The very first stop (after late night tacos + coffee in Los Angeles) on 2017’s road trip out west was the Seven Magic Mountains. I’m going to assume if you use instagram, you’ve probably seen one… or fifty billion photos of these incredibly colorful boulders.
This art installation in the middle of the desert opened up in May of 2016 and from the second I saw it I was in love. Less than a year prior we had driven around the same area and I was disappointed to have been so close but missed out. Why couldn’t they have been there then?!
Eventually, as time passed, my intrigue grew to disinterest as I saw photo after photo after photo pop up on social media. Gosh, I hate to even admit that. It sounds so bitter but it’s at least a little bit understandable, right? Every photo I saw showed the “mountains” surrounded by people. It looked so crowded. It just didn’t seem like somewhere very enjoyable. Part of what I love so much about our trips to the desert is that it’s kind of a solitary thing. The places we go just seem so far off the grid, so untouched and untainted. It’s an escape of sorts.
Still, I couldn’t resist the lure of these wildly colorful things in the middle of the desert. I had to see them with my own eyes. We drove through the night, stopped to sleep a bit at a rest area, and arrived at the Seven Magic Mountains as the sun came up. To my surprise, there wasn’t a soul around. We had the whole place to ourselves. It. was. magical! Seriously, an amazing way to start the trip.
Normally I get my film hand checked at airport security since it shouldn’t be X-rayed. This year I didn’t have room in my carry on-to take my land camera which already had film in it. I just decided to toss it in my checked bag and hope for the best. I was pleased to see that the resulting damage was actually a pretty cool looking effect.
They’re only going to be on display for two years so I’m super happy I finally got the chance to see them. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it even a fraction of the amount I did if it had been as busy as it always looks in photos but the Seven Magic Mountains are definitely worth waking up super early for!
17 comments
Fwiw, I haven’t heard of these or seen them on Instagram. 🙂 Maybe I’m just not in the same circles as you. 🙂
Huh! They’re just always showing up in my explore feed. Never really thought about how that’s influenced though. Guess if I’m constantly looking at silly roadside attraction stuff that’s definitely going to be what instagram tries to show me. (Duh! LOL)
so pretty! i’m going out west next year and these would be amazing to see:)
-M
sundaysaresunny.com
How exciting! Hope you have the best time ever! 🙂
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What a cool and unique installation! The bright colours are such a great contrast to the desert background. Whilst being alone in the desert would have been a little nerve-wracking for me, you got some great pictures out of it ☺️
http://www.thesmalladventurer.blogspot.com.au/
The light, the colors the angles! I’m in awe! I actually hadn’t seen anything of it before on instagram (but this might be, ’cause my feed is mostly full of sewing stuff) and checked after your post and have to say that your pictures are the only ones that really caught the magic of the place.
Aw, thank you Anne! 🙂
[…] on the agenda, after the Seven Magic Mountains, was Nevada State Route 375… or as it’s more commonly known “the Extraterrestrial […]
[…] on the agenda, after the Seven Magic Mountains, was Nevada State Route 375… or as it’s more commonly known “the […]
I hadn’t heard of them until recently, and I grew up near Vegas! It’s definitely on my list of places to go next time I go see my family.
I keep my film in an x-ray bag when I travel. Mine is probably 15 years old, but I’m sure they’re still around.
Ah! Dunno why I never thought of an x-ray bag! Getting it hand checked by security isn’t a huge deal but it would be nice to not have to carry it all.
I always get pulled out so they can see inside the bag, or I get the slip saying they looked in my checked luggage. The people at the Western Wall semmed particularly upset (this was back when I could buy film at Costco). But I’ve never had any ruined film. 🙂
the photo of the cactus and the colors in the background! #swoon
One of my favorites! 😀
[…] I started with The Seven Magic Mountains, found a town called Goldfield nearby, and basically felt like I hit the jackpot when I looked it […]
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