before it became a red planet–perhaps the Trona Pinnacles simulate that better than any place on Earth.
Photography tips
I’d really recommend coming to Trona Pinnacles during sunset or nighttime. Not just because the area looks absolutely stunning in magenta-dying sunlight, but also because it gets quite hot in the daytime.
It’s a popular spot for drone pilots so bring your drone if you have one. Please be considerate of people who camp there though and make sure your flying friend doesn’t make too much noise. I’d also recommend bringing wide lens and tripod to capture the starry sky here if you plan to camp or stay longer.
Boyden Cavern in Kings Canyon National Park
If you’re not too claustrophobic, cave exploration is a great way to find the more unique spaces in California. Take Boyden Caverns in Kings Canyon National Park has incredible stalagmites and stalactites hidden below ground, and a walking tour there is pretty cheap.
What makes it special?
Boyden Cavern’s marble material makes it strangely elegant and cathedral-like, with smoother textures and odd shapes. During the right conditions you can choose an option to hike back through water using an alternative path! I did it and it was a lot of fun.
Photography tips
Keep in mind that you’re not allowed to bring tripods here. Flash photography or continuous lighting for video is not allowed on the regular walking tours either. Read more of the rules here!
Bring camera with a good internal stabilization so you can take handheld pictures with slow exposure. Modern phones do this job quite well. If you book a private tour you’ll have more time to play around with pictures, and the guide might help you to lit up the space when bats are not around.
Ladder Canyon & Painted Canyon
If you’re looking for a hike that feels more like an Indiana Jones adventure than a walk in the desert, Ladder Canyon is the place to go. Located an hour away from Palm Springs, this trail is a highlight of the newly designated Chuckwalla National Monument. It takes you through narrow slot canyons with ladders and is one of the most unique desert treks in the Coachella Valley.
What makes it special?
The coolest part of this hike is right in the name: ladders! There are several metal ladders placed along the trail to help you climb up steep, narrow walls that would be impossible to get over otherwise. The canyon is also very beautiful because the walls are made of many different colors of rock. These rocks were pushed and twisted a long time ago by the famous San Andreas Fault. This area is also very important to the Cahuilla people, the Native Americans who have lived in this desert for a very long time.
Photography tips
The best time to take photos is in the middle of the morning or the early afternoon. This is when the sun is high enough to light up the bottom of the canyon without making the top look too bright. The light bounces off the walls and makes the red and orange rocks look like they are glowing!
Since you will be using your hands to climb the ladders, make sure your camera is strapped tightly to your body or tucked in a bag so it doesn’t bang against the rocks. A wide-angle lens is the best choice here because it helps you fit the tall canyon walls into one photo. If you have one of 360 cameras, you can attach it to your head and it’ll give you a fun first-person view video keeping your hands free.
