So I know this has been said and probably posted a million times but, is there any way to live freely in the US without buying land? I would like to live in the wilderness but not have to pay 20K for a half acre plot, I don't call that living free. I am financially challenged and think it ridiculous that someone who is a hard worker and has basic living skills has to be confined to the city or county. Again, I understand it's 2019 but I've felt this way since I was a child just got caught in up the get a job, get married, have kids routine. I have thought of going to national and state parks but you have to move regularly and you will be hounded by wardens constantly. Maybe I'm dreaming but at least I'm dreaming the American dream!

I can tell you National and state parks are out.The show "The Last Alaskans"have a few families that were grandfathered in prior to the land grab by the feds.Trying to set up a residence of any kind on other park properties,state or federal, will get you run off quik.

And the National Forest folks also frown on setting up shop.
Buy a live-aboard boat, and you can drop anchor most anywhere, with a few exceptions.

Yea I live near a lake and had thought about that at times, seen one big one sit in a cove for months. I use to hunt in some National forest land in WV and I know you could get lost in that forest without anyone to worry you. People wouldn't hunt very far from the road either. Of course that was in the 90's.

I saw a documentary on a group of nomad types you could probably join. They lived out in the western states. In the show I saw they were scavenging bison carcasses hunters had killed. Not my cup of tea, but I guess it appeals to some.

20 k for the land is the least of worries as far as money goes in todays world. What about health care, ins., fuel, food, building materials,...…..

Move your camp every 14 days on USFS .That would sure cut down on all the junk I have collected in the last 50 years !

Lots of folks camping-out for free in Seattle.

[quote=waggler]Lots of folks camping-out for free in Seattle.[/quote


Saw lots of them in Portland too.

There are ways to "live out in the wilderness" but very few people are really suited for it.
If you have enough money to afford to just go and move off the grid you'll probably get bored silly once you find yourself out in the wilderness. If you can't afford to live in the wilderness without earning some sort of income you'll work harder and put in more hours than you can ever imagine.

Buying or owning property doesn't really even factor into the equation.

X2

There used to be a tv show about people living in houseboat in Canada i think on a huge lake.

If your willing to establish a residence in rural Alaska and your near enough to a Wildlife Refuge you can establish a subsistence camp, like for trapping. Once you show use, you can get a permit to build a cabin. You won't own anything but you'll be able to use it. There are permitted cabins already in existence that aren't used very often or at all. You could look into those. Each refuge up here has a cabin policy and if you call the refuge ask for the cabin permit guy/gal and let them educate you on possibilities.
mt

But you can't live in a state permitted cabin except during trapping season. I'm not familiar with federal land. In fact I didn't know the feds issued cabin permits . Every cabin I am aware of on federal land is in trespass, and most have been burned. Is there a permit system Mike ??

Here we can use our trapcamps year round.Our federation got that changed quite a while ago-more than 10 years ago for sure.

move to Syria, then immigrate back illegally. Then everything will be free.

Yes, Ken......I believe all 1980 NWR in Alaska have a cabin policy. Cabins are allowed for subsistence purposes. I have a pre 1980 cabin in Nowitna NWR so I own the cabin. I can even sell it subject to refuge approval. There are several post 1980 cabins as well. Post 1980 the refuge retains ownership but use is permitted. The cabin does not have to be only one use. It can be a trapping cabin, a hunting cabin, and a fish camp. While technically you cannot "live" in the cabin, you are allowed to use it for whatever subsistence purposes you want. There is at least one family living in their pre 1980 cabin mostly year round. That family has a couple other pre 1980 cabins and at least 1 post 1980 cabin. I know guys here in Fbks who have trapping cabins in Yukon Flats refuge.
mt

Do you know if this is true for any federal land cabin? I just bought a fish camp in the Tongass and would love to trap out of it, thanks for any help.

Thanks Mike !!! I looked on the USF&WS website and read a bit about the permits. I couldn't find anything about costs or regulations. I may call the Innoko office here and ask some questions.

Thurman, I suspect these permits only apply to NWR lands. Not BLM or other federal stuff

Don't know. Only sure about NWR. Tongans has been around since before ANILCA I think.
mt