Gary Hanauer

Upper Russian River

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Rating: C

If you’re frustrated by Sonoma County’s harsh anti-nudity laws, then take heart: a quiet, clothing-optional riverbank that’s just three miles over the county line in Mendocino County, not far from Cloverdale. Seldom visited and protected from the wind by a canyon, this site off Comminsky Station Road also can’t be seen by passing drivers. Says a July 2010 visitor: “it has friendly people, spectacular scenery, and relatively easy access.”

 

Legal status:

Unknown.

 

How to find it:

From San Francisco, follow Highway 101 north, past Santa Rosa and Cloverdale. When you cross into Mendocino County, check your odometer and drive 2.9 miles north. Exit onto Comminsky Station Road and take it west to the end. Park and walk down a short path to the beach.


The beach:

The river curves here, leaving a ribbon of fine sand for sunning along its banks.


The crowd:

The sandbank is visited by a few nudists and non-nudists, depending on the time of year.


Problems:

Unknown legal status; needs better directions.

Las Trampas

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Rating: C

Want to go walking around nude at night outside without being hauled off to jail?  Imagine hiking naked guided only by your flashlight in the East Bay Hills, with the trail silhouetted by a full moon and small herds of horses coming up to greet you.

“It’s absolutely surreal,” says Jurek Zarzycki.  “The horses come within inches of you, so close you can feel their breath.  It’s like being on a moonscape with aliens.  You may be a little afraid at first, but the horses are very friendly.”

America’s only nude “Full Moon Hikes” have been taking place on summer full moon nights in Castro Valley for more than seven years.  The next ones will be held July 29, August 31 (arrive by 6 p.m.), and September 28 (starting at 5:15 p.m.) 

“We start early so that we have the full moon already risen by the time the sun sets,” says San Leandro’s Dave Smith, who leads most of the hikes.  “Then we hike up the trail around sunset.”

Coordinated by a partnership between The Sequoians Naturist Club and the Bay Area Naturists, based in San Jose, walkers leave the property of The Sequoians fully clothed at dusk and walk through meadows and up hills until the moon rises, before heading back down the slopes completely nude, with their clothes folded neatly into their backpacks.

Some people walk partially nude, especially near the top of the main ridge used by the hikers, where, says Zarzycki, “there can be very cold winds.”  Adds Smith: “We make about a 1,200 foot ascent up ridges and trails to the Las Trampas Ridge. “We usually pause long enough to drink some water and take in the views of the sun settling over the bay and even Mount Tamalpais, on the coast, plus the moon rising south of Mount Diablo.  Then we keep walking.  Soon, the coastal air just starts pouring over the hilltop.  And the wind begins howling.”  Once on the peak, almost everyone dons a windbreaker. 

“Whether you are clothed or not, participating in the Full Moon Hike is a big treat,” adds Zarzycki, who suggests hikers bring good hiking shoes, a flashlight (“Most of the time you won’t need it, because of the moonlight”), and bug spray.  “And don’t forget to have some baby carrots with you to give to the horses.”

“It’s truly wonderful,” says Smith. “We’re usually the only ones on the path.” 

Agrees Zarzycki: “It’s one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The fields look absolutely shimmering on the way up.  And then when you’re coming back down, the path is lit only by the moon, so you’re walking in this silvery light.  You’re in nature, the moonlight is flooding everything, and then suddenly there’s this big horse silhouette coming out of nowhere. You feel like you’re in the middle of a beautiful dream.”

As for the horses, they’re real enough — in fact, they usually beg for snacks. 

The hike isn’t easy.  Some parts of the walk are “mountain-goatish,” tells Smith.   One time, the path was so slippery that hikers crawled along it on all fours, while grasping for bushes hidden by the darkening sky.  Everyone in the group fell down on their butts at least once in the most slippery spots, but they helped each other and continued down the ridge.

The route downhill usually takes the nighttime naturists past a field of wild sage, which smell great after dark.

After the walk, most hikers shower at the Sequoians Naturist Club, and, for a fee of $5, take a dip in the 86-degree pool there and enjoy a plunge in the facility’s hot tub.  “It was fabulous,” says Zarzycki about an earlier trek.  “I pitched my tent right there at the Sequoians and then slept under the sky.”

Legal status:  

Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, where nudity is prohibited.

How to find it:

Contact the Sequoians Naturist Club at http://www.sequoians.com or BAN at http://www.bayareanaturists.org or Dave Smith at dsfingers@sbcglobal.net for details on how to join a walk. Participants usually meet at and return to the Sequoians, in Castro Valley. “We usually meet about two hours before sunset at the Sequoians Recretation Hall for a quick pot luck,” says Smith. To get there, take Highway 580 east to the Crow Canyon Road exit. Or follow 580 west to the first Castro Valley offramp. Take Crow Canyon Road toward San Ramon .75 mile to Cull Canyon Road. Then follow Cull Canyon Road around 6.5 miles to the end of the paved road. Take the dirt road, on the right, until the “Y” in the road and keep left. Shortly thereafter, you’ll see the Sequoians sign. Proceed ahead for about another .75 mile to the Sequoians front gate.

The crowd:

Expect five to 20 participants.

Problems:

Must go as part of a guided group; pay fee for pool/hot tub; visibility limited so bring a flashlight; use of bug repellent advised; some of the trail is steep and slippery; walk only held two to four times a year.

