If you’re serious about living like it’s 1825, you need more than a cabin and a few chickens. You need remote land, a reliable water source, and the kind of terrain that can support hunting, trapping, and growing your own food. It’s not some romantic throwback—it’s hard living, and it weeds out anyone who’s not ready for it.
The places on this list are where folks still live off the land because they have to. If you’re ready to step away from the grid and do things the way they used to be done, these are the places that can make it happen.
Central Idaho
Central Idaho is about as close as you can get to stepping into the 1800s without a time machine. Between the Frank Church Wilderness and the Salmon River country, there’s more wild land than most people know what to do with.
You’ll need to be self-reliant out here. Roads are rough, winters are tough, and there’s no DoorDash coming your way. But if you’ve got the grit, this place rewards it. Hunt, trap, fish, and build—just like they did back then.
Ozark Mountains, Arkansas
The Ozarks have long been a place folks go when they want to be left alone. There’s cheap land, plenty of timber, and the kind of terrain that’ll keep most city folks far away.
You can still live off a spring and heat with firewood here without raising eyebrows. The locals know how to live close to the land, and you won’t be the only one with chickens, a smokehouse, or a garden bigger than your house.
The Big Bend Region, Texas
Big Bend isn’t friendly—and that’s exactly what makes it great. It’s dry, it’s remote, and cell service disappears fast. If you want space, this place has it in spades.
Folks down here run goats, haul water, and live simple. Solar power and rain catchment are the norm. You won’t find a Target for a hundred miles, but you’ll find stars so bright they don’t look real. It’s hard living, but it’s honest.
Northern Maine
Up in northern Maine, it’s still common to see folks tapping maple trees, heating with wood, and hauling water by hand. Some places don’t have power lines—and the folks who live there prefer it that way.
If you can handle deep snow and like to fish or trap, this region offers a chance to live completely off the grid. Land’s still affordable in spots, and the forests are full of game and timber. It’s about as old-school as it gets.
Western Montana
Montana’s changed in a lot of places, but the western part still has pockets where it feels like time stopped. Out past the Bitterroots or deep in the Yaak, folks still cut their own hay and haul their own firewood.
It’s not cheap anymore, but if you already have a foothold or find the right hollow, you can build a life that doesn’t involve emails or city noise. Water’s clean, the game is thick, and you can go weeks without anyone bothering you.
Alaska’s Interior
If you really want to disappear, Alaska’s interior is the final frontier. Out here, you’ll haul your supplies by snowmachine, shoot your meat, and maybe go months without stepping inside a store.
Living in the bush isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve got the skills—and the mindset—it’s the ultimate 1825 lifestyle. You rely on your rifle, your axe, and your own grit. Miss a step, and you pay for it. There’s no backup plan.
Appalachia, Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky still holds onto the old ways. People here grow gardens, raise hogs, and heat with wood because that’s what they’ve always done. You don’t need much to get by, and neighbors help each other when it counts.
The land’s rugged, but the culture fits the off-grid mindset. You can find a holler, build a cabin, and live quiet. It’s not about nostalgia—it’s about survival, family, and doing what needs to be done. That never went out of style here.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
