Desert art and strange sculpture
Neon signs, painted boulders, bottle trees and a mountain painted with slogans.
- Distance
- 633 km (393 mi)
- Driving
- 7 h 01 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 8
- States
- NV, CA
- Updated
- February 14, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 633 km (393 mi) with 8 stops, from Las Vegas to Salvation Mountain. About 7 h 01 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Nevada, California · More road trips from Las Vegas
Route description
Start in Las Vegas at the Neon Museum, whose “Boneyard” holds retired casino signs; go after dark, when several of them are relit. South of the city near Jean, Seven Magic Mountains stands just off Las Vegas Boulevard, seven towers of stacked limestone boulders painted in fluorescent colors against the bare desert.
Continue on I-15 into California and across the Mojave toward Victorville, leaving the freeway for old Route 66 at Oro Grande and Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch, where thousands of glass bottles chime in the wind. The route then drops through Cajon Pass and turns east on I-10 to Cabazon, where a brontosaurus and a T. rex stand beside the freeway and you can climb up into the T. rex’s mouth.
Palm Springs, a short drive further east, makes a comfortable base. To the north, Joshua Tree National Park is where two deserts meet among granite boulders and spiky yuccas; explore early or late in the day and stay for some of the darkest night skies in Southern California.
Finish by driving south along the eastern shore of the Salton Sea to Niland and Salvation Mountain, a hillside of adobe, straw and donated paint built by one man over almost 30 years; stay on the marked path. Summer temperatures here are extreme, so this trip is best from October to April, and carry more water than you think you need.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Las Vegas
NV - 21 km
The Neon Museum
HistoryLas Vegas, NVThe "Boneyard" holds retired casino signs. Go after dark, when several are relit.
- 348 km
Seven Magic Mountains
OdditiesJean, NVSeven towers of stacked limestone boulders painted in fluorescent colors, set in the desert south of Las Vegas.
- 4278 km
Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
OdditiesOro Grande, CAA forest of welded-steel "trees" hung with thousands of glass bottles that chime in the desert wind.
- 5111 km
Cabazon Dinosaurs
OdditiesCabazon, CAA steel-and-concrete brontosaurus and T. rex from the 1960s–80s beside I-10. You can climb up into the T. rex's mouth.
- 628 km
Palm Springs
CA - 772 km
Joshua Tree National Park
NatureTwentynine Palms, CATwo deserts meet among granite boulders and spiky yuccas. The skies here are some of the darkest in Southern California.
- 895 km
Salvation Mountain
OdditiesNiland, CAA hillside of adobe, straw and thousands of gallons of donated paint, built by one man over almost 30 years.
Suggested stages and overnight stops
3 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Las Vegas → Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch · 203 mi · 3 h 37 minOn the way: The Neon Museum, Seven Magic Mountains.Overnight nearby, for example: Desert Willow RV Resort (13 mi); Lone Wolf Colony Health Ranch & RV Park (14 mi).
- Day 2: Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch → Cabazon Dinosaurs · 69 mi · 1 h 14 minOvernight nearby, for example: Mount San Jacinto State Park Idyllwild Campground (13 mi); Banning Stagecoach KOA RV Park and Storage (6 mi).
- Day 3: Cabazon Dinosaurs → Salvation Mountain · 121 mi · 2 h 10 minOn the way: Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park.Overnight nearby, for example: Glamis North Hot Springs Resort (17 mi); Oasis Mobile Village RV Park (3 mi).
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually March–April and October–November. Still fine, with some compromises, in May, September and December–February. Hot in June–August. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Desert art and strange sculpture?
3-day road trip of about 633 km (393 mi) with 8 stops, from Las Vegas to Salvation Mountain. About 7 h 01 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Desert art and strange sculpture?
We suggest 3 days: about 7 h 01 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Desert art and strange sculpture start and end?
It starts in Las Vegas and ends in Salvation Mountain.
Which states does Desert art and strange sculpture pass through?
Nevada and California.
Where can you camp along Desert art and strange sculpture?
OpenStreetMap lists 185 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Thousand Trails Las Vegas, Hitchin' Post RV Park and Motel and Las Vegas RV Resort.
When is the best time for Desert art and strange sculpture?
The most pleasant months are usually March–April and October–November. Still fine, with some compromises, in May, September and December–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
