Salvation Mountain is a Gorgeous Mix of Art and Abandonment
Traveling to Salvation Mountain for the Milky Way was a lot of fun, the trip there is lonely so make sure to have some rad music and a good friend. When you arrive there you will instantly want to explore because there is so much art, decay and weirdness. It’s hard to put a finger on Salvation Mountain because it’s oddly religious, but very much about the art that created the location.
The artwork is made from adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of lead-free paint. Salvation Mountain was created by local resident Leonard Knight. They regularly take latex paint donations so they can maintain the mountain as much as possible. The place is delicate and sturdy all at the same time, while you explore be respectful and make sure to have fun.
Planning for a Milky Way Shoot
Traveling to Salvation Mountain and exploring the location is part of the fun, if you haven’t done so I highly recommend getting there while there is still some light out so you can setup and plan your shot. It’s also a good idea to get to know the area since there is so much to make sure you don’t trip over, it’s better to be safe especially since you’re so far from everything. As always bring flashlights to make sure you don’t trip on anything or destroy any of the artwork by walking on it. The other thing I recommend doing is shooting the care taker an email, last time I was there the local police came by to make sure I wasn’t vandalizing Salvation Mountain. They were friendly so no need to worry if you do get stopped by them, just be more than happy to show them your photos.
Below are some of the photos I took at Salvation Mountain, hope you enjoy!
