“God is Love.” ​

Not haughty, nor adorned with ostentatious religious sentiments, it’s a message as profound as it is simple. It’s a message shared and lived out by its creator, Leonard Knight (born in 1931 and passed in 2014), who memorialized it through a vision so beautiful and so unique, it draws in large crowds from all walks of life year-round.

Comprising adobe (inspired by Navajo Native Americans), concrete, straw, and non-toxic latex paint, Salvation Mountain, located in Niland, California, took more than 20 decades for Knight to complete.

I first heard of Salvation Mountain about 10 years ago when I watched what would become one of my favorite films, Into the Wild. It’s the story of Christopher McCandless, an adventure seeker who broke away from the norms of society. The film is based on the book by the same title, written by the very talented journalist Jon Krakauer. In the middle of his adventure, McCandless traveled through Slab City and met Knight himself. In fact, Knight made an appearance in the film.

I imagine Knight was like the straight-forward message he dedicated his life to sharing. From the outside world, he lived simply and humbly. But his message to the world and his devotion to delivering it holds within itself intense, life-transforming depth. Knight’s life is equally fascinating, which you can read about here.

Whether you choose to visit for a one-of-a-kind photo-op (the brilliant colors are seriously insta-worthy) or want to experience the fruits of a God-devoted man to the world, Salvation Mountain is a must-see.

The mountain stands at a whopping 50 ft and is about 150 ft wide. It’s incredible, actually. Adorning the front of the multi-colored mountain is the Sinner’s Prayer, with painted Bible verses and affirming messages covering the structure. There’re parts of the mountain in which you can walk inside, bearing witness to more messages and art that includes flowers and trees. Stay mindful when exploring, avoiding contact with the walls so as to preserve the fragile paint.

Fun tidbit: this is the second mountain built by Knight — the first was made of less sturdy materials, so it collapsed from the harsh desert weather. Knight took it as an opportunity for improvement and created the version we see standing strong today.

Salvation Mountain greets visitors entering Slab City. At the expense of sounding like an elitist bougie chick, Slab City has major podunk-y vibes. And this is coming from someone who grew up in a lower income desert town.

Perhaps that’s why I find it charming. If you look past the decaying mobile homes and piles of trash interspersed in the dirt now and then (there’s no official trash pick up service…or really anything “official” out there at all!), you may come to appreciate it as is, too. In fact, Knight would gather materials from the dumps to pack into his mountain. It’s also one of the places he’d source paint from to decorate. Talk about reuse-reduce-recycle!

Slab City itself has an interesting story. There are about 150 residents who are mainly low-income individuals subsidized by the government, squatters, or intentional off-the-grid seekers. Because there’s no electricity or running water, residents use generators and solar panels, which is pretty cool. They’re actually very forward-thinking in that way.

Side note: it reminds me of an awesome documentary I watched a few months ago, Life Off Grid. Check it out if you want to get a glimpse into the fascinating world simple and sustainable people who intentionally live in isolation.

And because Slab is a free city, you can post up and camp without any fees. I’ve not done it before, but it’s an option! And if you want to see another awesome nearby site, the Salton Sea is just 20 minutes away.

The temperatures are searing in the summer, reaching up to 120 degrees. But in the winter, they plummet to an average cool of 30 degrees. I went here in September, and if it wasn’t 120 degrees, it sure felt that way. We were semi-melting.

Knight never “finished” the mountain. Well, he never saw it as complete. He worked on it until he no longer could (he moved to San Diego in 2011 after being diagnosed with dementia, where he would spend his last days).

The conditions of the desert require constant maintenance of the site by volunteers. Dear to many, there was a charity created, Salvation Mountain, Inc., to ensure Salvation Mountain continues to be enjoyed by all its visitors. And enjoyable it is.

Peace always,

smb