For a while now I’ve been debating wether to focus on finding locations in backwoods, like farmhouses, or heading into the city to find things there. I have more experience with backwoods, but there’s not much variety. I’d like to hear some pros and cons of both, if there are any. And your personal thoughts on which you prefer

Do it all! Go into the city for sure. Have fun!

Anything in a city is going to be constantly watched or at least seen (in my experience). City exploration definitely provides a lot more adrenaline if that's what you're into, though. Aside from abandoned locations, lots of people like to climb cranes and towers. You won't really find things like that to do in small towns.

Small towns tend to be very slow with demolition and you can find a lot of places that have some very cool history behind them. You're also far less likely to get caught. I think it tends to be way more casual.

Cities are more likely to be an adrenaline rush situation and more of a challenge for sure. They're also very quick to demolish things and police presences are way bigger.

That's my two cents; 95% of the time I'm in between those two. Medium town, suburb, etc.

I'll take the backwoods any day. In fact, I moved to the backwoods if west Texas mesquite brush and prickly pear counts as woods.

Just don't do people's houses man. And remember you're going to stick out like an urban person out here LOL.

Small town and rural stuff is a lot more relaxed but you're more likely to find something 'epic' in a big city.

I explore to get away from people so rural all the way for me.

Posted by jeepdave I explore to get away from people so rural all the way for me.

RurEx for me too! But of course, you guys knew that.

Abby Normal

It really all depends what you're in it for. I love architecture and history and the cities tend to have more of that. I feel more confident exploring in city too because people tend to mind their own business.

I live in rural Iowa.

There are added wrinkles in rural areas in that to some degree, everyone knows everyone. Having out of area license plates gets you on everyone's radar. People are also inherently nosey out here.

Every year, a book shows up in the mailbox called the "county directory". That book tells you owns piece of land and where they live.

In Iowa, it's illegal to park on county roads. Parking on a county road will almost always trigger a call to 911 by the first nosey person that sees it.

Someone I talk to is the dispatcher for sheriff. He tells me that 90% of the calls he gets are nuisance calls about anomalous changes to the landscape. Gates left open, yard lights not lit and of course cars they don't recognize.

Then there's the local who's who and the relationships between them. There are people here that can do pretty much anything and the sheriff looks the other way.

About 3 miles South of me, there's an abandoned house. That house is owned by the guy that owns a used car lot. The sheriff drives a Corvette that came from that car lot and he got it for way below dealer cost. I wouldn't want to get caught there.

So be careful out there.

Posted by Radio2600 I live in rural Iowa. There are added wrinkles in rural areas in that to some degree, everyone knows everyone. Having out of area license plates gets you on everyone's radar. People are also inherently nosey out here. Every year, a book shows up in the mailbox called the "county directory". That book tells you owns piece of land and where they live. In Iowa, it's illegal to park on county roads. Parking on a county road will almost always trigger a call to 911 by the first nosey person that sees it. Someone I talk to is the dispatcher for sheriff. He tells me that 90% of the calls he gets are nuisance calls about anomalous changes to the landscape. Gates left open, yard lights not lit and of course cars they don't recognize. Then there's the local who's who and the relationships between them. There are people here that can do pretty much anything and the sheriff looks the other way. About 3 miles South of me, there's an abandoned house. That house is owned by the guy that owns a used car lot. The sheriff drives a Corvette that came from that car lot and he got it for way below dealer cost. I wouldn't want to get caught there. So be careful out there.

Ill certainly try. Nice to find another Iowan. I don't meet them very often, either online or outside of iowa.

Living in the Bay Area means that near all of what I explore is considered urbex, so of course city exploration would be my preferred point.

Most of the rurex I’ve done hasn’t exactly been the most interesting, but hey it’s worth the your time most of the time.

Just do whatever and everything you can. Get the most experience both ways

Ive always prefered city exploring just because i find it a lot more interesting. I tend to see bigger scale structures in the city imo. More complexity and there tends to be searchable history of the location. To each their own though, ive never really done anything rural yet so maybe im missing out.

Posted by UberDan Ive always prefered city exploring just because i find it a lot more interesting. I tend to see bigger scale structures in the city imo. More complexity and there tends to be searchable history of the location. To each their own though, ive never really done anything rural yet so maybe im missing out.

They each have their own special beauty. Just like I can't compare the beauty of the desert to the beauty of the forest. For me it's a matter of managing my free time. Free time is in short supply, so I usually head underground.

Abby

Posted by Asbestos E-Liquid Nice to find another Iowan. I don't meet them very often, either online or outside of iowa.

Looking at some of your pictures, it seems you travel US30 quite a bit.

My job seems to take up way too much of my life and I don't get out as much as I used to.

In any case...

I see you're already familiar with this dump.


These aren't my pictures, but East of the town with the derelict trains is this climbing gym.








Without giving too much away, this massive abandoned factory is straight North of Ogden, but South of US20.

Finding it and getting in and out without ending up in handcuffs is up to you.

Posted by Radio2600 Looking at some of your pictures, it seems you travel US30 quite a bit. My job seems to take up way too much of my life and I don't get out as much as I used to. In any case... I see you're already familiar with this dump. click to view These aren't my pictures, but East of the town with the derelict trains is this climbing gym. click to view click to view click to view Without giving too much away, this massive abandoned factory is straight North of Ogden, but South of US20. Finding it and getting in and out without ending up in handcuffs is up to you. click to view

This strangely feels like a test or challenge. If it’s either, I accept. If it’s not, then thanks for showing some cool photos, and showing a potential place for me to visit

Posted by Asbestos E-Liquid This strangely feels like a test or challenge. If it’s either, I accept. If it’s not, then thanks for showing some cool photos, and showing a potential place for me to visit

Takes it on. You can do it!

Posted by randomesquephoto Takes it on. You can do it!

Cheers man! 👍

City exploration tends to be more industrial/ commercial, while rural exploration tends to be more residential/ military/oddball locations in my experience. Not that you can't find a factory in the middle of nowhere or a weird place in a city center, but it's not as common.

As of this afternoon, the 3rd pig's palace is still standing.

Posted by Aran City exploration tends to be more industrial/ commercial, while rural exploration tends to be more residential/ military/oddball locations in my experience. Not that you can't find a factory in the middle of nowhere or a weird place in a city center, but it's not as common.

I have a theory on that, companies that need industrial and commercial locations don't like all the cows and tractors out here for some reason so they build their commercial and industrial locations in cities. Then they abandon them.