I did a long weekend trip to Palm Desert with the goal of visiting the Salton Sea. Originally, I planned to loop the entire shoreline, but after talking with a ranger at the visitor center, I stuck to the east side and doubled back, which was definitely the right call. Our turnaround point was Salvation Mountain, right next to Slab City. Before going, I had read about Leonard Knight and the story behind the mountain, which honestly made the visit more meaningful. The dedication and message behind it are almost as interesting as the site itself. It is kind of amazing that the structure still stands today and is in such solid condition. The drive out was mostly fine, though hot and dusty, especially on a Saturday afternoon. I would recommend going earlier in the day if possible. The mountain itself looked better maintained than I expected. The colors were bright, and it was clear that ongoing work is being done to preserve it. I left a small donation since it felt like a meaningful effort to support. That said, it did not fully resonate with me. While I can appreciate the effort and story, the style of art and the surrounding environment did not quite click. If you are into outsider art or off grid communities, you will probably get more out of it than I did. The biggest downside is the immediate setting. Being next to Slab City definitely impacts the experience. The vibe felt a bit uncomfortable at times, and we did not stay long or continue on to East Jesus. Overall, I am glad I visited. It is unique, and the story behind it adds depth, but it is more of a one time stop for me than a place I would go out of my way to revisit. 3 stars. read more

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Quirky fun is all I can say. About 90 minutes from Palm Desert. Just a strange experience but fun. I didn't reel it was inspired. Just the work of an obsessed man. Glad us was free. Then up the road is Slab City. Nothing worth mentioning there. Just ramshackle campers, burned out campers and various types of encampments. It was interesting once. read more

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Absolutely loved coming here beautiful. A little climbing but not much to get to top. Not long but can spend a little time looking at every detail and taking pictures. No fee to see or enter. Plenty of parking and not busy we were only ones on this master piece at the time. Definitely worth it if around. A little far had to pass boarder patrol even though didn't cross any boarders. read more

Salvation Mountain - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

The Salvation Mountain is located in the lower desert of SoCal, and east of the Salton Sea. It is Leonard Knight's religious passion and creation of this brilliant outsider art, including flowers, trees, waterfalls, suns, bluebirds, and other colorful objects. From the bottom sea of galilee, to the middle big red heart, to the top cross, the love theme is everywhere. I really respect the efforts to create this masterpiece in the middle of nowhere, and it's an incredible piece of artwork. read more

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This is my second visit to Salvation Mountain in ten years. The place has stood still and remains captivating! From a distance it's like a big colorful cake and as one gets closer, it's a world away. It's beautiful and unique. Reflective and wonderful. Further down the road from Salvation Mountain is House of Dot. A place or a home made for imagination. Leave reality behind for a couple of hours and come to Slab City! read more

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I was dragged here against my better judgement by my nephew, a bright young man with hipster delusions. On arrival we encountered an actual hipster couple, identifiable by his non-ironic mustache and her wind-up 16mm Bolex camera. "Is that an old video camera" I asked. "Sort of" was her retort. Salvation Mountain a work of devotional art, which makes it hard to criticize lest one comes across churlish, worse, religiously intolerant. Which is good because I've been called worse. The Sistine Chapel, it is not. It's more like a Middle School art project that became a life long obsession due to a lack Adderall. I hope you enjoy your time if you must go. Though I doubt you'll be there long. read more

Heaven and Hell..... Here's what you should know. This is a great little spot if you are someone who likes to see unique places, and also if you love Jesus and the Bible. That's the good part. It's like a slice of heaven that fell to earth in the middle of the desert. Here's the bad part. This place is truly in the middle of nowhere and very much out of the way from wherever you're going. It's basically in hell. It's close to the Salton Sea, which is completely disgusting....read my review on the Salton Sea. Getting here is at least an hour off the main highway (10), so visiting will cost you a couple hours. It's super hot as it's in the middle of the desert. No running water, but they do have a port-o-pot if you need to go. While this place has good intentions, it kinda reminds me of a hippie commune. There are at least 4 vehicles and a motorcycle/mo-ped on the property that have been decorated similar to the mountain structure. It's cool to see, but my guess is those vehicles broke down years ago and they decided it wasn't worth the money to have them towed or repaired. So, if you are between Arizona and California on the 10 freeway and you have a couple hours of free time, definitely check it out. Otherwise it's the only attraction around and far away. read more

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One of a kind art exhibit with breathtaking views. Leave with beautiful photographs. So much else to see and do in the area. Definitely worth making the trip for. God Is Love! read more

