After four years; however, Knight’s mountain crumbled into a heap of rubble, due to too much sand in the cement.

But Knight was not discouraged, he learned from the lesson and began to experiment with native adobe clay, and mixing it with straw for more stability, began to build once again. Today, the mountain, which stands about 50 feet tall and about 150 feet wide welcomes thousands of visitors each year, who climb its wild rambling steps cut into its side to the summit which is topped by a large cross.

The large “sculpture” includes not only numerous biblical quotes such as the Lord's Prayer and the Sinner's Prayer, but also sculptured flowers, birds, hearts, trees, waterfalls and more. The mountain includes more than 100,000 gallons of paint and more everyday as Knight continues to repaint and maintain his masterpiece.

In the mid 1990’s, the artificial mountain was threatened when County officials declared it a “toxic nightmare,” alleging that tests claimed high amounts of lead in the soil. However, the locals rallied around the folk artist, circulating petitions to save the monument and garnering their own tests from an independent lab. When the tests came back with no unacceptable levels of any contaminants, especially lead, the mountain was saved.

Knight continues to work on his monument daily, welcoming as many as 100 visitors each day. He lives full time at the site in a small cabin mounted on the rear of a 1930s-vintage Chevrolet two-ton truck. Like the monument itself, the truck and cabin are entirely covered with vivid colors and biblical quotes.

The site also features “The Hogan,” a dome-shaped building of adobe and logs filled with more biblical quotes. Knight’s latest project is the “Museum,” which will include several large domed areas built of old tires, logs, and adobe. When it is complete, it will display many pictures and memorabilia featuring the decades of building the monument, its struggle with the county, and yet more art creations.