Salvation Mountain
601 E. Beal Road, Niland, CA 92233
East of the Salton Sea, Salvation Mountain rises from the desert floor. It’s a huge sculpture started in 1984 by Leonard Knight (1913–2014) that was maintained by him until his passing. Knight crafted from straw, the surrounding adobe clay, and at least 100,000 gallons of paint over the years. Bearing biblical quotes, even a large “God Is Love,” this folk-art shrine might seem solely religious in nature. However, including other peaceful imagery such as hearts, rivers, flowers, and doves, Knight reshaped this five-acre area into a testament of love — a powerful reminder to be a beautiful, compassionate human.