This stunning thermal pool isn't the only incredible scenery on the looping track at Waiotapu. Photo / Supplied
This stunning thermal pool isn't the only incredible scenery on the looping track at Waiotapu. Photo / Supplied
Many don their hiking boots and running shoes, and head to extravagant locations with the excitement of spotting something new. These peculiar sites more than deliver on their promise, with their bizarre and beautiful attractions leaving travellers puzzled as well as delighted.
The surprising split along the Extension Ridge Trail
The Extension Ridge track, which is located near the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, features a strange earthly oddity. The fairly accessible 2.9 km trail leads hikers to a sizeable split in the earth, known as “The Abyss” by locals. The crack is about 50cm wide and there is speculation the geological formation may have occurred after an earthquake collapsed an underground tunnel or as a result of coal mining.
The trail itself also has a rich history. It is said to have been a commuting path in the 1930s, for residents making their way to the coal mine, before it became a popular mountain bike track in the 80s and was incorporated into the Canadian Great Trail in the 90s.
Akaroa is famous for its beautiful harbour, with numerous winding, open bays. The gentle slopes of the natural landscape make the small town a perfect spot for accessible, stunning tramping. One of those steady trails, located near the carpark on Children’s Bay Rd (an easy walk from town), is dotted with eye-catching sculptures of animals. Nicknamed “The Rhino Walk”, the 4km trail is home to carved kororā, a silver alligator (with sharp teeth), copper giraffes, a clay pig and the massive titular rhinoceros, which stares out over the bay.
The vibrancy of Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland
While this otherworldly active geothermal area in Waiotapu has a long list of scenes along its loop track - including grey muddy bogs, geysers and craters - it’s also home to a particularly alien attraction. The Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland features a sight known as the “Devil’s Bath”, which is a lime green-coloured pool of water. Though the bright colour does appear like something out of a science-fiction film, it is entirely natural, forming due to the sulphur the landscape releases into the small pool.
A visitor checks out the acid-green Devil's Bath at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Photo / File
The mystery of a shelter in the Sunol Regional Wilderness
A strange rock formation found in the Sunol Regional Wilderness in the Bay Area of San Francisco has been linked to a potential outlaw past in the 1850s. The series of makeshift walls and structuring is high on a ridge and overlooks the canyon below. Historians have theorised that the fortress’s close location to gold rush throughways might have made it a good hideaway for opportunist outlaws stealing from stagecoaches. Obviously, the hike to find the hideout is a bit trickier, but the view is perfect for gazing out over - or spotting intruders.
The artistic palette in Paint Mines Interpretive Park
The rock formations on this loop near the small town of Calhan, Colorado are splashed with bright and bold colours. The 5.5km track allows hikers to marvel at the striking shades of clay, created by oxidising iron. It’s hard to believe the scenes can exist without a paintbrush being involved.
