Freehiking and Skinny Dipping with Nature

“Yesterday I was hiking naked in a light rain and paused for one of those it's-all-good experiences with a squirrel. We 'chatted' for the longest time. I suppose he'd never seen all the parts of a two-legged before - kept running back and forth on the low branch studying me - we were both very comfortable in our skins. And tonight, I was skinny dipping with a loon diving about 10 yards away. There we were, both of us sliding quietly through the water in synch with our environment. That stuff doesn't happen to guys in board shorts.” - Alfresco10

How many of you have had similar experiences? I know I have. Whether wild donkeys or owls or deer or coyotes or quail or lizards or snakes or insects, I've loved observing animals and nature while freehiking. It's part of what makes freehiking so very enjoyable.

Cedar Springs Freehike Tomorrow

Thursday, July 29th, the SoCal Freehikers will hike to Cedar Springs, above Idyllwild. Gil will guide this freehike. Please respond to this email if you will attend.

So far these SoCal Freehikers will be attending tomorrow’s Cedar Springs Hike: Ken, PJ, Rich, Penny, Gil, Rollerboy, Dad, Andy, Steve.

It should be a great freehike! See you all there.

Cedar Springs Freehike Directions coming from the west:

From Highway 10, take SR 243 to Idyllwild from Banning. Go through Idyllwild and take SR 74 east into Garne Valley (about 10 miles) to Morris Ranch Rd. (The Garner Valley Fire Station is on the corner of Morris Ranch Rd and SR 74.) Turn left and go 3.5 miles to the trailhead which is just about the end of the road, on the right.

Directions coming from Palm Springs: Take SR 74 from Palm Desert and drive 28 miles to Morris Ranch Rd and turn right 3.5 miles.

We will leave from the trailhead by 9 am. It is a 7 mile round trip hike rated year-round and moderate. In “140 Hikes In and Around Palm Springs”, this is hike #93: Jo Pond trail to Cedar Spring. It will probably be hot so bring plenty of water. The first part is through meadows with groves of oak. Then the trail climbs for 1.5 miles up switch backs until reaching the top of the Pacific Coast Trail at Desert Divide. Then we head down to the Springs. It may be a little buggy in the trees - gnats mostly. We will have some great views.

Ken & Gil

Naked Camping & Freehiking Weekend

“Driving out of the driveway naked . . . started the naked weekend. . . perfect weather and almost no breeze whatsoever. The campfire smoke went almost perfectly straight up and temps in the upper 80s all three days with cool-ish nights very suitable to stay naked by the warmth of the fire. . . After setting up camp and having dinner we watched the best ‘television’ in the world as it burned for hours. Saturday . . . was the most relaxing and enjoyable day . . . Dee made us breakfast and then we both just laid around naked for about two hours reading and talking before heading out for a couple hours hiking. . . poking down some abandoned trails and a few game trails (without a backpack) made it one of the most enjoyable naked hikes I’ve ever taken. . . Sunday morning we took our time breaking camp and then drove to another similar batch of trails. Dee was more interested in reading so she hung out at the truck while I headed out for a few miles on a nearly concealed trail. . . So 48+ hours after I pulled out of the driveway naked I put my shorts back on about 5 minutes from the house on the drive home. With the exception of that pair of shorts, I had no dirty clothes for the entire weekend – not even a pair of socks. – John

Family Naturism at Olive Dell Ranch

One of the nicest things about where we live - Olive Dell Ranch - is that parents can raise their kids in its naturist environment. This seems unique in this era of irrational fear about child predators. When I was a child, my mother would send me outside to play with my friends. We'd play all day and sometimes into the night. My parents were not afraid we might get kidnapped and abused. Today parents act as if there were pedophiles behind every bush, so my grown children fear leaving their children outside alone anywhere.

We'll, things haven't changed at Olive Dell. Children often visit our place, and we're all nude.

Yesterday PJ was out of town. Late in the afternoon I walked down to the clubhouse to shower. Afterwards, I slipped in the pool, naked as required of course. I was the only adult in the pool, along with five children - two boys and three girls - ranging in age from one year to 14 years old. The one-year-old boy's mother was sitting at poolside of course, and the 12-year-old boy's dad was sitting some distance away on the patio talking with others, but the three girls' parents were not to be seen.

One old man swimming naked with five youths without concern - unheard of in this crazy world in which we now live.

Naturism is right headed. I love living as a naturist!

Cedar Springs Freehike Directions

Thursday, July 29th, the SoCal Freehikers will hike to Cedar Springs, above Idyllwild. Gil will guide this freehike. Please email me for directions and carpool locations if you'd like to attend at: kenfreehiker@yahoo.com.

We will leave from the trailhead by 9 am. It is a 7 mile round trip hike rated year-round and moderate. In “140 Hikes In and Around Palm Springs”, this is hike #93: Jo Pond trail to Cedar Spring. It will probably be hot so bring plenty of water. The first part is through meadows with groves of oak. Then the trail climbs for 1.5 miles up switch backs until reaching the top of the Pacific Coast Trail at Desert Divide. Then we head down to the Springs. It may be a little buggy in the trees - gnats mostly. We will have some great views.

It should be a great freehike! See you there. (Be sure to respond if you can attend.)

