The Long Way
Imperial County
An elderly man in a blue jumpsuit stands inside a painted stone structure with a ladder and paint cans.
Plate I. Leonard Knight inside Salvation Mountain. From salvationmountain.org
A close-up view of a brightly painted wall adorned with religious inscriptions and floral designs.
Plate II. Painted details, Salvation Mountain. From salvationmountain.org
An older man stands near a brightly painted outdoor art structure.
Plate III. Leonard Knight at Salvation Mountain. From salvationmountain.org
A person working on a craft or painting.
Plate IV. Leonard Knight at Salvation Mountain. From salvationmountain.org
A photograph of a painted rock structure with religious messages in a desert setting.
Plate V. The original monument at Salvation Mountain. From salvationmountain.org

Salvation Mountain

Niland, California, Imperial County, California. Folk-art hillside; 365 days a year.

Details

Map. Niland, California, Imperial County, California. Larger map
Where
603 Beal Rd Niland, Niland, California, CA 92257. Directions
When
From dawn until dusk, 365 days a year.
Fees
Visiting is free, but any donation you can contribute greatly help in the preservation process, to keep the mountain free and open for years to come.
Access
Salvation Mountain and the surrounding Slab City are at risk of being demolished to make way for industrial development. We need your help to save the mountain!
Walk-in or reserve
Guided tours can be arranged with advance notice. Email info@salvationmountain.org to make arrangements.
Phone
(760) 624-8754
Website
salvationmountain.org
Managed by
Salvation Mountain Inc., a registered 501(c)(3).
Established
Spreading love since 1986.

Salvation Mountain is a literal man-made mountain 28 years in the making, covered in half a million gallons of latex paint.

Notable Events

  1. 1989A rainstorm soaked the mountain until a crack formed and it collapsed; Knight rebuilt it with adobe mixed with straw. calexicochronicle.com
  2. 1994Imperial County hired a toxic waste specialist to sample the soil around the mountain, cordoned off the area, and petitioned the State for funds to tear the mountain down; independent tests later found no high levels of lead. salvationmountain.org
  3. 1998Knight began experimenting with bales of straw and adobe and built the Hogan, a 10-foot high domed room, to insulate him from summer heat. salvationmountain.org
  4. 2000The Folk Art Society of America deemed Salvation Mountain a folk art site worthy of preservation and protection. calexicochronicle.com
  5. 2002Salvation Mountain received Congressional recognition from Senator Barbara Boxer, who called it a national treasure. avam.org
  6. 2007Both Leonard Knight and his mountain appeared in the 2007 feature film Into The Wild. avam.org
  7. 2011Knight's main assistant Kevin Eubank passed away in 2011, the same year Knight was moved into a care facility. salvationmountain.org
  8. 2012A non-profit, Salvation Mountain, Inc., was established to preserve the mountain amid challenges of environmental deterioration, management, and land ownership. salvationmountain.org
  9. 2014Leonard Knight passed away at age 82 in a hospital in San Diego County where he had spent his last two years. avam.org
  10. The Imperial County Board of Supervisors named Salvation Mountain a historically significant property and a local historical resource. calexicochronicle.com

People

  • Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator who gave Salvation Mountain Congressional recognition (2002).
  • Dan Westfall, previously helpful with the foundation and in maintaining and continuing the legacy of Salvation Mountain.
  • Leonard Knight, creator of Salvation Mountain (born November 1, 1931).
  • Bob Levesque, president of the volunteer nonprofit that runs Salvation Mountain.
  • Kevin Eubank, Knight's main assistant (passed away in 2011).

Sources

  1. salvationmountain.org/visit-salvation-mountain
  2. salvationmountain.org
  3. salvationmountain.org/salvation-mountain/about-salvation-mountain
  4. salvationmountain.org/salvation-mountain/about-salvation-mountain
  5. salvationmountain.org/salvation-mountain/about-leonard-knight
  6. avam.org/artists/leonard-knight
  7. calexicochronicle.com/2024/01/11/salvation-mountain-is-of-historical-significance-a-historical-resource