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We decided to make the drive here on a Tuesday from Palm Springs because, unbeknownst to us, a lot of attractions are closed on Mondays/Tuesdays in Palm Springs. The drive itself was fairly easy, mostly on a one way road, which the last 10-15 minutes to Salvation Mountain being a bit bumpy. We parked on the very left side, in front of the road sign where majority of other cars were parked. 2 porter potties only too. The art and story behind the artist is pretty interesting, bringing something very unique to Slab City, a place I would otherwise never visit. Beyond the hill, there's not much to see anywhere else. If you looked at previous photos pre-covid, this place definitely needs some more TLC. Patches of paint have came off around the premises and there's not painted paint cans acting as a barrier. There seems to only be one person keeping maintenance and he will let you know when you're not following the signs - majority of things are now 'do not touch/climb/lean/sit' for preservation I assume. You are no longer allowed to walk up the mountain and follow the yellow trail and the church is closed. Peeping through it though, it looks as though the dirt is caving in. Overall, it was a neat spot to see for one time and I was happy to donate to keep this artwork intact for others to experience. Venmo and cash donations available. read more

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Beautiful. It really was just like the pictures. Very cool experience. The person working there was very friendly and so was his cat! :) make sure when you go, you leave a donation!! Also, we made the mistake of going in July....so yeah it was like 120 degrees. My phone started heating up so I couldn't take all the pictures I wanted to, so keep that in mind as well.... I should also mention that the surrounding area isn't the best, but l I'll let you do your own research on that. Salvation mountain was worth the drive in my opinion, though! read more

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Dope vibes. Very interesting visuals. I highly recommend checking it out while in the area! read more

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An incredible art installation designed by one man whose message is about God and Love. A very Interesting place to visit in the dessert. Worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

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The testimony of Lord Jesus Christ molded from adobe and painted into the desert landscape. I first saw this on YouTube and wanted to check it out. It's worth the drive if you're staying or visiting in Palm Springs as it is about an hour or two from Palm Springs and you can make a day trip of it and also check out Salton Sea along the way. The maker of this masterpiece died a few years ago and there is now a caretaker. There is a donation box located near the entrance for anyone who wants to donate towards paint and maintenance. Prepare to get stopped by border patrol as they have checkpoints around that area. There is also a cattle farm out around the area which was interesting especially because it's in the middle of the desert. read more

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Good to see one time. It's just far. And the road isn't that great. Everyone got like light headed and sick to their stomachs cause the road goes up and down. Also part of the art fell. So they closed that part down. The spot where you can go inside. It was super hot and windy. read more

Salvation Mountain - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

Salvation Mountain is off the main highway 111 in Niland. You have to go for about 3 miles on a super bumpy road before you reach it. I was driving about 20 mph so my family didn't get too shaken up and so I didn't ruin the shocks on my car!! The mountain is a funky art installation but kind of cool to see at least once. Follow the "yellow brick road" to get closer to the mountain to view the detail of the art. Explore around the corner and go into the "caves" to see more artwork. read more

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Out in the middle of nowhere and very eclectic is how I would describe it. It was open Oct 2020, but a mask is required. It is very close to Salton Sea, Niland, and extremely close to Slab City and East Jesus. Parking is free. I have seen a lot of pictures and wanted to visit it for quite a while. If you are in the area, it is worth stopping in to check out for sure. You can walk thru in less than 15 minutes depending on how crowded and how long you want to stop and take pictures, etc. It is the culmination of just under 30 years of work, and without electricity or running water. There is a giant mount, a small replica of the mound, and then some random vehicles. Definitely photo worthy. I have not seen anything like it anywhere else. read more

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Worth the desolate drive from Palm Springs to see this and the nearby and even better East Jesus (also don't forget to stop in Bombay Beach to see the art installations there). The mountain and the main who created it has a very interesting history. This is truly a monument by someone who is dedicated to his faith. Colorful and very photogenic. read more

Salvation Mountain - Sign - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

This place was really cool to see! My girlfriend has been coming here for years and just showed it to me. Unfortunately, because of Covid, we couldn't go inside the cave area or climb around. It was still great to see, though! I loved how they had a plaque talking about the man who painted it (took him nearly 30 years!). Very interesting to be able to read about it there instead of having to look it up on my phone or something. There was also this little mini display of the whole thing, which I thought was cute. Can't wait to go back and get the full experience next time! read more

Salvation Mountain - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

I personally wasn't blown away. It was cool to see but not worth driving specifically there from Palm Springs ( 1.5 hours each way ) this is something seeing once is plenty There's absolutely some sketchy characters out there so be weary of that. The place is in the Middle of nowhere and right next to slab city read more

