Posted March 7, 2020 – Narrated by Carmen
The Slab City Song
I’m living out here below sea level.
Could never get myself on societies track.
I seldom bathe and I’m what you might say, disheveled.
But I like it here and I ain’t goin’ back
Yeah, we like it here and we ain’t goin’ back.It’s fun to chat it up with the Snowbirds.
They got lots of money and they got lots of grass.
And the crusty codgers, they don’t mince no words.
They say “shut yer mouth boy, y’can kiss my ass.”
They say, “Shut yer mouth son, lest yer payin’ cash.”Well, it’s real quaint here, some say it’s even pretty.
But it’s brutal in the summer, yessiree.
Still, it’s our little hidden desert city.
A place for those who long to be free.
A place for those who long to be free.Well, we don’t really care what you look like.
Don’t matter much where yer comin’ from
Or if you RV, van or hitchhike.
Yer welcome here and this’s where you belong.
Yer welcome here and this’s where you belong.So if yer gettin’ tired of fightin’ the system.
– Mike Bright – with help from the band Drop 7
If the man is callin’ in all your tabs.
If yer troubles are so many you can’t list ’em.
Then just chuck it all and join us on the slabs.
Just chuck it all and join us on the slabs.
There is a place in the Sonoran Desert at the foot of The Chocolate Mountains and east of the Salton Sea where those who have the sand can live free – free from rent, mortgage and taxes and all the other stuff Americans take for granted like publicly funded water, sewer, and electricity.
Slab City is the last free place in America.
Slab City began like most cities, and with the exception of solar panels, satellite dishes and plastic IBC tanks.
It is probably the spittin’ image of western settlements that began 150 years ago before the rich folks hired a sheriff to force law on everyone else but them.
Yet, nostalgic tourists who flock to Tombstone to celebrate the charm and romance of the lawless Old West with all it’s hell-raisin’ saloons and brothels, would probably shun Slab City’s authentic ramshackle patina and declare it off-putting, filthy and profane.
In fact, Slab City may well be the last true remnant of the pioneering Old West
Slabbers (what Slab City citizens call themselves) are mostly refugees from war culture, consumer culture and corporate culture.
They grew up as Normies (what Slab City citizens call the rest of us), inherited the American Dream – the envy of the developing world – and chucked it all to rebuild their lives as they see fit.
Most Slabbers would say it’s a hard but rewarding life.
Danger: Reality Ahead!
Driving West, outside the junk-strewn parameter of Slab City toward Niland, there is a sign on the side of the road, “DANGER: REALITY AHEAD,” a reminder that everything inside those 640 acres is outside of what most Americans are able to tolerate and vice-versa.
At best, Slab City brings freedom-lovers to their knees and, at worse, makes one hyper-aware of how little freedom the average American can actually tolerate.
And, for visitors, that revelation can either be a painful or a glorious awakening.
For example, let’s begin with God.
God is a big deal in Slab City.
And the message of unconditional, divine love is free of charge because Leonard Knight – a visionary American folk artist – dedicated his life to sharing God’s love with the world.
Despised and rejected by institutions of religion, Leonard took that experience and let it make him stronger. He left the real world, and brought his genius to Slab City.
If Leonard had been accepted by organized religion, rather than ridiculed and marginalized, Salvation Mountain would be nothing but dirt.
Leonard arrived accidentally, on the heels of a failed helium balloon testimonial project, but he immediately recognized an opportunity to continue his large-scale gospel message.
He made a mountain with his bare hands.
Using thousands of hay bales, adobe, paint and heaps of discarded junk handpicked from the salt-crusted discard strewn across the neglected Salton Sea desert – the refuse of a lost society – Leonard built Salvation Mountain.
For decades Leonard Knight’s message of unconditional love to humankind has reached far and wide.
National Treasure
Salvation Mountain is a National Treasure attracting crowds of pilgrims, curiosity seekers and lovers …
But the edification doesn’t end there. Those with the curiosity and desire can go deeper into Slab.
East Jesus
East Jesus is a fabulous resource for art and culture (Warning: Bring the children but only if you are prepared to answer difficult questions – and remember that nudity is always possible).
