Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
Besides all the crazy adventures and adrenaline-fueled activities, we also love abandoned places and unique arts. So, the International Car Forest of the Last Church in Goldfield, Nevada, fits that bill perfectly. Graffiti, abandoned cars, and religion merge to give life to this interesting jungle of scrap metal. There are other outdoor car exhibits, such as Texas’s Cadillac Ranch for Nebraska’s Carhenge; however, this Nevada Internal Car Forest of the Last Church is the largest in the country. It is definitely worth a detour.
The Internal Car Forest of the Last Church started from a car standing on its nose, buried in the sand in Goldfield, Nevada, the work of Mark Rippie. This standing car was spotted by Chad Sorg, another Nevada artist, as he drove through the area. Fascinated, Chad Sorg moved to Goldfield to help Mark Rippie grow their “forest” in 2011. The “forest” official name was given by Rippie based on his religious belief that renounces organized religion. Sadly, the two artists had a falling out and no longer work together. Nevertheless, the car forest still stands tall, impressing countless visitors.
As we drove closer to the International Car Forest, we already saw some cars standing straight up on the hillside. The cars are spread out all over a large dirt area. The road can be a little rugged. We recommend bringing your high clearance vehicle or, better yet, 4WD. If you have a regular vehicle, you can always park and walk. Please make sure to wear closed-toe shoes. There are broken glasses, sharp scrap metals, and nails all over the ground.
At the start of the forest, there is a small information shack about the International Car Forest as well as a donation box. Your donation goes toward maintaining the place. After leaving the information shack, we made our drive through the car forest.
There are over 40 vehicles, ranging from cars, trucks, vans, buses, and even an airboat, spread all over the forest. Some of them are buried nose-down, a few halfway in the sand. Other vehicles are stacked on top of each other, forming bizarre sculptures. The International Car Forest reminds us of the playground of some giant child, tired after playing, leaving their toys lying around.
Each of these abandoned vehicles is decorated uniquely. The designs vary from random graffiti, caricatures, and cats. We also love the details inside certain cars. Since we loved weird art and abandoned places, the International Car Forest was like a playground to us. We could spend so much time here. It might not be the same for you, but we recommend budgeting at least 30 minutes – 1 hour here.
If you love random art like this, we recommend checking out the Glass Outhouse near Joshua Tree, Bombay Beach in the Salton Sea, or Slab City and Salvation Mountain. If you’re planning your road trip in Nevada, check out these cool springs: Fish Lake Hot Well, Hot Creek Springs, and Gandy Warm Spring.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
These jackets are warm, and comfortable, with tons of pockets, and are very well-made
This little towel is light, packable, and dry very quickly! We bring it on almost every adventure, from camping, road…
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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