Visiting Salvation Mountain in Niland, California

Before visiting Salvation Mountain, I just thought it was a vibrant and eccentrically painted mountain side in the middle of nowhere. Over a holiday weekend, my boyfriend Scott and blogger/business partner/friend Jen stayed in a nearby motel (in Brawley approximately 30 minutes away) so that we could get up early to make it over to Salvation Mountain since it's usually at least a 3 hour drive from where we live.  We had seen numerous photos all over social media from adventurous pics to high fashion editorial shoots and we wanted to take a visit to experience it ourselves. Since it was at the beginning of the summer, we knew  it was going to be blistering hot so we planned to arrive to the mountain early in the morning. We made it out around 7:30 am and were surprised to see a handful of other parties discovering the wonders of Salvation Mountain. We left at approximately 9:30am and at that point the heat was unbearable to be in.

Created by American Folk Artist Leonard Knight, Salvation Mountain came to life (which is now the second mountain after the first collapsed) to spread love and the idea that 'God is Love'. Salvation Mountain is a man-made mountain consisting of adobe clay and tons and tons of lead-free paint and surrounding the mountain is a hogan and museum. This is definitely a must-see place and is worth the trek, visit the website here for history and more information about Salvation Mountain.

When visiting, there are no signs that clearly indicate where to park - you will want to park diagonally in front of these small blocks on the ground (if not, you will be asked to move your car to ensure there is an open way in and out of the mountain).

There are reading materials, pamphlets and DVDs that visitors are welcome to take and there is also a donation box that will go towards the (Salvation Mountain) non-profit which helps to upkeep the grounds and maintain the artwork of the mountain and surrounding structures.

Don't forget to wear sunscreen and bring water if you plan to be exploring for awhile. Signs will clearly state to stay on the yellow painted path - and you can walk up to the top of the mountain.

Check out outfit shots from Salvation Mountain here and here and visit below:

601 East Beal Road,

Niland CA. 92233