A Postcard From Las Vegas: Seven Magic Mountains

The relationship between Las Vegas and neon has bled into the desert. Seven Magic Mountains, the totemic-like structure located on the dry lake bed outside Jean, Nevada, brings bright shots of neon into a muted, earthy desert. The name sounds like it belongs to an amusement park instead of an attraction, but these vivid rock structures continue a tradition of land art that has been carried on since the 1960s.

Located off Interstate 15 south of Las Vegas, Seven Magic Mountains is a popular stopping-off point for travelers on their way to and from California. The artwork, designed by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, is not easily visible from the freeway; those in search of the totems will have to veer off the main road to get a good look at them. The neon-colored boulders were designed to contrast nature and artifice, like the casinos of the Strip do in the Las Vegas Valley.

Seven Magic Mountains started as a project between the Art Production Fund and Nevada Museum of Art in Reno. The site was chosen as an homage to past artists and their creations in the same area, including Sun Tunnels by Nancy Holt, Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson and Jean Tinguely’s Study for an End of the World No. 2. Rondinone and his team spray-painted the boulders after coring, cutting and fitting them together with a set of forklifts. The work contains 33 boulders in total, varying in weight from 40 to 56 tons.

Like the city that it neighbors, Seven Magic Mountains illustrates the effect of human perseverance in the desert. The project took over five years to complete and went up in May 2016. Seven Magic Mountains will be on display until May 2018. There is no cost to view the work, and guests can stay for as long as they wish. The artist and the work’s producers also highly encourage visitors to take pictures. Security patrols the area due to past vandalism of the art and to make sure that the structures aren’t disturbed.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.