Museums
History BuffGeneral Patton Memorial Museum
Under $25A military history museum at Chiriaco Summit honoring General George S. Patton and the WWII Desert Training Center.
Photo: Joe Decruyenaere, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
SightseeingQuirky FunFreeIconic
Salvation Mountain
603 Beal Rd · Niland, CA
Why you should go…
Salvation Mountain is a hand-built folk art hillside near Slab City, made by Leonard Knight between 1984 and 2011 from adobe, discarded tires, car parts and thousands of gallons of paint. It stands about three stories tall and 100 feet across, covered in bright murals and Bible verses. You can also step into a domed room Knight called the museum. Visiting is free, and a nonprofit with volunteer help maintains the site through donations.
- #folk art
- #desert landmark
- #roadside attraction
- #slab city
- #photo spot
Good to know
General sightseeing guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
The forecast is part of the ticket
Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.
Golden hour sells out first
Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.
Dress a layer warmer
It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.
Timed entry is common
Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.
What's around here?
The closest stops to Salvation Mountain, ordered by straight-line distance.
