Rainbow Spotting: Salvation Mountain, Palm Desert
A long time between visits for me, after 5 years I finally managed to get back out to the Palm Desert to see the magnificent, baffling, colourful creation that is Salvation Mountain. A familiar sight in many Instagrammers (and colour lovers) feeds, although the colourful monument existed long before Instagram ever did. Artist Leonard Knight began building Salvation Mountain in 1984 - after creating a giant hot air balloon that read ‘God is Love’ several years before, inspired to share the message of Christ’s salvation. Building from sourced materials and natural elements found in the desert of Niland, California, combined with paint and donated materials — the mountain quickly grew and the site became a huge proclamation of Knight’s love for God, and a way to share his message with visitors.
Deemed a National Folk Site in 2000, and featured in the film “Into the Wild” in 2007, Salvation Mountain was already world famous Knight passed away in 2014. Today, the preservation is continued through donations and volunteers who work to keep Leonard Knight’s dream alive, sharing the message of ‘God is Love’. Open from dawn til dusk, 365 days a year, and well worth a visit if you’re in the desert area..
