Palm springs is a quiet little city located in the Sonoran Desert. We drove through the Mojave Desert from Las Vegas to Palm Springs which was a good place to start having never driven in the States before- absolute middle of nowhere with no other cars on the road. When you stop and get out the car to stretch your legs you’ll realise the true meaning of silence. Its kind of eerie. When visiting this southern California city, and all it has to offer in its surrounding areas, a car is a must!
Theres something so serene about relaxing by the pool or walking through the streets and seeing a clear blue sky and mountains in the near distance. But with so little time, after enjoying a quick moment of tranquility, we had to venture out and see what else the area had to offer.
Salvation Mountain
Salvation Mountain is an acclimation to God created by, artist, Leonard Knight. This religious sculpture is created from local clay and donated paint which displays the ongoing theme of “love”.
Located in Imperial County, California, Salvation Mountain is about a 1.5 hours drive from Palm Springs. Through the Coachella valleys and past the Salton Sea, the drive to Salvation mountain is pretty scenic and unchallenging.
Arriving at Salvation Mountain you may witness some of the volunteers painting and working to maintain and preserve the work of Leonard Knight who passed away in 2014. You’ll notice many images and biblical references not only incorporated onto the mountain but also painted onto objects and vehicles surrounding it.
Joshua Tree National Park
Spanning over 792,510 acres, Joshua Tree National Park is a must-visit being one of the only places on the planet where Joshua Trees grow. You can drive through the National Park, stopping as you please to take in the views, hike, and take some photos. If you have the time, there are many different hikes you can take and can even camp in the park.
One of the best lookouts in Joshua Tree National Park is Keys View. You can drive most of the way and then take a short walk to the view point where you can see for miles and miles. On a really clear day its even possible to see Mexico!
Word of warning: check any alerts online beforehand! When we visited, there was high number of bees and we literally had to run from them!
Rowland Around the World 