30-minute ride to nowhere: Halls Crossing to Bullfrog, Lake Powell, UT

Onboard: An eclectic mix of dusty red-rock junkies shares the 22-car barge ride. The 3-mile trip allows just enough time to ponder the improbability of it all—a water ride amid the parched Martian landscape of southern Utah. But keep going: Following your nose into unfamiliar territory leads to unexpected treasures.

On land: To the south lies the archaeologically rich Cedar Mesa, while the north offers Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument and Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile sandstone crease. $25/car; lakepowell.com