Seven Magic Mountains

Have you ever drove south on Interstate-15 coming from Las Vegas, Nevada heading toward Los Angeles, California or vise versa? If so, then you probably noticed the colorful stacks of boulders chilling in the middle of the desert. The colors on the boulders are extremely vibrant. There is no possible way that anyone could miss it.

Well, occasionally my son and I took a few trips towards California with my dad and we would always wonder what those colorful rocks were and how to get to its location. I got tired of always wondering about it. So one day I decided to look it up and see what I could find out about this piece of art in the middle of nowhere and the directions to get there.

Can you take a wild guess on what we did on the next trip towards California?

You got it!

On the way back from Cali to Las Vegas we decided to make a pit stop and check out the colorful art chillin' in the desert.

Here are some facts about this amazing piece of art.

This exhibition is located on a desert about half an hour to 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. This public art work was made by renowned Swiss artist named Ugo Rondinone and funded by New York's Art Production Fund and the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno. It took about four years and slightly over $3 million dollars to make. The Seven Magic Mountains consist of 33 boulders weighing up to 25 tons and stacked into seven towers. (Hence the name.) They form totemic figures standing 25 to 30 feet tall. Crazy to say this exhibition was supposed to only be up for two years, but it had so much success with about 1,000 people a day checking it out.

You can read about the making of the Seven Magic Mountains and more in depth information about it here.

So as we got there it was almost dusk, the sun was starting to set behind the mountains. We walked the trail and finally made it to the boulders. I have to say the view was absolutely stunning!!! You had the big open desert with the seven colorful stacked boulders, mountains all around, the sun setting, and the weather was perfect. It was an absolute amazing experience. Honestly, there's not much to do or offer in the desert, but the beauty of nature all around topped it off. I can only speak from my experience, but while I was there it was something about the atmosphere that made me feel relaxed, my soul felt nourished, and everything around was very much peaceful. It is definitely an experience I am grateful for and to be able to share it with people I love is a plus.

Here are a few common questions and what you need to know before taking a trip out to the Seven Magic Mountains.

1) How do I get there?

From Los Angeles, you will drive north on I-15 towards Las Vegas. You will take exit 12. Then turn right on NV-161 towards Las Vegas Blvd. You will drive about five miles north on Las Vegas Blvd and the Seven Magic Mountains will be on the right side.

From Las Vegas you will drive south on I-15 to Sloan Rd and use exit 25. Then you will take a left to Las Vegas Blvd. You will drive about seven miles south on Las Vegas Blvd and the Seven Magic Mountains will be on your left side.

2) Is it free?

Yes! There is no admission fee. It is absolutely FREE and open to the public.

3) What about parking?

They have a designated parking lot for visitors. Use it and it is advised that you do not park on the side of the street.

4) Restrooms

There are absolutely NO restrooms on the site. I'm not even sure where the nearest one would be. I would encourage you to use the restroom before you leave.

5) Be prepared.

If you plan to be out there for awhile, be sure to bring plenty of water and other nourishments you might need, because there are no stores located nearby.

Be aware of the weather conditions before going out there to visit. You may need to bring sunscreen, a hat, or maybe an umbrella.

Shoes! Definitely wear the right type of shoes. They have a trail for you to walk on to get to the artwork, but it's not pavement. After the trail ends you'll be walking on the desert dirt.

Also! Be aware for outside creatures while you're walking. After all, you are in the desert, you may come across snakes, scorpions, and you may even see the endangered desert tortoise.

I hope one day you will be able to check out this piece of art work by Mr. Rondinone. And if you do, send me an email to [email protected], I'd love to see pictures and hear about your experience.

Check out more pictures and a short clip from our trip to the Seven Magic Mountains here.

Take care kings and queens.

-Veronica