Hidden Pond

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Rating: C

Suitable for use on warm spring and fall days, remote, nearly secret Hidden Pond, nestled undisturbed in an East Bay park, is usually too shallow to enjoy in the summer. Getting to the sun-splashed skinny-dipping hole is half the fun.  “The trail was extremely scenic,” says Fremont’s Jerek Zarzycki, of his late spring visit.  “There were wildflowers everywhere and the meadows we crossed looked like they were covered with lush green by a paint brush.”

Members of the Bay Area Naturists (BAN) — and others who want to take the trip with them — occasionally meet on the slopes of Mount Diablo and then hike about three miles to the lake, which is big enough in wet years to hold around 30 people, according to BAN leader Rich Pasco.  It takes over an hour to walk there from the nearest road, but visitors usually treasure the experience.

“It’s a gorgeous place,” says Trevor Murphy.  “Even though it isn’t very remote, it’s extremely peaceful there.”  Pasco describes it as “a pristine, Norman Rockwell kind of place.”  

Says Zarzycki: “Being there was totally amazing.  It was just gorgeous.  One side of the lake is rimmed with very old oak trees.”  The rest of the water is surrounded by open grassland.  And the entire setting is perched on a hillside, which keeps it hidden from the view of hikers.

One drawback:  except after the rainiest of seasons, the water in the pond is too full of reeds and other vegetation for full-fledged swimming.  During Zarzycki’s visit, only one person swam in the deepest end of the pond.

Legal status:

Part of Mount Diablo State Park.

How to find it:

Take Highway 680 to Danville and exit at Diablo Road. Following the green state park signs, drive east on Diablo. At El Cerro turn right to continue on Diablo. At the stop sign, which forms a junction with Blackhawk, turn left onto Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard, which becomes South Gate Road at the park boundary. The road here is narrow and frequented by bicyclists. Follow it to the park’s entrance kiosk (where you’ll pay the $6 entrance fee and can get a map), then continue about 1.5 miles to the big, flat parking lot on the right — the first one past Rock City. Look for a Curry Point sign near the start of the trail. BAN usually begins its hike there, following the path from the trailhead to a fire road. “You don’t see [the lake] from the main trail,” Pasco says. “You have to take off over the grassland to find it.” Guide-led visitors have little trouble making the trek, though. It’s fairly level, according to Murphy and Zarzycki, with significant slopes only at the beginning and the end, up a steep rise and then down to the dell where the lake’s nestled.  And surprise: you may see cows or even a wild pig on or near the path.

The beach:

The site is around 70 feet long by 40 feet wide, surrounded by an estimated 14 acres of secluded hillside studded, on one side, with a small grove of majestic oak and bay trees that offer welcome summer shade.  The rest of the lakefront is open, with just grass and no trees.  Says Zarzycki:  “We didn’t see a stream, so it probably is only replenished by winter rain.” During his visit, Zarzycki found most of the water to “only be knee deep and it was maybe four feet at the deepest.”  But after a particularly wet year, according to Murphy, the water reached six or seven feet at its deepest point. “It’s pretty cold, so you can’t swim that much,” he says. He advises those who make the trip with BAN to bring good walking shoes, ground cover, and flip-flops.  Pack a lunch and bring a towel or tarp to put down under a shade tree.

The crowd:

The nearby trail is a favorite among hikers, but so far the lake is only visited by naturist groups once or twice a year.  BAN has not led any hikes recently.

Problems:

Site may dry up by midsummer, water sometimes too shallow and vegetation-clogged for swimming, lack of directions and need to go with BAN, long walk from the parking lot, some (avoidable) poison oak on the trail, may be windy in early spring.

Upper Long Valley

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Rating: C

A small swimming hole that is occasionally used for nude or topless swimming or sunbathing on weekdays, Upper Long Valley draws suited visitors on weekends.It may be worth checking out when there’s enough water in the creek and nobody else is present.

Legal status: 

Unknown.

How to find it:

See the description for its downstream cousin, Lower Long Valley (above). To find this clothing-optional beach, walk a few sandy banks upstream from Lower Long Valley.

The beach:

A sun-washed shoal next to a cool, invigorating creek that’s visited by a few local residents and travelers.

The crowd:

Like Lower Long Valley, this site gets infrequent traffic.

Problems:

Area subject to law enforcement; directions need improvement; unknown legal status.

Lower Long Valley

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Rating: C

Just past the previous two beaches, there are two more water holes that are sometimes used for au naturel swimming. You may encounter a few visitors there or even have the sites all to yourself. Please let us know what happens!

 

Legal status:

Unknown.

 

How to find it:

Check for the beach around two miles west of Cache Creek Bridge, near mile marker 34.94 on Highway 20, just east of New Long Valley Road. Park and walk upstream to a tiny clothing-optional swimming hole that is hidden from the road.


The beach:

A sandbar along the creek, just downstream from the point where the highway and stream run side by side.


The crowd:

Hardly anyone knows about this site, so it only gets a few visitors, even on weekends.

 

Problems:

Directions could be improved; unknown legal status; occasional patrols by cops.

Upper Cache Creek

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Rating: C

Located somewhat further from the bridge, Upper Cache is a little more “private” than nearby Lower Cache Creek Beach, which is downstream and described above.Tip: hike up the creek from Lower Cache for several minutes until you come upon some skinny-dippers.

Legal status:

Private property marked with “Do Not Trespass” signs.

How to find it:

Follow directions to Lower Cache Creek (see above), but walk a short distance upstream to the clothing-optional area. The beach usually draws fewer visitors than Lower Cache.

The beach:

Usually has a little less sand than Lower Cache.

