Late last year, craving adventure and beautiful views, we made the VERY long drive down to explore the infamous Salvation Mountain and wow, was I blown away! I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. Describing things was never something I was very good at, but thankfully, I took a crazy amount of pictures while I was there and I'm so excited to be sharing some here today!
Salvation Mountain is located in the lower desert of Southern California in Imperial County just east of the Salton Sea and about a hour and a half from Palm Springs. Salvation Mountain is Leonard Knight's tribute to God and his gift to the world with its simple yet powerful message: "God Is Love."
"Salvation Mountain is a literal man-made mountain 28 years in the making, covered in half a million gallons of latex paint. What started as a small monument made of dirt and painted cement became, over time, a sprawling adobe and hay-bale mountain complex, with peripheral structures made of telephone poles, tires, and car windows, as well as art cars and sculptures, all painted in a patchwork of stripes and color blocks of whatever paint was donated that week." - Aaron Huey, National Geographic
Everything is so colorful and vibrant! From what I've noticed, there is a caretaker who resides on site who I'm assuming helps with the upkeep of the place. I've also heard that visitors donate paint to help.
It was fairly empty when we visited (we arrived just before sunset) but WOW was it hot! It was over a 100 degrees this day, which is unsurprising since it is in the desert lol. Just keep that in mind when you plan your visit though! :)
Views from the top!
Overall, I would say that the 3-hour drive to Salvation Mountain was definitely worth it! It's such a gem that needs to be experienced in person. For more information on site rules and parking, click HERE. To learn more about the history behind Salvation Mountain, click HERE.
ADDRESS:
603 Beal Rd
Niland, CA 92257
(760) 624-8754
