Josh Duhamel Details the Layout of His Minnesota ‘Doomsday Cabin’ Where He Feels Like He’s ‘Roughing It’

• Josh Duhamel first bought his secluded Minnesota property 15 years ago

• Despite a fair amount of upgrades and amenities, Duhamel still feels like he's 'roughing it' in the Midwest

• Earlier this month, Duhamel spoke exclusively with PEOPLE, saying he loves seeing the property "through my kids' eyes"

Josh Duhamel is sharing more details about his secluded cabin in Minnesota.

The actor, 52, recently sat down with Country Living to discuss the amenities — or lack thereof — at what he refers to as his "doomsday cabin" in the Midwest. Duhamel purchased the property 15 years ago. It sits lakeside about an hour-and-a-half drive away from Fargo, N.D.

"We're about 40 minutes from civilization," he said. "It's an exhale whenever we get here."

When Duhamel first bought the half-parcel of land, it sat empty. But the Transformers star eventually built a rustic cabin. His property expanded when he bought a second parcel, fitted with a hunting shack. Then, he bought another with a "cute little red cabin with a stone chimney that sits right on the water."

"It's basically a Terry Redlin painting," Duhamel said comparing his property to the nature illustrator's work.

Related: Josh Duhamel Reveals His Wife Audra Mari Had a Cameo on Ransom Canyon but 'They Cut Her Out': 'Poor Thing' (Exclusive)

At first, cabin life only included the necessities for Duhamel. "We were basically homesteading the first 12 years. For the longest time, we didn't have plumbing. We were using outhouses and washing dishes in the lake," the actor detailed. "I feel so connected to it — I didn't just buy the place, I shaped this place. While we've made a lot of improvements, you still feel like you're roughing it, and I love that."

Despite the hardships, it's been well worth it for Duhamel, his wife, and two kids.

"There are a lot of great things about L.A.," the Shotgun Wedding star said. "But here my kids get to be kids — catching frogs, collecting sticks. They come home and they're filthy, and I think that's so good for them. These days, there's so much anger in the world, and I think it's because people are on their phones, getting caught up in whatever they're being fed through their devices as opposed to being outside, connecting with the world. Nature helps ground you to what's important."

Duhamel and Audra Mari, 31, wed in September 2002. They welcomed son Shepherd on Jan. 11, 2024. Duhamel also shares one son, Axl, 11, with singer Fergie.

Related: Josh Duhamel Reflects on His Divorce from Fergie 6 Years Later, Admits He's Still a 'Work in Progress'

Earlier this month, Duhamel opened up to PEOPLE about the private life he created for his family in Minnesota.

"I love seeing it through my kids' eyes now," he told PEOPLE. "Axl is really starting to love it. He's got some buddies who are out there. I'm able to teach him some of the things that I've learned, and I didn't know much when I got the place, so it's been good."

He continued, "I've become much more handy than I was before I started, and you have to be just out of necessity. You have to be able to fix stuff. And so all that, all around, it's been great. Making a lot of great memories out there."

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The Safe Haven star also spoke to Parade about his property in an April 10 interview. He told the outlet that going off the grid "fulfills the soul."

"Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it's removed from everything," he said. "The closest store is 40 miles away. Once we get there, it's really about everybody taking care of each other — making memories, spending time with family and friends."

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