The crowd:

Nudity evaporates on weekends, but a few skinny-dippers visit on weekdays. If you come during the week, it’s likely you’ll be the only person present.

Problems:

Not much weekend nude use; less sand than at Lower Cache; Do Not Trespass signs; visits by police.

Lower Cache Creek

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Rating:C

Local skinny-dippers and others visit a string of at least four swimming holes scattered off Highway 20, between Clear Lake and Williams.Used mostly by suited visitors, including families, a few naturists periodically plunge in when nobody else is around.Cops come here too, so use these sites with discretion.

Legal status:

Believed to be California Department of Fish and Game, Federal Bureau of Land Management, or reservation land.

How to find it:

To find the first skinny-dipping hole, from the cities of Clear Lake or Lower Lake, take Highway 53 north to Highway 20, turn east (in the direction of the Colusa County town of Williams), and go about seven miles. At the Cache Creek Bridge (Lake County mile marker 37.07), where Highway 20 crosses over the creek on a curve, look for the swimming hole. Park in the lot on the west side of the bridge, then walk downstream to the nude area.

The beach:

“At first I was worried that people on the (nearby) bridge would be looking down, but that didn’t happen,” tells a reader.”It’s a great nude beach.”The beach usually has more sand and fewer rocks than Upper Cache Creek (see below).

The crowd:

Usually a suited site, clothing-optional use is limited to weekdays during times when clothed families are not present.

Problems:

Lack of good weekend use; proximity to the highway; uncertain legal status; possible law enforcers.

Cazadero

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Rating: D

While it’s true that several skinny-dipping holes used by local residents are located near the Russian River town of Cazadero, they are surrounded by private property. And their owners don’t like trespassers, so if they spot one, they are usually quick to call deputies.

Legal status:

The area around the holes is private property. But what about the water? It’s a murky question. “Many property owners claim the water to the middle of the river as their property,” says Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Gregg Paul. Lawyers who have researched these claims say that “if you can kayak or paddle to a swimming hole, you can use it, but not the riverbank,” adds Paul. “But if you can’t paddle to it, it’s private property.” When called to the scene, deputies usually try to avoid the controversy by urging visitors to leave. See Lower Wohler Bridge for policy. If you have any questions about legal issues, we suggest you contact local authorities.

How to find it:

From San Francisco, take Highway 101 north, past Santa Rosa, to River Road. Follow River Road and Highway 116 west through Guerneville to the cutoff for Cazadero, which is called Austin Creek Road. Turn left on Cazadero. Hole one: In town, take Fort Ross Road west past Neistrath Road to Bohan Dillon Road. (If you get to Meyers Grade Road, you’ve gone three miles too far.) Turn right on Bohan Dillon, a dirt road that crosses a bridge. Park in the meadow just before the bridge. Take the little trail that starts there through the trees and bushes to the riverbank. Hole two: Look for cars pulled over off Kings Ridge Road, which heads north from Cazadero.

The beach:

Little riverside swimming holes, usually ringed by private land.

The crowd:

Use varies, but is often limited to just a few people, even on the hottest days. More often, such places are deserted.

Problems:

You’ll probably be visited or cited by a deputy if the owner of the property or a family member, friend, or passerby complains; trash; noise; needs better directions.

Elsewhere on Russian River

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Rating: C

To begin your own nude beach or check out areas on the Russian River that are infrequently used by nudists, look for cars pulled over on one of the roads near the water, park, and go exploring. Or simply walk along the river’s edge or a nearby path or paddle upstream or downstream. Several sandy areas attract skinny-dippers who like to start their own clothing-optional sites.  Spots that are fully or partially shielded from view work best. Please remember that if local residents or passing river users complain, then you may be cited, so please use these traditional hangouts with discretion.

Legal status:

Public access areas of private land.  For policy, see Lower Wohler Bridge.

How to find it:

From San Francisco, take Highway 101 north to Healdsburg, north of Santa Rosa. Favorite skinny-dipping locales that have not been raided often include the riverbanks off North Fitch Mountain Road and West Side Road, which parallels the Russian River between Guerneville and Healdsburg, and Steelhead Beach, across from the now-defunct Rusty Nail Bar, in the Mirabel area of Guerneville. Reader Doug wrote us, saying, “as long as people are well behaved, the locals don’t mind” topless and nude sunbathing off a hard to find path near 2500 North Fitch Mountain Road. We investigated and were told by operators of a parking lot at 2636 North Fitch Mountain that nudists seldom appear and when they do local residents are quick to call deputies.

The beach:

Sandy stretches of riverbank, except off North Fitch, which is a mix of gravel and sand.

The crowd:

It will probably be just you!

Problems:

Needs better directions; areas open to view by canoeists; possible raids by deputies; limited parking on North Fitch Mountain Road and elsewhere.

The Rocks

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Rating:  C

It’s risky behavior, so not everyone jumps from The Rocks, as a local skinny-dipping hole is known, into the Russian River.  Visitors also like to sunbathe, swim, read, and just relax at the sunny, waterside nook, which has been growing in popularity.  

Legal status:

Public access land of private property. See Lower Wohler Bridge for enforcement policy.

How to find it:

Follow the trail from Sunset (see above) downstream about a quarter mile.

The beach:

A 200-foot long sandy riverbank that has high rocks on one side, plus a deep swimming hole. Some visitors dive or jump off the rocks.

