Lifestyle question for those who wheel - best place to live?

[DadJokes]

Great thread.

In a few years we want to downsize considerably here and buy another small home out west. I’ll still have little ones so decent public schools are a consideration for us. A lot of small towns I’m looking at on Zillow, you need to check. I enjoyed the Black Hills (a lot closer to western public lands than we’re used to) but the schools are iffy. Then there’s only Rapid City nearby, which we’re spoiled to having access to four “big city” areas, with the outlier only 2.5 hrs away. There’s the access to business and job opportunities we will consider too. Low to reasonableness taxes, 2A, no nutjob govt matters to me as well.

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[AndrewHW]

Lived in Southern California all of my life. Just recently got in to jeep off roading but spent my entire childhood riding quads/dirt bikes all over this state. California is beautiful and as others have pointed out, you can be in the mountains, the beaches or the desert in less than an hour. However, this state is absolutely terrible in all other aspects. The government, taxes, homelessness, cost of living, fuel, etcc...I'm married to this state for another 19 years until I can retire and I'll be on the first train out of this place. Not sure where I'll go yet but I'd love to explore the Colorado and Utah areas heavily.

 

[IdahoJOAT]

I live in southern Idaho and I'd say around SLC is where it's at, location wise.

You're close enough to the Rubicon, Moab, and Colorado. If you're wanting to venture it's not THAT far to WA, OR, ID, WY, NM, AZ and CA.

 

[Abramovich]

The best three states for Jeeping are AZ, CO, UT in my opinion. All are beautiful and have open land. I moved from Chicago 37 years ago to AZ and never looked back. I am driving in the desert 10 minutes from my house. Mountain biking and hiking trails within walking distance. Pine trees and snow are 2 hours driving distance.

 

[Overland Utah]

Another U of U grad here! I just graduated last semester and where I want to live has been on my mind for the past few months. I grew up in Utah and have lived here most of my life, and enjoy the seasons (ski, snowmobile) which is a big part of living here. I only got into Jeeping 3 years ago but I have always enjoyed the outdoors, grew up dirt biking, etc. so having a Jeep really brought back some of that joy.

I live about 30 minutes South of SLC, and feel that I have plenty of opportunities to use my Jeep depending on how long of a trip I would like. If I drive 30 minutes south, I have access to several trails and public lands for a day trail or camp, but if I would like to plan a multi day trip then there are really a ton of options. I am surprised that no one has mentioned Sand Hollow State Park as it has become increasingly popular among Utah Jeepers, even preferred over Moab by a few of my crawling friends.

Not to bring politics into it either, but I have been very happy living in Utah throughout this whole pandemic. After thinking about it, I have yet to be ever asked for a vaccination card to enter/participate in anything.

 

[beachbumm78]

Another U of U grad here! I just graduated last semester and where I want to live has been on my mind for the past few months. I grew up in Utah and have lived here most of my life, and enjoy the seasons (ski, snowmobile) which is a big part of living here. I only got into Jeeping 3 years ago but I have always enjoyed the outdoors, grew up dirt biking, etc. so having a Jeep really brought back some of that joy.

I live about 30 minutes South of SLC, and feel that I have plenty of opportunities to use my Jeep depending on how long of a trip I would like. If I drive 30 minutes south, I have access to several trails and public lands for a day trail or camp, but if I would like to plan a multi day trip then there are really a ton of options. I am surprised that no one has mentioned Sand Hollow State Park as it has become increasingly popular among Utah Jeepers, even preferred over Moab by a few of my crawling friends.

Not to bring politics into it either, but I have been very happy living in Utah throughout this whole pandemic. After thinking about it, I have yet to be ever asked for a vaccination card to enter/participate in anything.

Funny you mentioned Sand Hollow. That’s where several of my Jeep friends here in Phoenix LOVE to go. They all prefer it to Moab. And kinda like to keep it their secret playground so it doesn’t turn into another Moab. They do every year up there for their annual event. In fact they just got back from there. Haven’t made it there at myself but it’s on the list.

