Salvation Mountain / Niland
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Salvation Mountain, Niland California
"Leonard Knight - the man, the mountain, the art"
Leonard started this project in 1984, after he failing to get his initial idea off the ground-- a hot air balloon with red letters spelling out the sinner's prayer (seen above in the heart). He started on a week-long project to build a small monument on the Niland site. That week turned into years and his monument is now Salvation Mountain.
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The yellow brick road leads to the top of the mountain.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjninp0nVW76HU-Or33IUw5cMFyivGFxa1vFBQgr_PCVY-0D3FuMnxcRcTBLUOiGI2Xwz0YxMqMQHFIpm3T9qIRnEncPWHHVgSH67qqxwpjVvpGh0pKxZiwMo_g7NzCie0ZfRFbQHYKQKE/s1600/Salvation+Mountain+9.jpg)
The view from the top.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYhx-QqqsqjKdyI0r6d59mFMMOKITcSaJYqCjDJIqorW9Eh5265u-hhbcMSlnuou-dAEgDm6pWYWs358_FtIRlDCRUrbf1NW6qx7ojtSfGY7NP7bdA5nTCjnKE2YdYdUE8X2TUM-gj4k/s1600/Salvation+Mountain+11.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrthbyhAqly2mKE19l5FZKWsqNe-wDgOZyJHLBH9aQns3_EF5yaXWXzBuoug5vTtxo_0UCTf9UUJxh459rQxRS5EheD6vyg49E9geJiFj3Lv2fPC17zs-tK6H05krMvzYB7Y_d3hfnGk/s1600/Salvation+Mountain+10.jpg)
There's a second smaller mountain that you can go inside.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4m91wXlyREktqiXLtbSMQHjCWFyE3NN_pq8xswKRBSSImIc4fqx9BEwdS15NXsEDDx3G_ligwRdkAU0kvViRTgNeL0siccewBQiHXsyj-brxJDsR1jqpUtNTt6OrjHwCw9npaQMFs2c/s1600/Salvation+Mountain+5.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCQJxcgAuWR-jJo6HNto6Qs4rTk1p3r321c1ohpOoWG_wTUDKjqZCklUN0IpsYmTw4ZsWPishB_BHhSyDKqEY4ZCrak8GPXSX4nIOaH9iAmsQX3ZFFrXA6tEFpwasETv8D5xkjn2f1qI/s1600/Salvation+Mountain+7.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1bRwSbpgXBWl1-Hp3WzXg7geGfNrOVOQ7dugYt7tMozxz4BdmzxwUcx8hYWMOGk99-sR8yetiRUFF3uIbNL8r5cxaKWHXfO1kl01YL-FE7pMoZkNriW2dp7DigGnIGbBk8JFO_AshEM/s1600/Salvation+Mountain+6.jpg)
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???
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-q1tv6OBc8jh-y3WgimiUo8UUV0qVTilRio_FuKXL6NXwpmY-dSU_qe5yR6bDfK7aftVFbKA_j5odusSrdAeabEto24zytv8DdP610lV1KLWA09Qjv7_BQPZmRjZKOXcmpJW7NpB6OQ/s1600/Salvation+Mountain+16.jpg)
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Leonard may have failed at his hot air balloon, but the mountain is certainly a success.
Leonard is in his 80's now and lives in a retirement home. You can keep up with him on his Facebook page.