Desert Christ Park

Shanghai Brown
Jun 24, 2017
2 min read

Desert Christ Park

56200 Sunnyslope Drive, Yucca Valley, CA 92284

www.desertchristpark.org

Hours: Dawn to dusk daily

Free admission, donations accepted

Stroll the grounds of Desert Christ Park and take in larger than life biblical scenes made from sculptures created by Antone Martin, while enjoying local history. Perfect for a picnic or photography.

The Desert Christ Park Story

Antone Martin, an engineer who was also a sculptor, poet, and visionary of sorts, began building statues from steel-reinforced concrete. His dream was to place his "resurrected Christ" statue - 10 feet tall, five tons in weight - with Christ's arms outstretched, on the rim of the Grand Canyon as a symbol of peace for all mankind.

The National Park Service didn't see things quite his way, so Martin began referring to his statue as "the unwanted Christ." Hearing of this unwanted Christ, the "Desert Pastor," Eddie Garver, in Yucca Valley, offered a place where this Christ would be wanted.

On the week before Easter, 1951, the unwanted Christ was trucked up to the hi-desert from Los Angeles (that in itself was an incredible act of faith). The event attracted national interest and was included in LIFE magazine. It was the first time most of the nation - and the world - heard anything about Yucca Valley. It was also, not an easy job. Pastor Garver delivered a sermon from beneath the "desert Christ" the next Sunday.

From there, the partnership between Anton Martin and Pastor Garver, led to more sculptures and a three-story, 125 ton facade depicting the Last Supper. But eventually, the partnership became problematic and ended. The park, dedicated to world peace, had become the source of a rather angry and contentious relationship.

Since that time, Desert Christ Park has faced many challenges, from a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) because it was supported by local government (it is now run and supported by a dedicated organization of volunteers), earthquakes, vandals, and neglect. The place that put Yucca Valley on the map has, to a great extent, become ignored by many locals, though international visitors frequently seek it out.

Desert Christ Park is an excellent stop when visiting the hi-desert, a great place for a picnic, or perhaps a wedding, a morning walk, or an evening sunset contemplation. You can walk among the Sermon on the Mount, the Blessing of the Children, see the Samaritan Woman at the Well, or rest with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. You can peek inside the Tomb of Christ, and even catch a peek of Judas with his sack of silver.

Admission to Desert Christ Park is free, and the park is open during daylight hours every day of the year. The park is supported by donations to the Desert Christ Park Foundation.

Desert Christ Park

56200 Sunnyslope Drive, Yucca Valley, CA 92284

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