The crowd:

“It’s used by a mix of men, women, and couples,” says Tom, a frequent visitor. “No citations have ever been issued at this beach to my knowledge.” Best time to visit is late on weekdays. The rest of the time, says Tom, “it’s pretty busy with clothed vacation users.”

Problems:

Area subject to visits by deputies; nude use usually limited to weekdays; needs better directions.

 

Blanket Beach

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Rating: C

Here’s a blanket statement: people who don’t come early will miss out on using Blanket Beach, where a towel’s needed, but clothes aren’t. The site is frequently used by nude sunbathers and swimmers in the summer. But, even if it’s cold, drop by in the morning or you’ll have to go elsewhere. “It’s only big enough for a single blanket,” says a regular visitor. Best time to visit is weekdays. On weekends, it’s often occupied by the first swimsuit-wearing guests who appear — usually a family or two who wander down the trail from nearby Sunset Beach.


Legal status:

Public access land of private property. For enforcement policy, see Lower Wohler Bridge.

 

How to find it:

Blanket Beach is easy to miss. But if you look carefully, you should be able to find this great little spot. From Sunset Beach (see above), walk downstream about an eighth of a mile (toward the ocean, or if you are facing the river, to the right) to a small beach. If you arrive at The Rocks (see next entry), a quarter mile from Sunset, then you have passed Blanket Beach.

 

The beach:

A sandy riverbank that’s so small it can hold a single, average-size blanket.


The crowd:

Expect a handful of nude visitors on warm summer weekdays. On weekends, a clothed family or two — but no nudists — will usually be present.


Problems:

Area subject to visits by deputies upon complaint; only holds a few people; needs better directions; nude use usually restricted to weekdays.

Odd Fellow’s Beach

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Rating: C

Odd Fellow’s Beach has an odd problem: a family is trying to keep naked people off what they say is their land. But rebuffing those who sunbathe in the buff isn’t the only issue. The spot is also said to be private property.  

At last report, the dispute was underway between naturists who were hoping to start a nude beachhead on one side of a bridge and a family that claimed to own the property on the other side. Despite the county’s anti-nudity laws and the efforts of the family that reports it’s owned property along the water since 1853, the visitors haven’t given up.  

According to posts on the Nudist-Resorts.org bulletin board, small numbers of single people, couples, and families have been sunbathing naked at a beach near Odd Fellows Bridge, between Guerneville and Sunset Beach, on the Russian River. The site is just east of Korbel Winery and a little downstream and to the west of the bridge.

One writer says he’s “been frequenting this hidden little beach” for four years “and it has become one of my favorites.” He says that the “road is closed during winter, the bridge is removed in October, and replaced in May or June. Because of this, the beach area is rarely occupied.” But, he adds, on warm spring weekends before the road is reopened, it isn’t unusual to see “several couples and even families go nude there.” Once summer arrives, though, more clothed people, traffic, and canoeists converge here. He describes what it was like to camp nude on the beach: “I felt so privileged. I had the beach pretty much to myself. The two couples that came through went nude also. Had a very peaceful time. The weather was perfect, and so was the water.”

Lately, a visitor who calls himself Redbeard has been grooming the site. He says he’s cleared the area of debris, cut some steps into the bank, and cleaned up “more spots” in the area. Redbeard said he’d found at least four locations on the sand that are big and soft enough to hold a blanket. Rains washed away a small edge of the beach, but they also caused even more foliage, including some willow trees, to grow, which has been helping shield the site from passing canoeists.

Meanwhile, a person representing the family says “Odd Fellows Beach is private property.” The family apparently puts up “No Trespassing” signs, but, adds the family member, “every year folks tear (it) down … litter, camp, and show no respect for the river or the land.”

Legal status:

Unknown. Claimed to be private property, but, as is the case at some of the Russian River sites, portions may be public access area of private property. A “No Trespassing” sign has reportedly been erected on a nearby trail. See Lower Wohler Bridge for law enforcement policy.

How to find it:

From Santa Rosa, go north on Highway 101 to River Road. Then follow River Road west, passing Wohler Road and Sunset Avenue, in the Hacienda District. After Sunset, River Road winds until it eventually curves past Korbel Winery. Check for Odd Fellows Park Road, which, if you’re headed west, is the last street on the left before Korbel. Turn left onto Odd Fellows. Take it to Odd Fellows Bridge and park. If the bridge is not in place (it’s there in late spring and summer), park at the end of the road. Walk to the last “Do Not Park” sign on your right. Follow the little trail that begins there as it goes up the embankment, staying on it as it heads to the right and takes you to the beach, which is said to be on the western, downstream side of the bridge.

The beach:

The beach curves and has a grove of willows that help keep it obscured from the view of passing canoeists or gawkers. In May or June, after the bridge is put back in place and traffic increases, clothing-optional visitors sometimes move to a nearby site, about .25 mile upstream, for more secluded tanning. “For the adventurous types, there is a clearing and meadow, big enough for Frisbee, on a private lot above,” says Redbeard.

The crowd:

Probably just you, but there may be a few other visitors.

Problems:

Family that says it owns the site is asking naturists to stay away; see Wohler Bridge for anti-nudity enforcement policy. Due to increased traffic and canoeists, may be difficult to sunbathe nude here in the summer.

