Waimangu Geyser
The eruption of Mount Tarawera, which was the end of the Pink and White Terraces, also had a surprisingly positive outcome, it created the Waimangu Geyser. The geyser, which is also considered a wonder of the world, was named for the black sand and minerals it spewed out and is known to this day as the most powerful geyser in history.
The geyser would erupt roughly every 36 hours and would reach massive heights of 450. Tourists soon began flocking to the area to witness the marvel. In 1903, the geyser’s eruptions began to sputter out and it became completely inactive in 1904.
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre is a coastal area in Italy which is known for its beauty and remoteness. Although it is still possible to visit the area, it gets harder every year and may be impossible in the future. Cinque Terre is joining the growing number of overcrowded tourist destinations that are limiting the number of yearly visitors.
The limit is currently set at 1.5 million people per year, after over 2.5 million people visited last year and completely overran the area’s infrastructure. Pedometers on the trails will keep track of visitors and once the 1.5 million limit is reached, all access will be closed off.
Old Man of the Mountain
Not so long ago, if you found yourself in New Hampshire you could look up at the White Mountains, specifically Cannon Mountain and see an outcropping of rocks which was known as The Old Man of the Mountain. The name came from the fact that the rocks created the shape of a man in profile. The Old Man was so well known that at one time American politician Daniel Webster saw it as a sign from god saying,”…in the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men.”
The unique rock formation was even immortalized on the state’s quarter. In 2003, after years of freezing and thawing, the outcropping finally collapsed. The locals were extremely saddened and commemorated the spot below where it stood with a memorial.
Elephant Rock
Elephant Rock was a beautiful, scenic and extremely popular tourist spot for travelers. Located in the Hopewell Rocks Park, in the Canadian Province of New Brunswick, this stunning Flowerpot Formation disappeared in the spring of 2016.
Apparently, around 200 tons of rocks toppled down from the formation and turned the once-jawdropping spot into ruins. Sadly, this was a prime lookout point for travelers to enjoy the broad range of tides of the Bay of Fundy.
Jump-Off Joe
Located in Nye Beach, in Newport, Oregon, this large rock formation was once an astounding sight. The formation, called a sea stack (a column of stones stacked on top of each other caused by wave erosion), was a 100-foot-tall stack that dominated the beach. It got its unique name in the 1800s when early settlers realized it was impossible to get around the huge rock without jumping off its steep sides.
Unfortunately, in the 1890s, a gap created between the rock and its surrounding cliffs caused the arch to collapse after a severe storm hit the spot in 1916. Nowadays, there's almost nothing left of the formation.