15 Comments
User's avatar
Nick Harding's avatar

The last paragraph is valuable advice Fred. Despite our locations maybe seeming to be hostile to nakedness it can be possible to find local places and people who share the preference to be naked, some may well like to participate in social nudity and activities as well. It may take time to find them, quite often nudists will prefer to keep fairly low profiles because of the perceived hostility to our way of life. So it may need you to keep searching and not expect all of the information to be provided as soon as you ask for it from complete strangers. An element of trust may need to be built up before they can see that new people are indeed genuine nudists. If you make contact with local like-minded naked people this can then be the start of forming a local network and finding other people and places where nudity is practiced.

Expand full comment
Au Naturel's avatar

There are a lot of opportunities for nudity but if the only thing one is comfortable with is a gated resort you'll never see them. The resorts out here are dropping like flies.

Expand full comment
Nick Harding's avatar

I think that some clubs have been way too slow in adapting to what younger people want from social nudism and are paying the price for standing still and not moving with the times. The ones here which have made positive attempts to attract younger people seem to be the healthiest.

Expand full comment
Abhijit's avatar

Wonderful images of the nature, beautiful & few looking dangerous especially because of the probable presence of snakes. As I have said previously, you are surely a courageous person.. I can join such hikes only if the person like you is leading the hike. I can't have this immense joy of nakedness in nature as the local laws here are totally against naturism & hence no one here dare to arrange such naked hikes.. I really miss it...

Expand full comment
Kent Lasater's avatar

BTW, if you are allergic to bee stings, I strongly recommend seeing your primary to get a referral to an allergist to receive bee venom allergy shots. Four years ago I had an anaphylactic reaction to a sting. I've taken the shots for 3 1/2 years. A week ago I had a blood test and skin test and no longer show any reaction to bee venom.

Expand full comment
Au Naturel's avatar

Bee stings don't bother me much. But a person with bee sting allergy would be wise to do this.

Expand full comment
Dave's avatar

I love in Ontario, California - so it is nice to see the naturist opportunities around me.

Expand full comment
Au Naturel's avatar

Most people do not realize it but in LA County it is legal to be nude in the national forest. Unfortunately that ignorance extends to national forest workers and sheriff's deputies.

Expand full comment
Ness's avatar

Always nice to read and see your hikes, Fred!

Expand full comment
Terry Lance's avatar

Thanks for such an informative story and photos!

Expand full comment
Ken Carlisle's avatar

Nice Job! Will you post a shortened version of this on Hiking Free at: https://mewe.com/join/hikingfree

Expand full comment
Larry's avatar

Sounds like a great hike. I enjoyed your descriptions, I'd love to do that, but am afraid those hikes are behind me.

Thanks for your article.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
May 13, 2024
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Au Naturel's avatar

This is the greenest it has been in decades. We are not far from the Mojave desert. Last year we got over twice the annual average rain and that is why there is still so much green. By May, things have usually started to turn brown. Probably won't get another drop of rain for 6 months. And then we get wildfires covering hundreds of thousands of hectares, similar to some parts of Australia..

The local climate varies greatly depending on the micro-climate but is it mostly grasslands with oak savanna, or chaparral with desert scrub in the really exposed areas. The pine trees are only there because someone planted them as an experiment 40 years ago.

Expand full comment
Phillip's avatar

Do you free hike in the blue mountains? I’m in southeast QLD and hope to find suitable free hiking spots.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
May 16, 2024
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Au Naturel's avatar

Wow. Lucky to be in such a tolerant place.

I have had people follow me off trail to chat me up when I'm naked and I stepped off trail to take a leak! Most long hikers on the Pacific Crest trail have been nude friendly so far.

It is the local day-hikers that have issues. For a very liberal state there are still a lot of very conservative individuals. I've had people work very hard to not look at me as we pass on the trail. Even though it isn't illegal, others have had the police show up at the trailhead to question them because they had a hostile encounter.

I always make sure there's nobody on the trail ahead of me on my nude hikes except in areas where nudity is more common, like remote hot springs. It's not that I'm ashamed or shy. I just don't need the heartburn of a low probability hostile encounter. Still, I unexpectedly run into other hikers maybe once a year. (I have a lot of years...)

I almost always hike midweek, late morning or noon-ish. We have a lot of remote wilderness and not a lot of tourists. Other day hikers will have started already or won't start until after work. Can't find anyone to freehike with on my schedule so it is usually alone. Sometimes I can go with a group on weekends but it is often a very long drive and they hike too fast for my pace.

Expand full comment