 

Sunset Beach

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Rating: C

A county park, with a $6 per vehicle parking lot, picnic tables, and a chemical toilet, also features Sonoma’s most popular swimming hole, which formerly attracted hundreds of nudists.  Those days are gone, but the site is still an excellent spot for birding, viewing river wildlife, picnicking, seasonal fishing, swimming, and, on occasion, nude sunbathing.  But it’s been visited so many times by deputies that nudists have practically vanished from sight.  They’re still there, especially in late spring, but they mostly hide out near the bushes at the top of the sloping beach, which is also called Hacienda Beach.  In the early morning, check for butterflies that often gather together by the dozens along the water’s edge.  Dogs are allowed on leashes no longer than six feet in length.  The park is open from sunrise to sunset.

Legal status:

Part of the county-owned Sonoma Beach River Park.  For enforcement policy, see Lower Wohler Bridge.

How to find it:

From San Francisco, go north on Highway 101, passing Santa Rosa, to River Road. Take River Road west to its intersection with Sunset Avenue in the Hacienda District, which is east of Guerneville and 2.1 miles east of the Korbel Winery.  Continue driving on River Road .75 miles west of Sunset and park in the county park’s lot at 11060 River Road, which can hold 40 vehicles in the paved area and 40 more in its adjacent unpaved parking spaces. Follow a path from the parking lot to the lower end of Sunset Beach.

The beach:

Sunset is a beautiful, hilly beach with clean, deep water. It’s a great place to take a dip and cool off. Visitors love to bring their dogs to the beach. The walk to the quarter mile long site will take you through trees and greenery.

The crowd:

We counted 15 people, including families and children, plus a few dogs, on the beach or in the water on a sunny weekend. Most users are suited.

Problems:

Proximity of canoeists; rocks in river (wear shoes); area subject to visits by deputies; parking on Sunset Avenue prohibited; nude use usually limited to bushes at top of beach.

Upper Wohler Bridge

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Rating: C

For five years, a clothing-optional riverbank has been slowly taking hold just upstream from Lower Wohler Bridge.  Says a poster on a naturist Internet message board:  “It’s worth checking out.  It gets good sun throughout the day, yet is very secluded.”

Legal status:

Wohler Bridge Regional Park, consisting of Sonoma County Water Agency land. See Lower Wohler Bridge for anti-nudity enforcement policy.

How to find it:

From San Francisco, take Highway 101 north past Santa Rosa to River Road, then go west for 10 minutes to Wohler Road. Turn right onto Wohler and drive 1.4 miles to the bridge, continue across it, and, from October through mid-May, look for $6 per vehicle parking at 9765 Wohler Road.  The site has a parking lot, chemical toilet, and boat ramp.  Parking’s almost impossible to find on Wohler or River the rest of the year, but you can still walk or bicycle to Wohler. On the south side of the bridge, look for a steel fence and go through a green gate with a large Keep Clear sign. Continue past the water facility. An all-weather gravel trail to the nude beach and beyond starts here. The Water Agency does not hassle bikers or hikers on the path. The walk from the gate to the nude beach is easy and takes maybe 15-20 minutes, with the path sloping down through a redwood forest next to the river. Where the trees end, you’ll see a fork in the road. At the fork in the road, bear left. Take the path down and up, through some bay trees, until you arrive at a pump station. The trail to the newest Wohler Bridge Beach starts near a clump of bamboo at the northwest end of the pumphouse “mound.” Follow it through the willows until it ends at a long, curved gravel beach. The main nude sunning area is to the right, with the best sand located at the downstream end of the beach.

The beach:

Either end of the beach is good for suitless sunbathing, but the preferred mix of gravel and sand is on the downstream side, where a regular visitor has cleared and leveled some nice spots. To find them, follow the trail next to the riverbank. “It’s a nice secluded cove surrounded by willows,” says a user.

The crowd:

A few visitors have been showing up, now that the word is out about the beach. But the site is often deserted. Gay cruising and a few incidents of public sex have been reported here.

Problems:

Same as Lower Wohler Bridge, plus a longer walk; some public sex reported.

Lower Wohler Beach

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Rating: C

Despite obstacles, a few die-hard nudists continue to defy Sonoma’s stringent anti-nudity law.  Even more amazing:  an end to most parking from June-September hasn’t halted naturists from biking or walking to Lower Wohler Beach. But use has been reduced to a few dozen people on the hottest days.  Visits by deputies only take place when complaints are received, according to Diana Nolan, of the Guerneville substation of the Sonoma Sheriff’s Department.  “We don’t have a patrol (for anti-nudity),” she says.  Visitors walk upstream along a trail lined by trees and other vegetation to a small clearing used mainly by gays, plus a few others.  “I see hikers, bikes, couples, and mixed singles,” says Tom, a regular visitor.

Legal status:

Wohler Bridge Regional Park, consisting of Sonoma County Water Agency land purchased from the family of the late actor Fred MacMurray in 1996

How to find it:

From San Francisco, take Highway 101 north past Santa Rosa to River Road, then go west for 10 minutes to Wohler Road. Turn right onto Wohler and drive 1.4 miles to the bridge, continue across it, and, from October through mid-May, look for $6 per vehicle parking at 9765 Wohler Road.  The site has a parking lot, chemical toilet, and boat ramp.  Parking’s almost impossible to find on Wohler or River the rest of the year, but you can still walk or bicycle to Wohler. On the south side of the bridge, look for a steel fence and go through a green gate with a large Keep Clear sign. Walk or ride past the water facility. An all-weather gravel trail to the nude beach and beyond starts there. The Water Agency doesn’t hassle bikers or hikers on the path. The walk from the gate to the nude beach is easy and takes maybe 15-20 minutes, with the path sloping down through a redwood forest next to the river. Where the trees end, you’ll see a fork in the road. Follow the right fork to the meadow being used by nudists. A path there also leads down to a little beach. If you come to a water collection pumping area, it means you’ve gone too far on the trail and should turn around, retrace your steps, and look for the clearing.

