The real “Wilderness Family,” also known as the Kobzoff family, faced legal and financial difficulties after their story was popularized in the 1970s films. They eventually had to leave their wilderness home.
The Kobzoff family, whose experiences inspired the “Wilderness Family” movies, initially moved to the Colorado wilderness in the early 1970s. The films, starting with “The Adventures of the Wilderness Family” in 1975, depicted a romanticized version of their back-to-nature lifestyle. However, the reality behind the scenes was quite different from the idyllic portrayal on screen.
After the success of the movies, the family, consisting of Skip and Lynne Kobzoff and their children, faced a series of challenges. The attention from the films brought an influx of tourists and curiosity seekers to their remote homestead, which disrupted their way of life and the natural environment they cherished.
Moreover, the Kobzoffs encountered legal issues related to land use and property rights. They had built their home on public land in the San Juan Mountains, which led to disputes with the U.S. Forest Service. The family had not secured the proper permits for their residence and were eventually forced to dismantle their home and leave the land.
Financial struggles also plagued the family. While the films were commercially successful, the Kobzoffs did not receive significant financial benefits from them. The lack of income, combined with the costs associated with their legal battles and the need to rebuild their lives elsewhere, put a strain on the family’s resources.
In the years that followed, the Kobzoffs attempted to maintain their wilderness lifestyle in different locations but never quite recaptured the magic that had made their story famous. They continued to advocate for a simpler, nature-oriented way of life, but the dream that had been so vividly captured on film proved difficult to sustain in reality.