Salvation Mountain is eye-poppingly bonkers! One glimpse and I was hell-bent on walking Bodie along this wackadoo Yellow Brick Road. It’s just a 90 minute drive from Palm Springs and we were cruising along quite nicely through the desert terrain when we saw what seemed to be a glimmering mirage – turns out to be the Salton Sea, a vast lake where Sonny Bono used to go water-skiing. It looked so serene and alluring I thought it might be nice to pull over and give Bodie a refreshing dip but I was Oh So Wrong…

My pal Sam (along for the ride) was the first to say what Bodie was no doubt thinking: ‘What’s that terrible smell?’ My nose is eternally blocked with allergies so I was oblivious – until we reached the water’s edge. First I noticed the soles of my flip-flops were getting suctioned by some yucky brown silt, then I realized that what I had presumed was sand was in fact millions of dessicated fishbones. (Apparently the water became overly salty killing a multitude of wildlife.) I’m not often given to running but it seemed apt. And no resistance from Bodie getting back in the car today.

As we progressed on our way I felt ever more uneasy at the excess of chain link fences and bleak yards. Later I discovered the Slab City area is Hollywood’s go-to location for post-Apocolyptic devastation! But then Sam caught a flash of color and once we spied all the other tourists in the carpark we three eagerly disembarked…

Holy multi-colored mountaintop! Standing 50 feet tall and 150 feet wide this most psychedelic of religious monuments is truly jaw-dropping. Artist Leonard Knight first set to work in 1984 using local adobe clay and donated paint and he worked on this project for nigh on 30 years. (He died age 82 in 2014 but his passion project lives on with visitors extending his vision.)

It gets pretty darn hot in the sun-baked open areas so it is a relief to duck into the shadier tunnels and explore the cave-like rooms. All the while Bodie’s nose is in full-on tracker mode making me wonder just what other items might have got compacted into the clay to make all these groovy formations…

Even the mailbox gets a makeover.

Bodie – praying or parched? You decide!

IN CONCLUSION: Salvation Mountain has to be one of the most unusual walks Bodie has ever been on. And in this social media crazed world I can’t imagine a better backdrop for a snap! (Just remember to bring plenty of water to glug into your dog’s water bowl – this place is thirsty work.)

GETTING THERE: Set your GPS for the town of Niland and then take Beal Road for about 3 miles. You can’t miss it!

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.salvationmountain.us

FEE: Free but donations are welcome.

WHERE TO STAY: The Saguaro Palm Springs is the perfect match for Salvation Mountain’s superbright color palette and delightfully dog-friendly. Room rates starting at $115. Click the pic for Bodie’s rainbow-hued review.