Is it free to live in Slab City?

While Slab City has package delivery and there is no charge to live here, there is no running water, sewage, plumbing or electricity, unless you are creative and savvy enough to create your own, which some have done.

Can anyone live in Slab City?

The population of the Slabs, a.k.a. the “Last Free Place in America,” blooms in winter to more than 4,000 residents by some estimates, then boils down to 150 or so in the summer. Anyone can add themselves to this constellation of tents, trailers, RVs and shacks, but not everybody has what it takes to call it home.

Why is it free to live in Slab City?

People have lived on Slab City's 640 acres for decades. They are squatters on state-owned land. They don't pay rent, and so it's often referred to as “the last free place in America.”

How do people get money in Slab City?

Residents with working vehicles can make money transporting water, goods, or people. Other Slabbers set up stands to sell merchandise like artwork and tie-dyed Slab City souvenir t-shirts to tourists and visitors.

Do you pay taxes in Slab City?

Called by some “the last free place” and by others “an enclave of anarchy,” Slab City is also the end of the road for many. Without official electricity, running water, sewers, or trash pickup, Slab City dwellers also live without law enforcement, taxation, or administration.

ANYONE CAN LIVE HERE FOR FREE | SLAB CITY

Can I just move to Slab City?

Slab City has no limit to how long someone can stay, so it makes a good place for those who don't want to constantly move. All that someone needs to do is set up camp and have enough food and water to survive. In recent years people have deliberately moved to Slab City to participate in its unique culture.

Do cops go to Slab City?

While it gets described as the "last free place in America," and a lawless land, that's not entirely accurate. The Imperial County Sheriff's Department and the Niland Fire Department provide services to Slab City, while they receive nothing in return such as taxes.

Can I buy land in Slab City?

Jim Porter, a public land management specialist with the State Lands Commission, confirmed the state considered selling the Slabs about 20 years ago. While there have been inquiries about the land over the years, the only purchase applications on file with the agency are those by Salvation Mountain Inc.

Where does Slab City get its water?

Because this water source comes from the hot springs, it's essentially used bath water. In any case, it's very high in iron & sulfur; it still tastes bad after filtering. You should bring in your own water for your stay in Slab City.

Does Slab City have electricity?

Built on an abandoned military base in the middle of California's Sonoran Desert, Slab City doesn't have many modern amenities. No power lines or pipes carry electricity or fresh water to the city. Residents have to sort out their own system for disposing of sewage or trash.

Is Slab City toxic?

Keeley: Slab City is not dangerous if you keep to yourself and stay clean. It seems dangerous to drug users who intermingle and, especially in the heat, get on each other's nerves. In other places, citizens in this circumstance exchange words and ignore each other for the rest of their lives.

Does it rain in Slab City?

Temperature hovers around 6°c and at night it feels like -1°c. In November, Slab City gets 99.93mm of rain and approximately 8 rainy days in the month. Humidity is close to 80%.

What can you do in Slab City?

Why is Slab City Lawless?

Slab City, CA is the last lawless land in America. After Camp Dunlap, a World War II artillery base was abandoned, many veterans began squatting on the land. Today, drifters from all around the world congregate in Slab City to live off the land.

What is up with Slab City?

But despite its wild appearance, Slab City has undergone a significant transformation in the last few years. Now its population swells to a few thousand people in the winter months and roughly 150 in the summer, when temperatures can soar up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and leave desert dwellers particularly vulnerable.

Who owns the Land of Salvation Mountain?

Owner Ed Brashear says he can tell immediately who wants to go to Salvation Mountain. "Sometime when they walk in the door you just know, you say 'go two blocks to the south and turn left and go straight'. That's just how it is. And sometimes you'll get a 100 a day that just want to go do Salvation Mountain."

What can you not do in Slab City?

Is there a place in the US that has no laws?

This bizarre, lawless land in the California desert is inhabited by drug addicts, eccentrics, army vets, hippies and just plain old weirdos. Slab City is referred to by its residents as "the last free place in America."

Are there other places like Slab City?

Is Salton Sea safe to swim in?

Salton Sea beach is located along the western shore of the Salton Sea. The sea is not safe for swimming, boating or fishing.

Can you get in the Salton Sea?

At this time we know of no other motorized access to the water on the Salton Sea. At no time are visitors permitted to drive vehicles on the beach in the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. Please stay tuned to the website for further updates as they become available.

What do the people of Slab City live on?

Year-round, about 150 people call Slab City home. Sometimes they call it The Slabs instead. There are no public utilities, so residents typically live in RVs and rely on solar power and generators.