Are there any accounts of Nordic immigrants to the US trying to practice a "right to roam" in their new home?

In Norway, Sweden, and other Nordic countries, there is a notion of a “right to roam”, or Allemannsretten (in Norwegian), where people are generally free to walk around the land as they like, even if it is privately held.

This is in stark contrast to US property norms, where trespassing on someone else’s land is greatly frowned upon. I was wondering if there have been any accounts of Norwegian/Swedish/other Nordic immigrants arriving to the US in the early 1800s or 1900s, and attempting to practice this "right to roam"? And if so, when/why did they give up this practice in the US?

In general, were there any conflicts or disagreements between Nordic immigrants and other Americans regarding property norms/ a notion of Allemannsretten?

Posted Feb 26, 2026, 7:56 AM UTC

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