The beach:

“There is a good beach and nice private areas for sunning,” reported a Guardian reader. “The trails are better and the meadow is still getting use.  If you bike in, it takes about five minutes from the last No Parking sign.” Wohler’s eighth-to-quarter-mile-long ribbon of flat, soft sand and river gravel is fun for sunbathing. Although boats, floats, and canoes are frequently passing the site, a few visitors occasionally wade in the water or set up a net and play naked volleyball in the clearing. However, the riverbank is eroding, so some nudists are now visiting Upper Wohler Bridge, another beach that is just upstream.

The crowd:

Many visitors are nude gay males. Expect several dozen users on the hottest weekend days, but usually just a few visitors.

Problems:

Eroding beach; area subject to raids based on complaints; proximity of canoeists and other water craft users; path may be muddy following rainfall; garbage; no summer vehicle parking available; long walk from the parking area; possible poison oak if you don’t stay on the trail and within clearing; complaints of gay cruising in meadow area.

Sand Dollar Beach

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Rating: C

Located off a little-visited portion of Highway 1, San Dollar Beach is about 5-10 minutes south of Lucia, or roughly 60 miles south of Carmel and 30 miles north of San Simeon and its well-known tourist attraction, Hearst Castle.Although the shore draws a few nude sunbathers on warm days when the wind is down and families aren’t around, the main reason most visitors stop by is to experience its natural beauty.Great surfing, exploring and fishing are possible at what’s regarded as the longest sandy beach on the Big Sur coast.It’s fairly straight, but curves a little on the south end.Want to extend your visit?Plaskett Creek Campground is within walking distance of the beach.

Legal status:

Sand Dollar Picnic Area And Beach is part of Los Padres National Forest, under the jurisdiction of Los Padres’ Monterey Ranger District.

How to find it:

Go south on Highway 1 about 6-10 miles past the town of Lucia. Sand Dollar is between Pacific Valley and Gorda. Coming from the north, the beach is past Limekiln Beach, Redwoods Campground, Kirk Creek Campground, and the Pacific Valley Ranger Station (in that order) and just north of Plaskett Creek Campground. If you pass Plaskett, turn around and try again. Kirk Creek Campground is a good turnaround point for those coming from the south. Park in the Sand Dollar State Picnic Area And Beach lot, then walk north along the main beach until, if they happen to be present, you’ll see several nude sunbathers.

The beach:

Though it’s a little warmer than Pfeiffer, the long beach, which is great for walking, is only partially sheltered from the wind by the bluffs above the sand.

The crowd:

Depending on when you visit, you may encounter clothed families. A few naturists still visit Sand Dollar each year, but they are far and few between, especially when compared with the crowds that visited in the 1970s and ’80s.

Problems:

Fog; icy water; some wind (bring windbreaks); $5 day use fee; influx of clothed families; better directions needed.

Sykes Hot Spring

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Rating: A

The hike to Sykes is a whopping 10 miles long, but you’ll probably love soaking in one of its six warm pools. Various hikers have found the walk in can take as little as four hours from the trail head to as long as two days, if you want to stop in the middle and take your time.

But don’t come in early or mid-spring — the most popular times for visitors — or the area may be overrun with people.Wait times at the soakers in spring can run two hours or more or, who knows, you may get lucky, especially if you come just before summer.Sarah, of San Francisco, waited until late spring (Memorial Day weekend) and posted on Yelp:”Never had trouble getting into the hot springs when we wanted to.””Because so many people do it as an overnight, around 2 p.m.” the hot springs “were empty,” reported Duncan, of Toronto, of his visit in late May this year.

Afterward, you can pick from a pair of campgrounds to spend the night.These attractions are located high in the hills above the Big Sur River.The walk isn’t easy: it’s moderately steep and, for the first few miles, fairly open and sun-baked.”If this is your first time backpacking and you aren’t in great shape and are a wimp, then this may not be a good starter trail for you,” adds Sarah.Want to take your dog with you?A number of hikers bring their furry friends with them, often offleash.

Tip:It can be 85 degrees on the trail at 9am, so bring lots of water — some hikers say they underpacked.

Legal status:

Part of the Ventana Wilderness area of the Los Padres National Forest.

How to find it:

From Monterey, go south on Highway 1. Park at the Big Sur Ranger Station off Highway 1. Get a hiking permit and a map, then follow Pine Ridge Trail for about 10 miles as it winds along and roughly parallels the Big Sur River. After some switchbacks, the trail levels and goes downhill. It leads to the pools. Two campgrounds, Sykes (12 miles from the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park trailhead) and Pine Ridge, are in the area.”We brought a few beers each in our bags and used the river as a refrigerator,” says Sarah.

The beach:

The path will take you to various pools, including one that holds five people next to a fallen tree and large boulder and another on a riverbank.

The crowd:

In spring, expect lots of visitors, all of them most likely naked. But in summer, fall, or winter, you may have Sykes all to yourself.

Problems:

Wait often required to use springs; extreme heat on the trail, especially in the afternoon; increased garbage; varying water temperature (depending on season and year); steep and dry trail; fire damage in area.

