Olancha Sculpture Garden

The Olancha Sculpture Garden is a collection of metal sculptures sitting along Highway 395 created by desert artist Jael Hoffmann. Lying almost immediately off of the west side of the highway slightly less than 2 miles south of the 395's intersection with Highway 190, the sculptures rise, sometimes colorfully, from the desert landscape. A short dirt road leads to a turnaround where cars can stop. The collection of over a dozen pieces are all nearby, and it's easy to walk to see them all. 

Jael Hoffmann was born in Israel, and lived in Berlin before moving to the United States. She works with metal, and infuses references and symbolism of internal conflict into her art. More information about Jael Hoffmann can be found on her website.

Pieces range in size from small to over 15 feet in height, and all stand beneath the scenic skyline of the Sierra Nevada. One particularly whimsical piece is called the Give And Take, where visitors are invited to leave an item or trinket in one container and to take something from the adjacent container in return. Taking on the feeling of almost a guerilla open-air display, there is no cost to see the sculptures, nor are there any amenities. Overall, it is one of many interesting stops to make when passing along Highway 395, including the Cottonwood Creek Charcoal Kilns, the Olancha Dunes, Manzanar National Historic Site, and the Eastern California Museum Trail.