Seven Magic Mountains, Nevada

Just outside of Las Vegas lies one of the largest land-based art installations in the United States. If you are like me and don't exactly know what a land-based art installation is, it is art that's created from the landscape, of the earth. Seven Magic Mountains started with enormous native limestone boulders, stacked them into towers up to the sky, and painted them in striking, saturated colors. It brings neon city energy way out to the middle of the desert.  

Walking between the spires and the long shadows they cast makes you feel tiny. The wind was whipping up a dust storm in a perfect line, giving the background some added drama.  

The whole scene made me think about the human tendency to stack rocks. Lately, we have been in parks where rock stacking is forbidden, considered vandalism, and warned against on strategically posted signs. But stacked rocks can also be beautiful, offer us a moment of meditation, or provide helpful wayfinding along a trail. Man's impact on nature, an interruption of the natural way of things, or art? It all depends on how you look at it.  

Tips for visiting Seven Magic Mountains

• Seven Magic Mountains is just a short drive from Las Vegas and a perfect stop on a road trip from Vegas to Joshua Tree.

• It's free to visit, visible from the road, and accessible from a very short trail.

• I highly recommend reading the artist's statement before walking among the spires. It was lovely and made our visit more memorable.