Arroyo Seco

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Rating: B

Nudists at Arroyo Seco, between Soledad and Greenfield, walk, wade and swim in what’s sometimes called a “full immersion canyoning trip” to get from one end of a dozen swimming holes to the other and past several waterfalls, including one that some naturist groups climb down.Located off Highway 101, the wilderness isn’t designated clothing-optional, but some hikers like to remove their tops and bottoms anyway.”I hiked and swam for two hours,” reports reader Franz Gall. “It’s a beautiful place.”Being nude is best, says Rob van Glabbeek, “as any clothes you choose to wear will be soaked.”Threading through the amazingly clear water, which is as much as 40 feet deep, requires repeated swims of up to 50 yards per time.The canyon walls form 100 foot towers.The bottom line: don’t even think about attempting the trek unless you are in top condition.To avoid hassles, don’t go nude on weekends, when families tend to be present.

Legal status:

Part of the Ventana Wilderness area of the Los Padres National Forest.

How to find it:

From Salinas, take Highway 101 south past Soledad to Arroyo Seco Road. Follow Arroyo Seco west to the U.S. Forest Service campground in Arroyo Seco Canyon. The entrance fee is $7 a car. “A lot of picnic people are at the entrance of the canyon,” says Gall. “But you won’t see them after 10 minutes of walking. Go through the picnic area right along the river. There aren’t any signs or maps. You can walk for about an hour until you come to a point where you have to start swimming every 10 minutes. The water’s crystal clear. The stones aren’t covered with anything slippery, so it’s a really easy hike. But you should use sneakers.”

The beach:

See above for description. Along the lower stretches of the canyon, you will have your pick of numerous pools.

The crowd:

Arroyo Seco’s lower four miles of swimming holes are visited by only a few hardy hikers during the week. On weekends, clothed users take over.

Problems:

Users must swim and hike and be in good physical shape; mornings often cool; lack of precise directions; no easy way out in emergency; entrance fee; after heavy rains the river covers access, so don’t come during or just after the end of the rainy season.

Fuller’s Beach

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Rating: B

“It’s kind of a secret place, even to people here in Big Sur,” says George, a state parks aide at nearby Molera, of the surfing paradise known as Fuller’s Beach.Regular visitors suggest using extreme care when going down the path to the sand, which also attracts nude sunbathers.Warns Alex, an area resident: “If an inexperienced surfer … breaks his leg on the rocks and has to get air lifted or (take an) ambulance ride out, this will be the end of our beautiful beach access.”Speaking of access, it’s via a long, poison-oak lined trail.Suggests George:”Just remember to take a shower with liquid soap when you get home, and you shouldn’t have a problem with the plants.”

Legal status:

Beach owned by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.The trail is said to be property of Charlie Crockett.

How to find it:

Finding Fullers is a little dicey. Along Highway 1, south of Big Sur and Pfeiffer Beach, look for the Nepenthe Restaurant, 29 miles south of Carmel, 2 miles south of Pfeiffer Beach and 63 miles north of San Simeon. A few miles south of the restaurant, before Highway 1 curves to the east (Grimes Canyon), check for cars pulled over on the west (ocean) side of the highway in a little pullout next to a telephone pole. A larger pullout used mostly by Caltrans workers is on the east side of the road. Follow the path from the west pullout to the beach. “It’s very steep,” says George. “When you go to the beach, you will be going straight down. But coming back, you will be going straight up.”

The beach:

If you are a fan of rugged isolation, you’ll love windswept Fullers. The beach is a haven for the few local surfers who know about it. You’re more likely to find boards than sunbathers on the beach.

The crowd:

On good wave-riding days, most of the crowd will be in the water, while you will be sitting there, sprawled out in the nude on your beach towel, watching the free surf show, thinking to yourself, “Yes, life is good!” Usually, only a few nude sunbathers use the site.

Problems:

Not very sandy; poison oak on trail; pullout hard to find; steep path; not too many nudists present.

Pfeiffer Beach

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Rating: A

Have you ever been to a beach with purple sand?Pfeiffer’s sand gets its unusual color from bits of manganese garnet that wash down the cliffs during winter rains.In fact, the more north you go on the beach, toward the nude section, the “purple-er” the sand appears.But the amazing sand is only one of Pfeiffer’s assets: sunset-watching can’t get any better than it does at this shoreline, where, based on a long standing tradition, your clothing is optional unless someone complains.But don’t get the site, which is federal property, confused with nearby Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.It’s a state beach, where nudity is not tolerated.

Legal status:

Part of the Los Padres National Forest, whose rangers generally ignore nudists unless someone complains.

How to find it:

Pfeiffer Beach is around 30 miles south of Monterey and 3 miles west of Highway 1. Coming from the south on Highway 1, start counting the mileage from the Esalen Institute; the beach is about 12 miles north. From the north, turn right (toward the sea) onto poorly marked Sycamore Canyon Road, about a half mile south of the main entrance to Big Sur State Park and .6 miles south of the Big Sur Ranger Station, just past the Pfeiffer Canyon highway bridge. Watch for Sycamore before turning onto it and be careful of other traffic and children while you follow tree-lined Sycamore to the beach parking lot; it’s a one-lane road for two-and-a-half miles. After paying a $5 day-use entrance fee and parking, walk north along the sand a quarter mile. A rocky outcropping divides the public and nude beaches. Walk around the bend, and you will arrive at the nude beach.

The beach:

There are two beaches. The one for clothed users is just north of Pfeiffer Creek, near the parking lot. The clothing-optional area is past the rocky promontory mentioned above.

The crowd:

On peak summer use days, expect maybe 50 people; usually, there are far fewer.

