[vadoitmyself]

I plan on adding a 8'X8' Paver Patio for a free standing fire-pit using 16” Concrete Pavers. The location is nowhere near the foundation (20+ feet from the house).

Is it necessary to dig down 7 inches (5" stone/2" Sand) prior to laying the 16" pavers or will digging down 2” and leveling the ground and adding the sand base be sufficient? I've read that sand alone will work for 16"X16" pavers, but most forums discuss using interlocking pavers.

The location is on property that is 18 years old leading me to think the ground has settled. The average low in my Zone is 0-10 degrees (Zone 7a).

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Fine Edge]

For doing it youself in your own yard, I would say go ahead and do it with the 2" base but just keep in mind that the more you cut corners on the base, the more likely your base will fail to some degree.
At only 8' x 8', it shouldn't take too much time to re-level and patio stones that may settle.
Now, if I was going to install it, you can bet that my base would be sufficient to give you our standard warranty - 4 years.

I have a couple of small flagstone paths at my house that were just set in dirt and they have held up for the last 7 years.

[Hoosier]

using the larger 16" pavers, you'll need to have a near perfect base. the large stones show every flaw.
Don't tamp them in either. You'll end up cracking your blocks.

[Stonehenge]

Also, if these are the big box pavers that show a multiple paver pattern on each stone, they are more or less junk. Less than a perfect base will provide a fulcrum over which a paver will wobble and eventually break.

If you want to build a patio that'll last, buy some pavers from a paver supplier, excavate and prep according our tutorial of How To Install a Brick Paver Patio . Short of that, it's just a low quality/temporary installation. Nothing wrong with that, just go into the project knowing that, so you have the right expectations for the project in the coming years.