19 Stunning Images of Abandoned Things Being Reclaimed by Nature

"Going to the mountains is going home," John Muir, Scottish-American naturalist, once wrote.

Whatever humans do, and whatever they build, nature will end up taking it over in some form or another.

Here are 19 incredible images of objects, structures, and machines, that are abandoned and have slowly been taken over by nature. 

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1. An eerie reminder of a lost childhood

Elmo toy that I found while hiking in Georgia from r/AbandonedPorn

Ever had a teddy bear you were incredibly attached to and lost? Whoever lost this stuffed Elmo toy —that looks like it's had its green fluff replaced by moss— likely grew out of soft toys by now.

2. This abandoned spa complex in Romania

This image was photographed at the sulfur springs of Baile Herculane, Romania. They used to be a popular getaway for Austro-Hungarian royalty. Today, the structure is only home to the local flora and fauna.

3. Incredible machines left to rot

Elf F1 transporter and cars left outside to rot from r/AbandonedPorn

A Formula 1 car today can cost between $10 and $20 million. It's incredible then, that these were simply left out to pasture.

4. Another eerie abandoned toy

This toy car I found during my walk this afternoon after some heavy rain. from r/AbandonedPorn

There's something particularly unsettling about a child's abandoned toy. This toy car, found after a heavy downpour, is no exception.

5. An image from the future?

This drone on its way to becoming a fossil. from r/AbandonedPorn

As this poster puts it, this drone looks like it's well on its way to becoming a fossil. It's strange seeing an example of such a new technology that looks like it's been abandoned for ages.

6. Can we track down the location of the Batcave now?

Now this is a nice find from r/AbandonedPorn

This is quite a find, we have to say. This old abandoned Batmobile structure was found near an old comic book store.

7. Old presidential statue heads

In rural Virginia, there are about 40 crumbling stone president's heads lying abandoned on private farmland.

As ThisIsColossal.com explains, they were originally commissioned for Presidents Park, an open-air museum commemorating U.S. presidents. The museum, which was opened in 2004, closed only 6 years after opening due to lack of attendance.

8. Abandoned Russian space shuttles

Two years ago I sneaked into an active Russian base to see two abandoned Buran shuttles [OC][2000x1333] from r/AbandonedPorn

The Buran ("blizzard" in Russian) was the Soviet's response to NASA's space shuttle. It was discontinued after only one flight. Two shuttles remain at the disused hangar of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan — which is still used as a spaceport to send astronauts to and from the ISS.

9. This abandoned house being retaken by the desert

House abandoned and retaken by the desert in California from r/AbandonedPorn

Foliage isn't the only thing in nature that can envelop an old structure. Though the poster of this image didn't specify where this amazing shot of a house being swallowed whole by the desert was taken, it is likely in Newberry Springs, California.

10. Decorative moss growth 

Abandoned shoe turned into a planter from r/AbandonedPorn

Much like the abandoned Elmo toy, the aesthetics of this trainer blend quite seamlessly with its surrounding nature. It might be an idea for a new shoe line. 

11. The MS World Discoverer wreckage

MS World Discoverer was a german expedition cruise ship. It hit a uncharted reef in the sandfly passage, Solomon Islands 29. April 2000. from r/AbandonedPorn

The MS World Discoverer was a cruise ship that was wrecked when it struck a large uncharted reef in the Sandfly Passage, Solomon Islands. Thankfully, no one was injured, and Captain Kruess, who was in charge of the vessel, and his crew were lauded for their exemplary management during the crisis. 

12. An old car abandoned in a farmer's field

Old car left in a farmers field. [OC] from r/AbandonedPorn

This is stunning for its incredible astrophotography as well as for the old abandoned car that looks like it might have been lying there since the 1930s. Perhaps there are also some abandoned planets orbiting those distant stars, left behind by alien civilizations.

13. An apocalyptic picture of the Fukushima exclusion zone

Radioactive cars from the Fukushima disaster slowly being eaten by nature [1841x1227] from r/AbandonedPorn

Only one of Arkadiusz Podniesinski's many amazing photographs of the exclusion zone in Fukushima, this image shows cars that have been left abandoned after the Fukushima nuclear accident caused by the 2011 tsunami that hit Japan.

14. A disused escalator taken over by vines

Escalators stopped in time, nature takes over it from r/AbandonedPorn

This old abandoned escalator at an unknown location is an incredible example of nature overwhelming a piece of unused machinery. The only thing climbing these escalators today are vines.

13. An abandoned track to the heavens

Lost tracks in Lake Tahoe from r/AbandonedPorn

Have you seen the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away? This looks just like a scene from that stunning animated masterpiece. While the photo might look like it was taken inside a fictional abandoned Japanese theme park, it was actually taken at Lake Tahoe.

14. Abandoned railway in Taiwan

This abandoned rail road in Hemlock Forest Taiwan from r/AbandonedPorn

Another great movie by Studio Ghibli, that this image of an abandoned track in Hemlock Forest, Taiwan resembles is Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. The film, like much of Studio Ghibli's work touches on the theme of abandoned technologies and humanity's impact on nature.

15. A downed jet plane lying in a Polish farm

/X-post An actual image of a PZL TS-11 Iskra hidden away in the middle of the polish countryside (Photo credit : Tom Dolmann) from r/AbandonedPorn

This photograph, taken by Tom Dolmann, shows a PZL TS-11 Iskra lying abandoned in a field. The PZL TS-11 Iskra is a jet trainer that has been used by the Polish and Indian airforces.

16. A submerged military museum

Old tanks left underwater from r/AbandonedPorn

These modified British Chieftain tanks were photographed at the world's first underwater military museum, the Jordan Underwater Museum, which is located off the coast of Aqaba.

17. Abandoned automobiles in a Japanese forest

Two cars abandoned in the woods of japan. Kind of eerie from r/AbandonedPorn

These car owners are so overdue on their parking tickets that they're probably forest spirits by now. 

18. A perfect match

Found this beautiful tree growing inside an abandoned silo while I was exploring. from r/AbandonedPorn

Sometimes nature just fits perfectly into abandoned manmade structures, as in this photograph of an abandoned silo with a tree growing right through the middle.

19. This old car belongs to this raccoon now

Raccoon pokes its face out of an abandoned 1970s Ford Pinto (Jason Bantle) [1440x960] from r/AbandonedPorn

An old abandoned 1970s Ford Pinto, a raccoon, and a perfectly timed photograph. We can't think of a better example of a manmade structure being reclaimed by nature.