Seven Magic Mountains isn’t leaving anytime soon
Seven Magic Mountains, one of the top sights along the drive to and from Los Angeles, isn’t moving to Northern Nevada anytime soon, despite earlier plans to move it to Washoe County.
The free attraction in the Mojave Desert south of Las Vegas is staying through its December 2026 lease expiration with the Bureau of Land Management, according to artist Ugo Rondinone and the Nevada Museum of Art. What happens beyond then remains uncertain.
Museum CEO David B. Walker stated in a news release that since the inception of Seven Magic Mountains they had known the towering art piece would not always remain in Southern Nevada. Still, they are staying “in close communication” with the artist about its next iteration and potential relocation.
Rondinone said he was inspired by the lights of the Las Vegas Strip and 20th-century desert artists when he erected the public art along Interstate 15 in the Jean Dry Lake Bed nearly 10 years ago. Seven Magic Mountains is composed of stacked limestone boulders, painted bright colors that clash against its beige desert setting.
Since its installation, the art was briefly marred by graffiti, visited by a mysterious monolith and replicated by a local artist with tires. It’s estimated to have 325,000 visitors annually and is often the background for family portraits and foreground for space and weather phenomena.
🌠 Here’s a glimpse of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS shining brightly against the vibrant backdrop of the Seven Magic Mountains. Two wonders, one stunning moment.#CometTsuchinshanATLAS #SevenMagicMountains #NatureArt #CosmicWonders #Photography pic.twitter.com/o6bv0NycPL
— Mr Wicho (@mr__Wicho) October 15, 2024
While Washoe County had approved $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds for the relocation of the art, no funds have been spent to date.
Contact Kristen DeSilva at kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Follow @kristendesilva on X.