Why do they call it Slab City?
Well, when Camp Dunlap, an old marine base was decommissioned after World War II, the Marines removed every stick of every building, leaving only the concrete foundations.
Several veterans stayed behind and set up camps on the slabs. Then, due to a bureaucratic snafu, the land fell into a jurisdictional vortex between the feds and the state.
The county and state floated plans to sell the land and to relocate the Slabbers but – at least for the moment – things are continuing in a “live and let live” strategy.
So Slab City is continuing to serve as a museum of what true freedom looks like.
Today, six decades after Camp Dunlap, this loosely structured, free-thinking paradise boasts a diverse population which expands and contracts with the perfect winter weather and blistering summer heat.
The population includes …
Snowbirds looking for a warm place to dry camp in the winter desert. Retired RVers who need to save money. Off-grid enthusiasts and preppers. Artists who specialize in Found Art, Junk Art and Trashion. Veterans who are self-medicating in a safe and welcoming place. Migrant (legal) cannabis farmers. Bohemian, counter-culture and free-spirited souls. People who just want to be left alone. Mentally challenged people and psychotics. Run-away teens. Religious fanatics. People who have financially hit bottom due to job loss, health crises and divorce.
Some arrive expecting to stay for a year or so until they can afford to leave – some never leave.
In other words, Slab City is like most American towns.
The difference is that they can’t sweep the dark side of the human condition under their suburban tract homes. In Slab City it’s mostly all out in the open.
Hey, everyplace has problems, and Slab City is no panacea of peace.
Slab has nothing to prove – faults are all laid out in the full light of day right there next to the unfailing love of God on Salvation Mountain.
Fact is, from a satellite perspective, we all live in the dirt.
One week in Slab improved our focus on what a truly free society could be like, and our hope for goodness to triumph over evil is renewed.
The sin of material waste, and the McDonaldization of everything, and the overbearing cost of the non-sustainable Tower of Babel we call “the grid” came more clearly into focus.
At first glance, lodgings in Slab City may appear temporary – as if the occupants are just passing through – but on closer inspection the dwellings have more sophistication, integrity and permanence.
Adaption and survival in this rugged, un-official and technically non-existent city requires ingenuity.
Only the strong survive here.
Old cars become storage areas, mattress springs make good fences and burnt out RV’s serve as sitting porches and art studios. With so few resources, it makes sense to use what no one else wants.
Slab City Library and outdoor theatre
Half the citizenship must be musicians. On afternoon walks through town as the winter sun set over the Salton Sea we were serenaded from every direction.
Infrastructure
Like any city, Slab has a town center, public library, a bulletin board with official Slab news, a museum of art, several night clubs, internet cafe, a famous music venue, skate board park, golf course, basketball court, a mobile pharmaceutical delivery service, animal rescue center, public school bus, and an annual prom.
They even have a pet cemetery that is, ironically, bordered with old tires …
We arrived on the night of a 3-day rave. The event was about a half mile southwest of us but even earplugs didn’t cut the noise. The neighbors assured us that it only happens once a year on President’s Day Weekend and they usually burn a car or two. We heard they’d burned a stretch limo. Next morning we went over to pay respects at the burial ritual.
Um, what else?
Oh yeah, to receive shipments from FedEx or UPS, it’s simply a matter of flagging down the driver to request an official number to post on the side of your un-official occupied domicile, even if you don’t have an official name.
In addition to picking up trash and making treasure, Slabbers also pick up names like Spider, Builder Bill, Jack Two Horses and Stick Man. It might seem juvenile, but I’ll bet there’s some serious logic behind it.
Ever since childhood I have dreamt about a place like Slab City – and it’s all because of Mama.
In the summer of 1964, our family road tripped across America in our Plymouth Fury station wagon. It was my turn in the middle of the back seat while my big sister, Deb, and little brother, Carl got to hog the windows.
I slouched forward and dangled my arms over the front seat, trying to catch the breeze from the wing windows. My baby brother, Chris was all sprawled out between Mom and Dad sleeping with Underfoot, the family dachshund. The smell of burp, dirty dog and Winstons contended for dominance while Dad sang Sixteen Tons in his magnificent two-pack a day baritone.
