As humans, we really think we know everything. To make things even worse, science can easily explain all kinds of things for us, from the formation of strange natural structures to the way some phenomena happen. We might even think that the world is now open to us and that nothing is a mystery anymore.
But that’s far from true. Some of the most mysterious places are also natural, while human hands create others. Some of them might even be haunted, and others could be inhabited by aliens or even representatives of a legendary race.
While we have absolutely no clue about any of these places, guess what? They are all located in one country: the United States. Before you delve into this list, leave behind all the scientific explanations you might have on hand and allow yourself to be baffled by the mysteries of this wonderful country!
Eternal Flame Falls, Chestnut Ridge Park, New York
Next time you hike around waterfalls in Chestnut Ridge Park, you might want to pay close attention to a weird phenomenon. Out there, you might notice a rather strange, orange-red light behind the water that looks just like a flame.
The general feeling would be that you’re seeing something similar to an optical illusion because, if you think about it, there’s no way that something could ever burn in the water. But the truth is, there’s no illusion in there because there’s an actual flame burning in that waterfall.
You’re probably wondering how this is possible. Well, the thing is, there’s a very small nook behind the waterfall that releases flammable ethane and propane gas. Once in a while, the flame extinguishes, but if there’s too much water getting there, it lists right back because of all the constant gas supply.
Racetrack Playa, Death Valley, California
Race Track Playa in Death Valley National Park is a place where something extremely peculiar happens to the stones. And please, bear with me because you’re going to read it and think that I’m writing fantasy: the stones seem to be moving by themselves, with absolutely no human or animal intervention.
On top of that, they even leave a trail in the mid-surface behind. Truth be told, no one actually saw the movement of those stones, which makes these theories even more suspicious. As a matter of fact, there’s an apparent scientific explanation for this strange phenomenon.
Scientists believe the combination of all-natural elements (ice, water, wind, and…that’s it) is to blame for this strange thing. Rainwater collects in the dry lake bed and rapidly freezes when the temperatures drop, creating a very thin layer of ice on the stones. When that ice breaks, the wind pushes the stones, and that’s how they move.
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a special place where all the mystery aficionados go. Or, at least, they wish to go. It is believed that a UFO crashed onto this particular site back in 1947, and a local ranch owner discovered the debris on his property.
The first official reaction came from an intelligence officer, who claimed that they were definitely dealing with the remains of the UFOs, and the news instantly went on the front page of all newspapers. However, later on, U.S. officials declared that it was nothing but a weather balloon.
Devil’s Tower, Wyoming
Devil’s Tower is one of the most fascinating geologic structures in the world, as it protrudes out of the prairie next to the Black Hills. The site is even thought to be sacred to the Native American tribes that were living in the area.
The main mystery around the Devil’s Tower relates to the countless parallel tracks along the rock. There’s a legend that says these tracks were made by a giant bear that was trying to climb the mountain. However, scientists believe that the origin of these formations is natural, as they might have been caused by volcanic activity and erosion. However, the exact way in which they were formed is still unknown.
Energy Vortexes, Sedona, Arizona
You’ve probably heard of Sedona, Arizona, for its magnificent red sandstone rock formations. However, did you know this magical place is also a spiritual hotspot? Some people like to come here to admire the amazing landscape and get a much-needed energy boost thanks to all the so-called vortexes.
I know what you’re thinking: VORTEXES?! Maybe not vortexes per se, but more like concentrated energy spots known to boost healing and encourage a general feeling of well-being in all their visitors. Because of this powerful energy, it seems that even trees are twisting in a strange way. Up until this point, no one had found an explanation for this phenomenon.
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
What’s really (literally) groundbreaking about Old Faithful, a geyser in Yellowstone National Park? The geyser erupts every 90 minutes as if it were an artificial fountain on the clock. The eruption doesn’t last longer than 5 minutes.
Scientists are still unsure what causes this phenomenon, but as they studied it, they found something extremely interesting. Apparently, there’s a secret egg-shaped chamber discovered in the rocks beneath the geyser, and there’s also something that looks like a pipe connected with the mouth of the geyser. So after each and every eruption, water levels start increasing, steaming the bubbles up until the explosion.
Skinwalker Ranch, Utah
This place is the site of various paranormal activities, and it was even called “the strangest place on earth.” The truth is that there are plenty of mysterious stories about this place that have been told over the decades. Even the Native American Ute tribe told various stories about these so-called “skinwalker” creatures.
I guess it all started when a family bought the ranch and moved there. Soon enough, a number of extremely bizarre events started to occur, from strange crop circles to odd lights all the way to UFO spottings. Needless to say, the ranch was rapidly abandoned. However, now it has become a scientific research center, and yes, all the scientists who work there have spotted numerous peculiar things.
Coral Castle, Homestead, Florida
The famous Coral Castle was built by Edward Leedskalnin, a Latvian immigrant who claimed that he built the castle in the same manner as the ancient Egyptians with the Great Pyramids. Well, it took over 25 years to complete it, and he used 1,000 tons of limestone boulders to build it. In fact, some of these stones weigh somewhere around 15 tons.
Naturally, it’s still a mystery how he managed to move the boulders all by himself. Some people even think he learned how to levitate. Otherwise, it makes no sense how he managed to operate on the construction site. What’s even stranger is that no mortar was used in the process, and to our disbelief, the Latvian took the secret to the grave with him.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, West Virginia
Back in 1864, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum started to take patients. At first, everything was just fine, but as time went by, they started getting more and more patients. This way, a facility that was designed to hold 250 patients had over 2,400 patients.
Given all this, conditions slowly became inhumane, including the lack of heat and the caging of some difficult patients. Eventually, it led to extreme violence from the patients, who started attacking the staff and setting fires all over. In 1994, the asylum finally closed, but some think that it is still haunted by the souls of its patients.
If you’re curious to read about other peculiar places in this world, here’s what you need to read: 7 Creepy US Small Towns You Won’t DARE to Visit