 

[BradyW]

I’ll throw another vote in the hat for Grand Junction/Fruita Colorado. I lived in Fruita for a year and a half and it’s an amazing place to live if you enjoy 2 wheel/4 wheel/snow sliding/camping activities. Some great terrain literally right out your back door and only 90min to Moab and 110min to Ouray. Colorado skiing is 2hrs away and you are driving against front range traffic. UT skiing is less than 5hrs away. It was crazy hitting MTB trails after work and everyone you met was on a multi hundred mile Mecca journey to ride in Fruita.

I miss that place.

 

[Slumpbuster]

San Diego has the best weather in the country, period! That being said I too am leaving as soon as able(job/kids). Not saying where I’m going so you all don’t make it popular in the next 7 years. Sorry

 

[landshark99]

I have lived most of my life in So Cal, but have traveled a great deal around the US and internationally. Even did some offroading in some of those other countries, like Australia and Kenya. There are few places anywhere else that have the variety of terrain and great weather that we have in Ca. Mountains, Desert and beach all in the same day, lots of trails and if you like cars or bikes lots of amazing roads. Like the other western states of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada lots of public land to offroad, I will grant you that Ca has become very expensive to live in but watch out many of the other states are getting there too.

 

[Rangemaster]

Nevada hands down, I live in Reno. We have so many trails with in 2 hours in all directions you will never be able to drive them all.

 

[Av8Chuck]

.... I will grant you that Ca has become very expensive to live in but watch out many of the other states are getting there too.

Its really difficult to talk about CA without politics creeping in, but the problem isn't that its expensive, it's always been expensive but over the last couple of decades people have voted for a variety of unfunded propositions, laws that regulate small business to the point of bankruptcy, while at the same time it has become a sanctuary state for just about every cause. It used to be such a great place to live. If you're wealthy and are looking for a place to off road it's hard to beat California.

 

[landshark99]

Its really difficult to talk about CA without politics creeping in, but the problem isn't that its expensive, it's always been expensive but over the last couple of decades people have voted for a variety of unfunded propositions, laws that regulate small business to the point of bankruptcy, while at the same time it has become a sanctuary state for just about every cause. It used to be such a great place to live. If you're wealthy and are looking for a place to off road it's hard to beat California.

Politics are also very subjective and there are a number states with policies and government priorities that I could not live with. while I can understand many business may have issues with state policies, if Ca was a sovereign nation it would have the 5th largest economy in the world, ahead of the United Kingdom and just behind Germany, so it works for others. As many have said quality of life is a personal choice, at this point in my life California,( HWY 1, Desert, Sierras, and many other wonders) is the best choice for me.

 

[deserteagle56]

Funny you mentioned Sand Hollow. That’s where several of my Jeep friends here in Phoenix LOVE to go. They all prefer it to Moab. And kinda like to keep it their secret playground so it doesn’t turn into another Moab. They do every year up there for their annual event. In fact they just got back from there. Haven’t made it there at myself but it’s on the list.

With all the people following Matt's Off-road recovery YouTube Channel, I'm thinking southern Utah and Sand Hollow is going to get extremely popular!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdVOry0oNF9WIe_3uCfz9Q

 

[miweber929]

My wife and I are discussing eastern Tennessee/ western North Carolina as our destination in a few years. Great motorcycling (street and dirt) lots of places to camp, lots of trails to wheel, you still have a change of seasons but nothing extreme (tired of the long ass Minnesota/Wisconsin winters) and cost of living isn’t awful.

Seems like everything we are looking for.

 

[AZ Hella]

Well if I were to locate myself for wheeling access I would consider Sand Hollow UT,. That would put me smack dab in the middle of damn near every trail in the western United States. The West will offer far more wheeling opportunities than any other region of the country. Sand Hollow itself is a wonderful place to wheel.

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