Mama stared out the window with a deep contemplative expression thinking about something important – maybe the Cuban Missile Crisis which we’d weathered out in Florida or maybe something else. Mama had a tough and unhappy childhood and even though things had greatly improved, the other shoe always seemed ready to drop. Anyway, on that simmering highway in the middle of God-knows-where, Mama suddenly brightened.
“Kids!” she exclaimed as if she’d seen a man selling Kool Pops out of his trunk on the side of the road, “Look!”
And we did, as Mama rolled down the window and stretched her arm out clear up to the pit and pointed out toward the expansive landscape like Monty Hall on Let’s Make A Deal.
“Just look at all that land!”
And we did, and we saw pine-tipped mountains and green valleys with deep springs and shimmering lakes just a’brimming with fish. “No matter what happens” she said, “there will always be enough for everybody. If the world goes to hell in a hand basket you can always go out there and fashion a fine shelter with whatever God provides.”
Thus, Mama passed on to me a squatter’s heart.
We love being on the road, but as travelers we also have an obligation to imagine what it’s like to live in the places we visit. Before we pull out we say a prayer for the people, wish them well and leave them with a blessing.
What would it be like to survive in 110-120 degrees in the California desert at the mercy of God and man? I can’t say that I’d want to experience that kind of life, but some do.
We hope that Slabbers can continue to live in this humble, harmless way, God bless’m, just as they see fit.
If you want to visit Slab City, here are the GPS coordinates. 33.257065, -115.463562 or 33°15′32″N, 115°27′59″W
If you want to see our exact route, click here.
*photos in this post (unless otherwise noted) were taken and copyrighted by Living In Beauty.
S’pose I should take the Airstream out there for a visit. I was there 30 years ago a couple times…via helicopter. Was quite the place.
Hey David! I had always planned to go and visit our Airstream friend and LIB follower, Mike Depraida, but he passed last year. It was good to see the place he called “home.” I hear there is a new art gallery opening on Saturday called Rising Phoenix. Wish we could be there,
Thanks for being with us, David.
Safe and Happy Travels,
LIB
Burning man detritus…
Hey Ben! Thank you for being with us and it’s always great to hear from you. We’ve applied for entry to Burning Man in August. Is there was a connection between Burning Man and Slab City? If so, I had no idea about that. Slab City began decades before Burning Man and costs nothing to go. Burning Man is almost $500 per ticket. No one in Slab City ever asked us for a dime and we went to The Range, Salvation Mountain and East Jesus – even the books at the library were free. We’ll be back!
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Thanks for the share. It was fun to scroll through.
Thank you for being with us John!
Safe and happy travels!
LIB
I remember going to Slab several times as a kid. My Grandpa would stay there for a few months at a time. He lived full-time in his RV. I remember meeting all kinds of people and, in my child’s mind, everyone seemed happy and friendly. Grandpa has friends he would meet there every year, some lived there all the time and some where snow-birds. I remember going to impromptu concerts and dancing the two step with Grandpa. I think I was the youngest one there by several decades 🙂 Going to Slab to see Grandpa was some of best childhood memories.
Hey Sharina! What lovely memories. Yes, we felt that about half of the population of Slab was our generation and demographic – over 60 RVers, mostly snowbirds. Our friend Kathy Anderson from San Diego also shared similar childhood memories of meeting her grandparents in Slab. Even though most San Diegans don’t know about it, Slab is very much a part of the local history.
It’s such a pleasure to have you with us.
Safe and Happy Travels,
LIB
We visited Salvation Mountain and Slab City several weeks ago – a fascinating place! I really enjoyed this article with lots of great photos. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for being with us, Dana! Yes, Slab City is fascinating. I’m so pleased you like the photos.
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Cant wait to go there.
Hey Laura, Make sure it’s a Saturday if you are day-tripping. There’s an open-mic night at The Range and the burgers are great.
Thank you for being with us.
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Bucket list place. We rolled through 2 winters ago on the way to Mexico. Cool place😎. That said, be aware of your surroundings 😉
Hey Derek! Yes, we have learned, as travelers, to practice awareness at all times. Also, asking the locals is a major benefit. We had lovely neighbors at Slab City who volunteered their expertise about navigating the area and who not to engage with. All communities have problems. It’s nice that Slab City has so many nice people to help visitors.
