Everything to Know About Visiting the Seven Magic Mountains Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada
Located just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, you’ll find the most gorgeous rainbow rocks stacked in colorful pillars. These are the Seven Magic Mountains, a public art installation by Swiss artist, Ugo Rondinone. The seven pillars of brightly colored rocks are just 30 minutes outside of Las Vegas and have become popular among tourists visiting the area.
You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into some magical desert fantasy as the rainbow colors of the rocks are totally juxtaposed with the earthly tones of the mountains and desert surrounding them.
I recently was able to stop at Seven Magic Mountains on my way to Las Vegas so here’s everything you need to know about visiting these rainbow rocks near Las Vegas!
What are the Seven Magic Mountains?
They are pillars of boulders stacked on top of each other and are painted bright colors (see the photo above). You can find them in the middle of the desert outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The art represents some fascinating ideas, such the interplay between the natural and the artificial.
In addition to its importance as a public art piece, building the pillars was its own engineering challenge. Seriously, imagine what it took for them to stably stack boulders in the middle of the desert!
Where are the Seven Magic Mountains?
The address to plug into your GPS is S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, Nevada. Click the address to pull up the direct pin on Google Maps!
How do you get to the Seven Magic Mountains?
The easiest way is to drive there yourself. Seven Magic Mountains has it’s own free parking lot.
When driving, you’ll follow I-15 South (from Las Vegas) to Sloan Rd. (exit 25) then turn left. If approaching from California, you’ll drive I-15 North to Jean, NV (exit 12), then turn right on Las Vegas Blvd.
Unfortunately, no public transportation is available to get to Seven Magic Mountains.
Instead, you can take a guided tour that includes ground transportation.
Alright, time for a story. On my most recent trip to Vegas, I was with my boyfriend and my cousin, who was driving. I tried to pull up the navigation for the Seven Magic Mountains on Apple Maps, and it took us on a DIRT road with the biggest rocks. It was only a mile or so, but with every scrape and bump of the rocks, it felt like we might not even make it that far. That road really wasn’t meant for a brand new Honda Civic.
And the worst part was that we could see the Seven Magic Mountains in the distance and there were cars driving on a paved road parallel to ours in the same direction, so we felt pretty dumb. Stupid Apple Maps…Google Maps would never betray me like this.
Moral of the story, use Google Maps or follow the signs. If you find yourself on a dirt road, just know that there is an easier way!
How much does it cost?
It’s free to visit Seven Magic Mountains. There’s no admission and parking is free on site! Woohoo!
What services are available on site?
While their website says there are no services on site, when I visited there were port-a-potty’s available for restrooms, and Vegas is only 20-30 minutes away. The closest town is Jean, Nevada, at only 5 miles away.
As for food, when we were there, a food truck was stationed in the parking lot. I wouldn’t bank on this being a permanent thing. Bring your own snacks for your visit.
Was it crowded?
We arrived on a Monday afternoon and it was definitely crowded! Expect weekends and afternoons to be busy.
For fewer crowds, visit first thing in the morning.
What should I wear?
The parking lot and path to get there are both dirt with rocks so take that as you will. I wore flip flops though, and I was just fine on the walk. It you are going in the dead of summer, it will be HOT. Bring hats, sunscreen, and water.
It’s also the desert and can get dusty if windy. Come prepared for wind, meaning closed toe shoes, eye protection, and put your hair up and out of your face. Not to mention that camera lenses might need extra TLC if dust is flying around.
Finally, summer monsoons (rain storms) are possible as are flash floods. That means you may need to wear rain gear. I recommend checking your weather app for the most up to date information on what to expect.
How long should I plan on spending there?
We only stayed for about 20 minutes. If you are planning to take 100’s of photos from every angle with every pillar, I would suggest planning for more time (especially if you are trying to wait for people to get out of the background of your photos). There’s nothing around the art, purposefully, so aside from seeing them, learning about them, and taking photos, there are no other activities in the immediate vicinity.
Other things to note:
When I visited, it was windy! (Check out my super glamorous hair as a result in the photo above). I’ve read that this is common, especially because it’s the middle of the desert. Bring sunglasses and be careful with your camera lenses. There can be a lot of dust flying around.
The artwork was originally only scheduled to be up for two years (ending in 2018), but they issued a 3 year extension through 2021 and again an extension through 2027! Be sure to check it out before they may have to take it down!
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I hope they extend it again as it is so flipping bright and cheerful to see this in the middle of the desert! Even if you took the harder route to get there!
I really like your windswept look! You look like you’re having a blast!
I’m sure they’ll extend it! It’s so popular! Haha thank you. My hair and the wind are sworn enemies.
I’ve always wanted to visit the Seven Magic Mountains! Hoping to make it out there on my next trip to Vegas.
I hope you get to visit Lisa. It’s a great photo op!
I have always wanted to see these, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to cross the border before they go! Your photos are amazing!
Who knows? Maybe they’ll extend it, since it’s so popular and given the pandemic and all.
Such a cool place! It’s so photogenic and fun! I would love to take a ton of photos there too, thanks for all the info!
Such a great photo spot in Nevada and a nice break from Las Vegas if necessary! I hope you get to visit Ophelie!
I first hear about the magic mountains a year ago and have wanted to go over since. Your guide is super helpful with all of the practical info I need to not be burnt to a crisp when I visit. Thanks!
That desert heat and direct sun will get you! Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen (and hats)