Salvation Mountain - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

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On the 2021 US Bucket list things to do a visit to Salivation Mountain was a must thing to do! Salivation Mountain is located out by Slab City and just from stories knew I wanted to only visit during the day light hours. Salivation Mountain is Leonard Knight's tribute to God and he built the entire thing out of local adobe clay and donated paint, this was Leonard's life work. Regardless on your views of religion you could easily appreciate the love and work that went into creating this. Definitely glad I went and saw it and now its checked off my bucket list. If you are intrigued, go check it out for yourself! read more

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Looks good to visit in paper, but was underwhelming because of its hype! My girlfriend and I decided to visit this place when we're around town. We just like to see what is it all about and really curious, besides GF loves pictures for her IG, so why not lol. When we first stay get out the car, it was ok.. looks like a kindergarten made this art come to life. It was fascinating to see because you don't see this very often, but overall a publicity stunt to make tourist go to this area. It is cool how they paint the hill and materials they used in the process, but that's pretty much it. Overall, its one and done, but can go with friends to show around. PS: The dude that lives on the north side of the hill was pretty mean. It was creepy af cause he kept looking on us with a weird vibe.. Reminds me of that movie, "The Hills Have Eyes" lol read more

Nice place to visit while in the area but it shouldn't be a destination. Located in a lawless area called Slab city, this walk-over art installation proves that you can actually go on something in California without any handicapped access, guard rails and hundreds of warning signs. If anything this exhibit goes back to a time where it was okay to fall down once in a while. Salvation mountain is indeed interesting, maybe it's a bit like Meow Wolf in New Mexico. Slab City or Selfie City? Young women having their pictures taken by semi-professional photographers seemed to be the top visitors here followed by affluent Asian tourists. - If you're here, you should also visit East Jesus down the steeet. It's another art exhibit. - You should also visit Niland, the city south of Slab city to see what poverty looks like. You don't see it often in California but it's good to humble yourself every now and again.. read more

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Colorful testament of Faith I didn't know anything about this place until I saw my niece post a picture of her in Facebook where she was sitting on top of this colorful mountain. I asked her where it was taken. It was along the route to where she was heading. She was on her way to Texas. When she said that it was Niland... oh wow! we will be in Palm Springs the following weekend so great opportunity to pay a visit to Salvation Mountain. Anyway, I digress. Salvation Mountain is about 110 miles from downtown Palm Springs. Some two hours drive. It isn't really a mountain but a man-made mountain that is about five stories high covered in gallons and gallons of latex paint. There is no formal hiking trail or anything to get to the top. Parking is free and to visit is free. There are no bathrooms out at Salvation Mountain but I saw a couple of portable toilets (porta potties). The mountain is open 365 days a year (sun up till sundown). We took some time to read the mountain lettered with biblical quotations and The Lord's Prayer. Bright Biblical messages can also be seen in colorful paint. Basically, the mountain is covered with messages of God's love. Some parts look newly painted and some needs repainting. There was also a section that needed some touch ups due to damage from recent rains. The Salvation Mountain is located in the lower desert of Southern CA, not too far a drive from the Salton Sea. It was hot when we went in mid September so the best time to visit is during Spring time and Fall/ Winter where the weather is more tolerable. Overall, an interesting place that is definitely worth a visit. TRIVIA: Salvation Mountain has been featured on The Discovery Channel, Ripley's Believe It or Not and National Geographic. Review #1532 read more

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Cool place to see if you'd like to take a long drive. It's about 60 miles south from i10 Coachella area. You only need about 30 minutes to walk around the areas available to access. There's a plaque in honor of the creator as well as multiple photos hidden around the "mountain" and debris. We visited early in May and it was 100 degrees out. Be prepared for heat and take water. There is a port a potty if needed and a couple small picnic benches. Lots of beware of rattlesnake signs. I would imagine the elements will destroy this place over the years so don't wait too long. Excellent place for pictures/TikToks and shenanigans read more

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Saddened that the creator of this art installation has passed but happy there are volunteers to keep it maintained. Such a beautiful statement in his piece of love. Much needed during these difficult times. Although, I was saddened that a part of the installation was closed I am happy we were still able to walk around and view it. People were respectfully social distancing. Make sure to bring water and be respectful of both art, other viewers and the locals. Worth a stop if you are close by or taking a trip that passes it. Happy to have finally saw it up close after having passed it a few times. read more