Thank you for being with us. Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Wow! That’s been on our list. You really did a good job describing that quirky place.
Yes! It is definitely quirky and we LOVE that! There’s nothing better than a town that breaks the mold.
Thank you for being with us!
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Thank you for another bucket list item, your free spirit is contagious ❤️
Hey Errol! So great to hear from you!!! Will we see you in Colorado?
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
How did the night clubs work? This sounds like my kind of place.
Hey Amy!!! Always great to hear from you! We recommend you go on a Saturday to see the sights and then stay long enough into the night to go to The Range for live music. Definitely buy the burger at The Range – it’s amazing. There are other places to go, but we didn’t check them out. If you are interested you might want to join some Slab City facebook groups and ask questions.
Safe and Happy Travels!
Carmen & Jim
I know people that have stayed there every winter for twenty years without incident.
Hey Tunis. Yes, we have heard the same thing over and over again. Slab City is no safer or more dangerous than anyplace in America. Just practice awareness. Notice what is different and simply adapt. We saw that dogs were off-leash, so we adapted and kept Pico close to us and only took him places where he felt safe. We saw other dog owners
doing the same thing. It’s like in grade school when they taught you cross the street: Look for signals. Look both ways. Expect people to not obey the signals … I just don’t see the problems people claim to have about Slab City. We have been on the road for over 4 years and have had no incidents. Awareness is key.
Thank you for being with us and Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
I’m so glad you guys visited the slabs! I’ve been fascinated by this place since I discovered a website about it several years ago. Thanks so much for all the pics and great review!
Hey Steve! Yes, we found it to be a rewarding experience. Jim was thrilled that he could walk right up to the bar at the public library and order a cold beer. Well, we walked about a mile in the hot sun to get there, so it was to be expected.
Honestly, we felt like it was a trip back in time – before California was America. Art, culture and literature all huddled up in the last free place in America.
Thank you for being with us.
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Been there, it’s a great wonder
Yes! To see people making community like that in the middle of nowhere. It is wondrous and uplifting. True, they have water delivery services and mobile sewer trucks to clean their tanks – so it isn’t like they are completely surviving of the land. But I saw many square-foot gardens and back-yard chicken coops. We couldn’t take Pico out for too many long walks – especially at night – because of the free-roaming dogs – but that’s just everywhere in the desert and in many indigenous communities as well. Just have to learn to deal with it. That’s what traveling is all about.
Thank you for being with us Katherine!
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Great blogpost! We were there last winter and found it sad/fascinating/inspiring/depressing! All the adjectives!
I agree, Kris. It is inspiring to see the effort Slabbers put into their community to address the sadness. I’ve never seen so much music, color, art and poetry in one small community. They know their weaknesses and their strengths. But we are observing today that there are many people who go into Slab City looking only for negative aspects and experiences. I can’t change that. I can only express our view. We were charmed. We found our neighbors on Poverty Flats to be caring and sensitive people who were hoping our stay was pleasant.
Sure, we encountered two individuals who probably didn’t want us to be there, but that happens in upscale wealthy communities, too – especially when I bring out the camera. Drug culture was prominent, but I’d rather have that all out in the open than hidden in a place and stumble upon it by accident. I know people who thought they were living in a fine peaceful, upscale rural community until the vice squad shows up and closes down the meth lab next door.
It was sad though to see how many veterans were there who were suffering from depression, addiction and poverty. But I wonder if they would be any better off in a normie culture. We were glad to see that at Stand Up was coming to Slab City. I think it’s an annual event there that last for a few days where medical and dental teams and psychological services provide for all veterans who want help.
Thank you so much for being with us, Kris.
Safe and Happy Travels
LIB
#1 on my bucket list.
Hey Doug, if you are planning a SoCal desert vacation be sure to check out Anza-Borrego. Our favorite place in the world is Aqua Caliente and also Borrego Springs. Be sure to check out La Quinta – about 30 miles from Slab City – for shopping and resorts. Salton Sea still has some nice campgrounds – some of them public. And, our favorite free-camping site that we just discovered is the General S. Patton Museum at Chiraco Summit – just 5 miles from Joshua Tree.
