Top 4 Weirdest Natural Wonders in America

Let’s explore the weirdest natural wonders of our nation!

While places like French Polynesia and Bora Bora offer immeasurable possibilities to witness natural beauty at its best, you don’t need to travel far from home to find inspiring natural wonders. Our country has plenty of places to visit that are sure to leave you breathless.

No matter what part of our country you visit, you’ll always find something to appreciate or explore. And it’s more than just beaches and exciting cities that you will find.

This nation is also filled with unusual, fascinating, unique, and just downright weird spots in some cases. Visiting some of the weirdest natural wonders in the US is a great way to explore diverse places from a new perspective.

So here are 4 of our favorites for you to start with!

Mendenhall Ice Caves, Alaska

The coldest place on this list of weirdest natural wonders might actually also be the toughest to get to! Do you think you have what it takes to scale the ridge and see this impressive glacier? Well, you’ll have to hike about 800 feet on slippery, steep, mountainous terrain.

But the view once you get there will be worth it. A river of ice still courses through the glacier formation. The Mendenhall ice caves sit inside a 12-mile glacier near Juneau, also requiring a kayaking trip to visit.

Unfortunately, the site is at risk due to climate change, so if you want to explore it, you might not want to wait too long.

These frigid blue tunnels have a spacey, science-fiction ambiance, producing scenes so eerie and fascinating that photographers who’ve visited are oftentimes accused of digitally manipulating their images!

The Wave, Arizona

One of the most incredible geological formations in the world began taking shape over 190 million years ago. Arizona’s Wave stands in the Coyote Buttes ravine, about 5,225 feet above sea level.

The Wave has a remarkable undulating formation, with enormous sandstone structures resembling stretched taffy and cinnamon-colored strata domes. It’s, in a way, a geological snapshot of natural forces’ impact on the environment.

The Wave comprises Navajo Sandstone dunes that have calcified horizontally and vertically, turning into hardened, compacted rocks over time. Slow wind and rain erosion created one of nature’s weirdest natural wonders.

But before planning a trip, please note: While the rocks have been hardened, they’re still sensitive to damage. Only 20 visitors can walk through the ravine daily, and permits are required.

The permits are issued through online and in-person lotteries, and tour guides are also available for hire.

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

This is one of the weirdest natural wonders in the US that’s said to be both incredibly grand and unusually gloomy. It’s the longest-known cave system on the planet, and over 400 miles of it have been explored. It is even a World Heritage Site.

And while humans have been known to have been studying it for thousands of years, it remains an unusual place to visit. More than 400 miles of winding rock tunnels and vast chambers of Mammoth Cave National Park have been explored, but many more remain untouched.

If you choose to visit, you can descend into the earth and explore the rare beauty and secrets of the cave for yourself on a guided tour. Most range from 30 minutes to five hours.

But that’s not all! Above ground, nature lovers can enjoy horseback riding, hiking, ziplining, and rock climbing. Plus, kayaking and canoeing on the Green and Nolin Rivers are also available, and they flow right through the park.

Thor’s Well, Yachats, Oregon

Did you know that a natural hole is draining the sea on the Oregon coast? Near Cape Perpetua, a gaping, apparently bottomless sinkhole engulfs the unbroken stream of seawater around it. In fact, Thor’s Well isn’t bottomless… but it IS perilous.

Also called the drainpipe of the Pacific, the well is a hole in the rock that appears to drain water from the ocean.

Researchers say that the “Well” probably started as a sea cave scooped out by the waves before the roof ultimately collapsed and formed openings at the top and bottom through which the water sprays. The vast hole is most likely only about 20 feet deep in all actuality.

But it still produces impressive sights. This is one of the weirdest natural wonders that’s most spectacular to view at high tide or during storms when the water crashes violently over the rocks and funnels into the hole.

But be aware! During these torrents, unsuspecting visitors to the site risk being swept into the vortex.

Regardless of the dangers, though, photographers continue to flock to this majestic fountain to snap some fantastic pics of the waters that live up to their namesake’s personality. So make sure you grab your camera if you venture out to this incredible location!

Be sure to leave us a comment to let us know if you’ve visited any of America’s weirdest natural wonders! And if you liked this article, we also recommend reading about 5 Charming TV and Movie Locations You Should Add to Your Bucket List