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I was always curious about Slab City, the off-grid community in Southern California. So, I took a road trip to see it for myself.
Well, I found that the people live freely and even had the chance to talk to some residents. There’s a lot of upcycled art, which is pretty cool.
I’ll share what to know when visiting, exploring Salvation Mountain and East Jesus, along with safety advice and tips.
Getting to Slab City
I was van camping in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which was a little bit of a drive. It took over an hour to get there.
Surprisingly, the directions took me through backroads, on dirt and sand. You’ll want to end up on CA-111 North going to Niland. Then take Beal Road to Tank Road.
Along the way, I saw many trailer houses and RVs that looked abandoned. A creek ran along the road, and there was a lot of farmland in the area.
Visiting Slab City
You’ll know when you reach Slab City when you see what looks like an entrance booth of some sort.
There are no reservations or tickets to buy, so you just drive in.
There are many points of interest in the area. In the 1940s, during World War II, it was a Marine Corps base. So you may see slabs.
That’s how the city got its name—from the slabs left behind from the military. After the military moved out, squatters moved in.
Exploring Salvation Mountain
The first point of interest was Salvation Mountain. There’s a little parking area, where you might find other vehicles on the side of the road.
The colorful mountain with Jesus’ name all over it awed me. Wow! This must have taken forever!
How many cans of paint did they use to color this mountain? Well, I found out later that the residents keep it up.
While thinking about this, the first resident appeared. He wore a hat and sat outside a blue house beside the mountain. Behind his fence, a brown cat pranced off in the distance.
“Hello! Welcome,” he said. I could barely hear him, but I knew he was speaking to me.
“Hi! Thanks, it’s hot out here,” I said.
“Yeah… I’ll be able to work in a little bit… once the sun goes down. I have an art project I’m working on.”
“Yeah, be careful with the heat out here!”
Leonard Knight Plaque
After getting a closer look at the mountain’s colorful glory, I thought about the blood, sweat, and tears put into this thing.
It had to be years in the making, and I wondered who started this whole thing.
Walking around, I found a plaque in honor of Leonard Knight. He came to Niland seeking a simple religion and wrote his message for the world to see.
In 1984, he created Salvation Mountain with things he found at the dump. People also donated items as well.
That’s pretty creative!
One of the decorated trucks near the mountain is where he lived. It was interesting to see, and many people took pictures in this area.
Community Areas in Slab City
After looking at Salvation Mountain, I traveled down the road toward more things to see. The good thing is that signs will point the way.
The places are not very far and the city isn’t huge. Because of the heat, I didn’t get out and explore everything.
The Church of Enlightenment was next to the bird sanctuary and botanical gardens. They appeared closed.
The Range is a stage where people hang out and have performances at night. At the time, there wasn’t much going on.
There’s also a skater park, campground, and a restaurant.
At the end of the road, a sign pointed right to the library. Turn left to get East Jesus.
By the way, I saw warning signs that said not to take pictures or trespass. Remember, people live here, and you’ll want to respect them.
I didn’t see many residents hanging around outside. The heat more likely kept them inside.
A man walked barefoot on the side of the road, munching on a big bag of chips. He was just minding his own business.
East Jesus: Upcycled Art Exhibits
You can park in the little lot at East Jesus. I recommend going only in the designated areas.
East Jesus is a big outdoor art gallery. That’s the only way I can describe it.
You don’t have to pay to enter, but they have a little set-up to make donations.
There are cool exhibits made of upcycled stuff. I saw many impressive things that must have taken a long time to create.
Two other visitors were walking around with a professional camera. Then, they disappeared down a path.
I saw they had gone into a ‘no trespassing’ area. Not a good idea.
Some people live around the art exhibits too, so you don’t want to disturb them.
The wind picked up, and the lonely sounds of windmills chimed in the wind. Other than that, the desert was quiet.
There were many exhibits that sent messages about politics, religion, society, and race. East Jesus had a lot to see.
House of Dots
Upon exiting East Jesus, a lady in a bikini top waved at me. She is a popular resident and you may run into her on your visit.
“You’re welcome to come over here and check out my place, House of Dots,” she said.
“Oh! I saw the sign way back there…” I pointed to somewhere behind me.
“Come and walk around,” smiled. She shielded her eyes from the sun’s rays.
In the few minutes we chatted, Dot told me how she ended up at Slab City. A few years ago, she was traveling and found this place.
A black cat with big turquoise eyes crept over to us. Dot said that this fur baby belonged to her neighbors.
They had left weeks ago, and she had been caring for the cat ever since. She’s known as ‘the cat lady’ and will foster up to three cats at a time.
As I explored House of Dots, I saw her creativity at work with her Taxidermy Party exhibit.
Is Slab City Safe?
Dot asked me if I had heard bad news about the place. I admitted to watching videos of people sharing both good and bad experiences.
Some painted it as a dangerous place.
She rolled her eyes, saying it wasn’t as bad as people claimed. Many Slabbers, or residents, attend Burning Man and come from all walks of life, Dot said.
She knew she wanted to stay when she first arrived in this off-the-grid community.
“I love it here!” Dot yelled with her arms outstretched as if hugging the whole desert.
Hundreds of artists have created the exhibits at East Jesus. They welcome anyone to submit ideas, Dot said.
Well, I don’t know about Slab City at night, because I didn’t stay. And as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, I found my way out.
Travel Notes
If it’s hot, you might want to visit in the early evening. The sun still shined fiercely in the parched desert, but it was much cooler.
Traveling in the spring, the heat topped out at 95°! It felt much hotter with the sun’s rays bouncing off everything.
And read the signs. Remember you’re a visitor so you’ll want to respect the people living there.
Overall
At Slab City, I saw many impressive exhibits and sites. It’s elusive when the images you see in pictures come alive in person.
I’d like to return to explore other areas, but I don’t think I’d stay overnight. But it was definitely worth it to see all the artwork and talk to the residents!
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