A man posted a video sharing his positive experience at a place called Slab City in California. A short time later, he left a comment under his video saying, “I’m not recommending travel here.” What happened?
In his video, TikTok user Taylor Hereid (@taylorhereid) shows what it’s like to live in the “lawless American town called Slab City.”
Hereid, who lives in a van and travels across the country, says that Slab City is a place “that’s referred to as ‘the last free place in America.’”
“They call it ‘free’ or ‘lawless’ due to the no official government, no official property ownership, and little to no police presence,” Hereid says.
What’s Slab City Like?
Over the course of the rest of his video, Hereid shares his largely positive experience in Slab City. While the area has “no trash service, no water supply, no electrical grid,” parallel systems have developed that allow people to live in the area.
Additionally, a small tourist economy has developed in the area. Hereid visits a gift shop, where he buys a ring and a sticker while talking to the owner about what it’s like to live in the area. Then, he stopped by Salvation Mountain, a manmade hill covered in paint created by artist Leonard Knight.
As Hereid continued exploring, he saw a concert hall, which he says has “open mics every weekend.” There are also other art exhibits, a skate park, and more.
Hereid does not actually spend 24 hours in the area, despite saying so at the beginning of the video. Instead, he says he left early to eat in a nearby town, as the presence of flies and garbage in the area was too much for him.
What Is Slab City Really Like?
Soon after Hereid posted his video, commenters began insisting that the area was dangerous.
“Scary place to take your loving girlfriend or wife,” wrote a user.
“Let’s not romanticize slab city yall,” declared another.
“Thank god. You made it sound like you slept there in slab. I’ve been there, and all of the stories I’ve heard, I would never sleep in that city, especially with my wife,” said a third.
But is the area really dangerous?
The answer from available data is a bit complicated.
To start, there are actual, practical dangers of being in Slab City. The nearest hospital is 40 minutes away. No running water makes staying clean difficult. Furthermore, temperatures often reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit, dramatically increasing one’s risk of heat-related health conditions.
As far as criminal danger is concerned, there are occasional incidents. Locals report that drug use is common. There have also been occasional murders and property disputes that led to arson.
However, there doesn’t seem to be any solid data supporting the idea that Slab City is predominantly home to criminals, sex offenders, or any other sort of alleged criminal.
Some Commenters Like It
While many in the comments section insisted the city was dangerous, others claimed to have visited and had positive experiences.
“I grew up about 45 minutes from slab city. People acting ridiculous in the comments,” said a user. “As long as you are respectful and stay aware of your surroundings (same as you should in literally any city that you aren’t familiar with) you’ll be totally fine. Enjoy the art.”
“I went there 9 weeks pregnant with my husband and we did exactly your path, even stopped at the library and met the infamous Cornelius from the vice documentary. Best time of my life!” exclaimed another. “This er nurse would most def go again.”
“We went to slab city and a woman who lived there gave my daughter a really cool sticker of the mountain,” recalled a third.
@taylorhereid 24 hours in the last FREE place in America, Slab City! #fyp #vanlife #vancamping #travel
BroBible reached out to Hereid via email.