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PLEASE READ: Salvation Mountain is closed due to Coronavirus and/or maintenance. There was no information on the internet about this so I had made the drive from joshua tree. Luckily, you can still see the mountain, you just can't go on it! Stumbled upon this place by accident. Like many other reviews, don't make this a destination. There is literally nothing else around it! The last free city in America they say. Slab city. A man by the name of Leonard Knight came with a vision. He made this mountain and continued to develop it year after year. It's an ongoing project that has been maintained for about 30 years. Leonard passed in 2014, but the mountain lives on. There are donation boxes present (they take venmo too!) and if you have time, you can read all about this place! It's pretty interesting. Yes, it does look sketch, but everyone is super nice to you. There are more art installations there, but I came just for Salvation mountain, as I wasn't aware of the other installations there. To get here, you travel along the salton sea to Nidand and turn into the little street. Having a 2 wheel drive is fine. You'll drive along some dirt road and then you'll see a ticket booth like booth and know you've arrived. You'll probably pass by some art, a flipped over car, people selling stuff or asking for weed before arriving to the mountain. Cars parked all around to see the mountain. read more

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Out in the middle of nowhere, this place is totally cool! That's why I've only been out here twice. This time, I didn't feel the need to climb salvation mountain, the way I did the first time. Because it's a man made mountain that's been painted on, it's a little slippery. I'm surprised people aren't slipping off and falling flat on their faces all the time. I just like to walk through the colorful tunnels, with all the positive writings on the walls. You don't need to be religious either to appreciate the massive piece of art that it is. read more

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I have been waiting for years to visit this place, and it did not disappoint. The story behind the art, and the heart of the artist really adds to the experience of it all. The drive to Slab City was also a blast because of all the beauty that is "untouched California" that is the Sultan Sea. Anyway, the roads do get significantly tougher when you get into Slab City so it is important to be mindful of what your car can take. The day we went was not hot or cold but lots of water would be wise to have on your journey there. Donations for this piece of art can be made through Venmo now, and a tour of the mountain can be explained via QR Code with the artist. The larger cave was being renovated so it was closed off but there was so much to observe, contemplate, and appreciate. I look forward to going back. read more

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We decided to drive out here while visiting Joshua Tree and it was a 1.5 hour trek through Mad Max territory. Our only two stops were Salvation Mountain and Bombay Beach. Unfortunately I couldn't visit East Jesus because my GPS wanted me to take a dirt road and I was not going to put my sedan through that. To me, Salvation Mountain was ok. We spend 15 minutes there taking pictures and thats about it. Lots of Instagram "models" hogging up spots for extended periods of time. After our visit, we drove through Slab City which is literally one minute away. I don't see why this is a things to do after driving by and learning more about it. So much poverty and demise in the area, not sure its appropriate for photo taking and glamorizing the situation. Please keep in mind there are no bathrooms in this area and for miles. I was able to find a porter potty of Hwy 111 where they sell hunting permits. Forgot to note the name of the exit. There are also limited places for food and water. In Niland, I saw a liquor store and a small grocery store. read more

Salvation Mountain - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

Loved enjoying this beautiful spot. Happened to visit on a Thursday afternoon, and luckily, there weren't too many people there. The parking was easy, and everything was accessible. There were many signs to keep masks on, and they had cordoned off wherever they did not want people to visit. The mountain (part of it) seemed newly painted. I especially loved the story behind how the mountain came about. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area - if not to take photos, just to respect the time and effort to take to make this piece of art. read more

Visited 4/29/2019 What a great place to start a day trip around the Salton Sea. Lots of free man-made attractions although donations are appreciated. There's plenty of things to look at by this great artist. You can read about the history posted in several spots around the attraction and also I have posted pictures of the history here on yelp. There is plenty of parking but I suggest you bring lots drinking water as there are no stores or shops around here and it can get quite warm during the day. Enjoy. read more

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Salvation Mountain is a TikTok/Instagram dream, but the trek here is off the beaten path. None the less, if you are on this side of California you must visit Salvation Mountain AND bring a bucket of latex paint as an offering to the mountain and the people that live there. To give you a visual, we were driving to East Jesus and Salvation Mountain was on the way and the scene was something out of Mad Max. There was a completely naked man walking by himself on the side of the road at a leisurely pace. Later we saw him and he had pants on. If you have kids, know that it is not Disneyland you're going to, it's quite the opposite. The locals that live here are very nice and require that you wear a mask at ALL TIMES! They don't allow you to climb the mountain but you can walk up to it and get all the photos you want. The day we went it was quite hot so we didn't spend too much time here, but it was great to finally see it in person. read more

Salvation Mountain - Got paint? - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