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Visited two years ago. Loved it. Salton Sea, East Jesus, West Satan! Who knew!?????
Hey Debra! Yes Slab City definitely stimulates the imagination.
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
It’s definitely an amazing part of our world 😎🌴☀️😘
Yes, Jacquie, nothing is quite like an outpost of renegades, refugees and free-thinkers. We’re sold on Slab City!
Thank you for being with us.
Safe and Happy Travels to you.
LIB
Reminds me of Christiania in Copenhagen. Is a hippy enclave alternative community that took over a former military institution. Was really interesting and definitely has kindred spirits in Slab City. Love following you guys!
Judy! Thank you for sharing this info. Wow! I’d never heard of Christiania. How wonderful to know that Slab City has a Sister City. I think if Slab City had a flag it would be the eye image.
So great to hear from you. Will we see you in Colorado this summer?
xoxo,
Carmen & Jim
Hi! I am a friend of your Aunt Carroll’s! She always posts links of your travels. What a fun article! Well done and love the voice over. I have never heard of this place before.
Hello Andria, thank you for dropping in. Aunt Carroll is a big LIB fan and I love her so much.
We’re embarrassed to say that we’d never heard of Slab City either – along with most of our friends who were born and raised in San Diego – a day trip away. It is definitely a place to check out. If you are ever going into the desert areas around the Salton Sea, feel free to email us for any info you might need.
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
Andrea is an RV er too, just not permanent. I knew she wold like the story of Slab City. You two would get a long great! Love you Carmen and miss you! Love you too Andrea! I really do! Great people!
Thanks Aunt Carroll! We can’t wait to get up there to Utah to visit you. xoxo
We visited there while Leonard was still alive. A sight like no other. He was quite a character but loved God immensely.
Hey Cindy, while at Slab we watched a documentary about Leonard. I think he was a deeply spiritual man, I’d say even prophetic. Shunned by organized religion he went into the wilderness to preach repentance. Even if he was a psychotic, he loved deeply and wanted others to love as well. Regardless of one’s beliefs, Leonard’s testimony of God’s love is something to be considered.
Thank you for being with us.
Safe and Happy Travels!
LIB
It is. That is what we travel and do as well. A bit different but outcome the same, non the less. FT in our 14th year. My husbands family pulled a 69 Airstream for over 30 years doing the same. Also 83 countries.
I thought this place was scary since I heard it’s a “lawless” city but it turns out I’m wrong. I will say that this city is beautiful and is rich in creativity based on the pictures above. I really love the art above and it seems you just took me there through your blog.
We appreciate your comment. What we discovered is your experience in Slab City will equal your attitude you bring there. We were embracing, engaging, eager to participate, help those in need (we gave over the counter medicine to a sick person), get involved and meet folks. We were accepted and welcomed. The blogs we have read about Slab City viewed in a negative way appears to us to have been written by people who came to keep a distance and just observe. We can only say positive things about our experience there.
Hi guys. Any spots open for a solo musician?
I couldn’t think of another place like Slab City that’s in the US, that is truly free and truly happy! Cheers
Kyle, thanks for reaching out. If you are referring to performing at “The Range,” there is no protocol except to show up and let them know you wish to perform. If you are talking about living there, you just find an empty place and settle in.
Sounds frickin great. I can’t wait. You’re awesome for your quick reply
Great article and photos! I want to go and see the art! Looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Sandy, thank you for your kind comment. Glad you found value in the post. Slab City is an amazing place. Jim
You gave a very nice and honest description of your Slab City experience. I really enjoyed and appreciate the integrity of your reporting. I came here for two weeks; just over six years ago and now consider this home. The people make this a beautiful place, that includes people like you who ‘get it’ … Thank You! ~ Mojo~
Hey Mojo!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Jim and I love Slab and we hope to get over there in the next year or so. It would be great to meet some folks. God Bless all ya’ll and carry on.
Safe & Happy Travels!
Carmen@LIB
That was beautiful!
Thank you!