Problems:

Fee; fog; wind; cold water; riptides; in some years may be littered with driftwood.

Fernwood

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Rating: C

Roughly 30 miles south of Carmel, next to a creek near the Big Sur area’s Fernwood Resort and its Redwood Grill restaurant, visitors will find a nude swimming hole with some telltale signs of the hippie era of the 1960s.”Look for old couches on the riverbank, naked people, and a river,” says Fred, of Pacific Grove.”Nobody bothers you.”

Legal status:

Unknown.

How to find it:

The beach is about a quarter mile north of the Grill and three quarters of a mile north of Pfeiffer Beach (see next entry), so if you pass either, turn around. Just south of the Big Sur River (see previous entry) on Highway 1, look for St. Francis Church and an old sign on the ocean side of the road directing visitors to the bar and grill. Follow the path that starts at the sign; it will take you down to a streamside swimming hole used by local skinny-dippers.

The beach:

A creekside swimming hole.

The crowd:

“There’s usually nobody there,” says Fred.

Problems:

Unknown legal status; needs better directions.

Big Sur River

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Rating: C

Some 25 miles south of Carmel, off Highway 1, the central coast’s oldest nude beach is also heavily used by suited visitors. Look for it at Pheneger Creek, behind the Big Sur River Inn, located at 46840 Highway 1.

Legal status:

Unknown.

How to find it:

From the last stoplight in Carmel, drive south about 23 miles (approximately 40 minutes) to Andrew Molera State Beach. Go south on Highway 1 two more miles until you see Big Sur River Inn on your right. The beach is on Big Sur River, not far from the inn.

The beach:

A riverbank beach mixed with sand and rocks.

The crowd:

Both suited and nude visitors use the site.

Problems:

Unknown legal status, needs better directions.

Coyote Flat

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Rating: C

Coyote Flat remains a remote, seldom disturbed oasis of skinny-dippers, even though rangers frown on nude activity in the rest of the state property.In fact, because it’s easy to reach by hiking, many locals think of it as one of the best places to cool off on hot summer days.”A lot of people go there, and they do sometimes go naked,” says a visitor.

Legal status:

Part of Andrew Molera State Beach, where rangers discourage clothing-optional sunbathing. However, nobody in recent memory has been cited here.

How to find it:

From the main state beach parking lot (see above), cross the river to its west side and look for River Trail. Follow River Trail unit it ends at Big Sur River. The hole is at the end of the path. For more information, see Hiking The Big Sur Country: The Ventana Wilderness by Jeffrey Schaffer (Wilderness Press, 1988).

The beach:

Best time to visit this six-foot-deep swimming hole with a little beach on the Big Sur River is midday. In the morning and late afternoon, there’s less sun, due to the surrounding foliage.

The crowd:

“Even though it’s popular, at any given time you won’t see more than a few people there,” says a visitor.

Problems:

Threat of law enforcement; too shady and cool for much use in spring or fall; hole visible to occasional (but rare) visits by horseback riders on River Trail.

Garrapata Beach

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Improved directions!

Rating: B

For now, Garrapata State Park, where rangers have posted anti-nudity signs, remains open. But it is expected to be closed, due to state budget cuts, by July 2012. The remaining nude sunbathers have been pushed to the northern edge of the beach. Officials say the nudists are vulnerable to citations if complaints are received. The property, located between Carmel and Big Sur, is breathtakingly beautiful, with picturesque coves, hidden caves, a lagoon, and hills that are bursting with spring flowers.

 

Legal status:

Garrapata is no longer patrolled specifically for nudity, but rangers act on complaints, don’t tolerate sex acts, and depending on the ranger, may warn or cite nudies. “We require that you be clothed,” says  supervising ranger Glenn McGowan. But state ranger Chuck Bancroft said in an interview, “If there are some people at the north end of the beach, we’re not looking except if there’s a real problem.” When asked to describe such a problem, he replied, “it could be aggressive (sexual) approaching or if there’s aggressive behavior toward people who don’t follow the same belief or lifestyle.”

 

How to find it:

The beach is 18 miles north of Big Sur, near milepost 63.1 on Highway 1. From the corner of Rio Road and Highway 1 in Carmel, take Highway 1 south for about 15 minutes or exactly nine miles. Park on either side of the road. That will put you next to a hard-to-find access trail, which takes you onto the more nude north end of the beach. Alternately, after some open hills and a stone house with tall windows on a plateau, look for a large parking area on Highway 1 about 9.6 miles south of the Rio light. After parking, come down the trail with a guardrail, which will take you to the middle of the beach, and walk north. If you pass the Garrapata Creek Bridge, you’ve gone too far.

 

The beach:

Because nudity is not officially permitted, there’s no specific nude area at the beach. But naturists have traditionally gathered on the far north end of the shore. “Once in a while someone (nude) will wander onto the south part,” says state ranger John McGee. The central part of the beach is so windswept that temperatures can be 20 degrees cooler than those at either end.


The crowd:

In the past, nudists, nonnudists, singles, families, locals, tourists, gays, and straights all mingled at Garrapata. Today, a few nudists — mostly gay males — remain on the north end of the beach, but quickly suit up if they see rangers approaching.


Problems:

Unpredictable law enforcement; increased use by suited sunbathers and strollers who wander into the “nude area;” fog; wind; cold water; hazardous swimming conditions (one person drowned in 1998); visitors trying to make their own trails on the slopes between the highway and the beach (one death in 1989); and periodic reports of sexual activity.

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