Salvation mountain located in Slab City, which is described as "the last free place on earth". It is basically a homeless town. I heard about this place from an Instagram post, and when I googled it, it kind of reminded me of the Burning Man festival- desert, unique art, and lots of colors. I drove here from Los Angeles, about 180 miles. I really enjoyed the art. The place has many spots to take beautiful pictures. FYI, this is where Kesha filmed her "Praying" music video. No restrooms on site. I also suggest brings lots of water with you, it gets super hot here during the summer. read more

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Not as laborious as digging into clay hardpan soil almost as hard as rock & creating a 10 acre underground Italianate fantasy by Baldassare Forestiere, Sicilian immigrant, citrus grower & visionary of Forestiere Underground Gardens near Fresno, California, and not as aethetically & architecturally sophisticated as the Modernista style of Simon Rodia's Watts Towers completed in 1954, I see Salvation Mountain as a solid piece of great folk art in the middle of the hostile, often torridly hot northwestern extension of the Sonoran Desert. Made mostly of straw bales, adobe clay and tons of ecofriendly non-leaded paint, this site must have been a labour of love by Leonard Knight who died on February 10, 2014, in El Cajón but lived on site in his trailer and possibly in one of the more temperature moderate grottos that he created when it got too darned hot. Main visible attraction is the side of the hill which is painted in bright, garish almost psychedelic colors & shapes. Think of the Beatles' animation, "Yellow Submarine". However, to the right of the hillside is a mini canyon introducing a series of grottos and a "dome" with a dead tree spreading its branches within. A cute, little cat was perched up on one of the branches in the canyon looking down at us while we looked up and gawked. For those more inclined to exercise, follow the yellow painted path to get up to the crest of the "mountain" to over look this art installation. It is the safest route and clamboring up the hillside will erode the paint painstakingly applied by Leonard Knight and now by volunteers who want to maintain the site as a tribute to its creator. http://www.salvationmountain.us/menu.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvation_Mountain This should be declared a historic site worthy of preservation although it may violate the separation of church & state if taken over by a state or county entity. Perhaps a Christian organization can volunteer to help in its preservation. Hey, the Vatican is rich enough. read more

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Not sure if it's back open, but this place is a must see. The creator, Leonard Knight passed away in 2014. It took almost 30 years to build this colorful mountain. There are also donations a person can give to make sure this place stays open. I guarantee that once you visit, you will want to give something. Walking through the maze brings an inner calmness . It's amazing to think one person did all this work. The art is made of adobe bricks, tires, windows, and thousands of gallons of paint. It is like a treasure of the mountains. A must see! Also, it's on your way to Palm Springs. Adults, teens and kids will all like it. read more

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Totally random place to visit. It gets warm and there's not exactly a lot of facilities. But the people are nice and the location is super interesting. Went here in a normal car so you can too! Bring water! When you leave check out box canyon! read more

Salvation Mountain - Location - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

Went on a day trip from the Inland Empire to Salvation mountain with my grandpa to admire the beauty. This is truly a masterpiece of art. The second you get out of your car you feel happy and joyful it gives you a sense of comfort. The art work and structure are incredible and truly admirable. I suggest researching a little bit about the mountain and the man who created it. It's truly an incredible story. I'd highly suggest you take a day trip out to the salton sea and visit salvation mountain as well as many other art installations and attractions the area offers. Keep in mind you are in the desert. Bring water, sunscreen, and close toed shoes. The area around is kind of free mans land so respect the residence while you enjoy your adventure and journey to this breathtaking masterpiece. You can offer donations to help supply paint and various other necessities to maintain the mountain. Parking is on the right side of the road when you come up to the mountain and it is quiet a dusty dirt plot so beware you are going on an adventure and your car make look like it after:) read more

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This place NEVER disappoints! The whole area is awesome & a photographer's dream. Highly recommend... read more

Salvation Mountain - Salvation Mountain - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

I lived and was raised in the Imperial Valley until 18 years of age. This place I had not heard of until an adult. Such an amazing spot to not be spread around the world. Beautiful handmade details. read more

Salvation Mountain - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Niland, California

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In the middle of the very hot desert near the Salton Sea is Salvation Mountain. More like a hill. The place is a monument to one man's faith and love of god. It's painted in bright pastel colors and is made to look like it is rising out of a sea. There are also some old donated vehicles around. There's a cave. There are buckets of paint everywhere. Lots of messages of love to each other. Cool spot for photo shoots. Update, Salvation Mtn is open for visiting at this time BUT you must wear a mask and you cannot walk on the mountain etc. They are working on some repairs and it will be closed another 2 months or so the caretaker said. I visited June 7 2020 read more