If you’ve ever listened to Joe Rogan for more than five minutes, you already know—this guy lives for the outdoors. Whether it’s bowhunting elk or waxing poetic about the stillness of the wilderness, Rogan’s love for nature runs deep. But as a TV personality, he does have to spend a lot of time surrounded by concrete, noise, and the nonstop hum of urban life.
And while he’s made peace with that reality, there was one moment—shared with his wife, no less—that completely rocked his perspective. A brief, powerful experience that pulled him out of his city mindset and made him realize just how disconnected he’d become from the natural world.
As Rogan tells it, this wasn’t just a nice walk in the woods—it was something much bigger.
During a conversation with Jose Andres on the latest episode of the Joe Rogan podcast, the UFC commentator talked about the time he realised the beauty of nature and what he was missing out on living in the city.
“Well, we were driving up there and they said, well, if it is a cloudy night, it’s terrible you can not see anything, but maybe you will get lucky. So we’re driving and as we’re driving I am telling my wife, look at those clouds, that sucks,” he continued.
“Then we drove further, as we got further, we drove through the clouds, and the clouds were below us, and the stars were magnificent. It was insane, you saw the whole Milky Way. The entire sky was filled with stars”, he added, still mesmerized.
Notably, being closer to nature was a major reason for Rogan‘s move from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, where he now resides. An avid outdoorsman and bowhunter, he found the expansive landscapes of Texas, particularly around Austin, to be a haven for his pursuits.
The state’s vast open spaces and abundant wildlife offered him the freedom to engage more deeply with the natural world, a stark contrast to the limitations he experienced in California.
Rogan has often expressed that being immersed in nature provides him with a sense of clarity and grounding. In Texas, he could readily access hunting grounds and wilderness areas, allowing him to indulge in activities that are both recreational and meditative for him.
However, it wasn’t the only reason for his move to the Lone Star State. Tired of congested urban spaces and restricted movements in the city during the COVID pandemic, Rogan claims his Texas move was a result of a strong desire for freedom.
In addition to that, he admitted, “I’m not a person who wants to keep all my money and not pay taxes”. Rogan bought a $14 million mansion in Austin, Texas, to move his family with him and has since, made it the base for his $200 million worth podcast, which made Spotify and Rumble sign lucrative deals with him.
He is having a nice life post retirement, earning an estimated $50,000 per PPV for commentary. According to business influencer Noah Kagan, Rogan used to make US$23 million annually only from his standup comedy shows across the country.
