Sometimes, the best part of a road trip isn’t the destination. Itap the giant fork on the side of the road, cartoon-like pink dinosaur or 21-foot-tall wooden troll you meet along the way.
Across the West, quirky roadside attractions reward travelers who are willing to take the scenic route, make an unexpected detour or pull over when something strange appears on the horizon. Some are delightfully kitschy, while others double as open-air art galleries, geological wonders and pieces of Americana. From a reptile rescue in Colorado to a 500-mile art highway through Nevada, these stops prove the journey can be every bit as memorable as where you’re headed.
World’s Wonder View Tower in Genoa
Things are looking up in Genoa, a tiny Eastern Plains town of just more than 150 people. The century-old World’s Wonder View Tower has undergone a 10-year restoration project, with its revival coinciding with its 100th anniversary. In the 1930s, “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” claimed visitors could see six states from the top: Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota and Kansas. The roadside attraction is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day, and Saturdays through September. Future plans call for yurts, huts and other unique lodging to turn the landmark into a destination.
Colorado Gators Reptile Rescue in Mosca
Alligators might be the last thing you expect to find in southern Colorado, but the Colorado gators rescue makes for a memorable detour on the way to Great Sand Dunes National Park. The rescue is home to hundreds of reptiles, including alligators, crocodiles, caiman, tortoises, turtles and rare albino alligators. Visitors can hold and take photos with a small alligator and feed larger gators and tortoises. The rescue’s most famous resident was Morris, a movie-star alligator who appeared in films including “Happy Gilmore” and “Dr. Dolittle 2.” Estimated to be at least 80 years old, the 640-pound gator died of old age in 2025. Morris was taxidermied and recently returned to the rescue.
Largest fork in the U.S. in Creede
Tucked into the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, Creede is a well-preserved Old West town with one very oversized attraction: A 40-foot-tall, 600-pound aluminum fork propped against the side of a building. Known as the Creede Fork, the hand-welded roadside attraction took a local artist three months to build and was designed to withstand the region’s strong winds. Stop for a photo with the giant flatware, then stick around to explore the restaurants, shops and acclaimed Creede Repertory Theatre.
Free-Range Art Highway in Nevada
Where the open road becomes an open-air gallery, Nevada’s roughly 500-mile Free-Range Art Highway connects Reno and Las Vegas with larger-than-life installations, quirky roadside masterpieces and the rugged beauty of the American West.
Along the way, see seven towers of brightly colored boulders rising from the desert at Seven Magic Mountains and wander among ghostly sculptures at the Goldwell Open Air Museum near the abandoned mining town of Rhyolite. In Goldfield, the International Car Forest of the Last Church turns junked cars, buses and vans into a sprawling outdoor canvas, with vehicles painted by artists and planted nose-first in the desert. Other stops include the Oats Park Art Center, housed in a historic school in Fallon.
The journey ends in Reno, which is home to more than 120 public art installations, including many inspired by or created by artists from Burning Man.
Hell’s Half Acre in Natrona County, Wyo.
About 40 miles west of Casper, Hell’s Half Acre sprawls across 960 acres of jagged badlands, caves, deep ravines and sculpted rock formations that look like the backdrop of a sci-fi movie. In fact, the otherworldly landscape appeared in the 1997 film “Starship Troopers.”
After being closed to the public for more than two decades, the geological wonder reopened in May 2026 with a new observation deck, boardwalk, picnic tables and interpretive signs. Archaeologists have also discovered artifacts there dating back 8,500 to 12,000 years. Admission is free, and early morning or late afternoon visits offer especially beautiful light that brings out the colors and layers of the badland formations.
Sculpture in the Wild in Lincoln, Mont.
Tucked into 26 forested acres just off Highway 200, Sculpture in the Wild turns Montana’s Blackfoot Valley into an open-air art gallery. Follow 2 miles of trails past large-scale works made from wood, stone and steel, with each piece telling a story connected to the region’s history and landscape.
Since the park opened in 2014, artists from around the world have contributed to its collection, and some sculptures even invite visitors to climb and interact with them. Admission is free, and you’ll want to allow at least an hour to explore. In summer, the park also hosts live music on Saturdays (from 4 to 6 p.m.), making it easy to pair an art-filled afternoon with dinner in nearby Lincoln.
Tinkertown Museum in Sandia Park, N.M.
More than 50,000 glass bottles form the winding walls of Tinkertown Museum, a wonderfully eccentric roadside attraction filled with the life’s work of artist Ross Ward. For more than 40 years, Ward carved, collected and built the 22-room museum, where hand-carved miniature worlds spring to life.
Watch the rowdy residents of a tiny Western town, see circus performers and tiger tamers under the Big Top, drop a quarter into Otto the One-Man-Band and trace the voyage of a 35-foot antique sailboat. Ward’s motto, “We did all this while you were watching TV,” is painted on a wall inside. Allow more time than you think to take in all the details, and pair your visit with a drive along New Mexico’s scenic Turquoise Trail.
Colorado Trolls in Victor and Breckenridge
Two gentle giants are hiding in the Colorado mountains. Created by Danish recycling artist and activist Thomas Dambo, “Rita the Rock Planter” in Victor and “Isak Heartstone” in Breckenridge are massive wooden trolls built from recycled materials and designed to get people thinking about waste, natural resources and caring for the planet.
The 21-foot-tall Rita kneels in the foothills outside the historic mining town of Victor, carefully tending to the earth. Reach her via a short, rocky quarter-mile hike on the Little Grouse Mountain Trail or drive up to the upper parking lot.
In Breckenridge, 15-foot-tall Isak Heartstone sits among the pines along the family-friendly Trollstigen Trail, welcoming hikers with a hand resting over his heart. Both sculptures are free to visit and part of Dambo’s worldwide collection of whimsical, larger-than-life trolls. Consider it a good excuse to get out and stretch your legs on a road trip.
Dinah the Pink Dinosaur in Vernal, Utah
Meet Dinah, the unofficial mascot of Vernal, Utah, better known as “Dinosaurland” thanks to its fossil-rich landscape. The 40-foot-tall, 4,200-pound pink dinosaur has been greeting visitors since 1958, when she was originally built to hold a sign for the Dine-A-Ville Motel. Now stationed on the east side of town, the cartoon-like roadside icon is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
After snapping a photo with Dinah, head to nearby Dinosaur National Monument, where the Quarry Exhibit Hall’s famous Wall of Bones contains more than 1,500 real dinosaur fossils still embedded in the rock, including remains of Allosaurus, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus.