(If you are interested in our nude hiking group would you please join the egroup at this link, and introduce yourself: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreehikeCA)

Ken & Gil

Freehiking by City Creek

Does anyone else freehike in city areas like Aqui Zinaga?

“I may not be in big wilderness . . . But the creek in my city has many deer, raccoons, skunks, foxes, birds, etc., and I have seen many of these wonderful creatures during my naked walks around the creek. One circuit of the trail takes me about an hour and a bit. I usually do two circuits in a night with little breaks down by the rapids to listen to the music of the rushing waters, and also take breaks at a few other places. My nude walks usually start about Midnight and I often end up noticing the coming of a new day when the sun starts to rise about 5- 5:30 am. I enjoy my walks nearly every weekend during the summer and sometimes during the midweek if I have the next day off. I also go nude walking in the early spring and late fall as long as there weather is cooperative. As a conservative guess I would say that I hike nude at least 30 times a year for a minimum of 2 hours each.” – Aqui Zinaga

Olive Dell Ranch Pirate

I have been working on a new trail in Dellymaze Park at Olive Dell Ranch - a way to get to a giant rock where PJ wanted to erect a large pirate.

Well, PJ finished building the pirate about the same time I finished the new trail, and we've spent the last week assembling it.

The chicken-wire pirate, filled with leftover items from the rummage sale (plus lots more) on Olive Dell’s annual Pirate's Weekend Memorial Day celebration, is huge - probably 12 feet tall - and I'm sure it’s destined to become an Olive Dell Ranch landmark.

Here are a few photos of the final assembly: http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/odpirate

What do you all think?

You're welcome to visit us to see the pirate in real life - any interest?

Ken

Check Trails First

“I was in Ocala awhile ago and was able to . . . walk there on three different days and hike nude two of those days. I spent the first day just checking the trails and roads that crisscross the area. There weren't many people using the hiking trails the first day so I felt safe enough to plan to return to hike nude. . . When I returned the second day I got nude but I stayed off the trails and roads altogether and walked though the woods. . . I did see some wildlife - deer, turkeys, armadillo, and a large turtle/tortoise.” - Donbe

Full Moon Freehike

“Full Moon. . . This is actually the best time of the month for a nightly naked hike . . . So I went yesterday to our nature reserve, stripped, took of everything . . . including watch, glasses, shoes, socks, the lot. . . and went off, for a two hours hike. . . there is no better way to experience complete freedom, to experience nature in all it glory, just you the way you are supposed to be, with God and his creation. You don’t see the animals, but the sounds of so many creatures is all around you. The rustling of the wind in the trees, a gently cool breeze stroking your skin. No artificial light but . . . moonlight which gives everything that special, spooky is the wrong word, appearance. I don’t know how to describe it, but it is fantastic. . . no worry about meeting any one, you can enjoy it completely relaxed. Dip in the river, lay down in bed of pine leaves. Sometimes you surprise an animal, an antelope or something, that sees, or smells or hears you before you do, and takes of into the bush. The hair in you neck stands up for a few seconds, but that is it.” - Habakukrsa

Freehiking Opportunities Won't Come Again

“. . . my sister in law and her husband became caretakers of a gold mine . . . Situated on a river below Reno Nevada . . . One day I decided to hike to the actual mine site . . . The sound of the river, the birds, the forest, no clothes - it doesn't get any better - it was a pioneer experience - a week of bare hiking and bare living. I did great gold panning . . . even better . . . naked. . . I have been to resorts with my wife, but it is the call of the Wild to walk and hike in creation, to . . . leave no trace. . . I am drawn to. It is breathing and feeling the power of nature as it penetrates my senses. Enjoy your days my friends; they won’t come again. - Naken

Group Freehikes on Saturday and Sunday Mornings

Just thought I should add one additional freehiking event to the SoCal Freehiker's schedule. Normally every Saturday and Sunday I freehike the hills behind Olive Dell Resort for about an hour. Anyone would be welcome to join me. I can get you in for free, and any partner you bring along, even if that person doesn't hike with us, can get in for the entire day for only $10. I usually leave by 8:30 am during the summer. Just call or email in advance if you'd like to join PJ and I.

Thundering Quiet of a Desert Freehike

“Fall nude hiking weather has definitely returned to the desert. I went out to Anza Borrego via De Anza Springs yesterday. The weather was perfect around 70 with a slight breeze to bathe the body . . . What struck me the most was the thundering quiet of the desert in the fall. It was deafening. As I pressed on through washes and small canyons I was awed by how utterly serene and peaceful the desert can be, some might even say dead though that is not the case. The cacophony of silence was broken only by the random lizard scampering across the trail ahead of me and once by a pair of blue jays that flew passed me into a side canyon. For the most part just silence and sun. . . With my clothes miles away and other than the trail I was walking on there were no signs or sounds of civilization and one has the feeling of being alone in the universe as well as naked. I cannot rightly describe it; it is just a feeling of total peace and serenity for me.” - Jay

Black's Beach Freehike

“I did take two hikes in La Jolla . . . at Black's Beach. . . Once at the bottom of the trail to Black's I dropped the clothes and started my free hiking. It is a flat hike, but barefoot in the sand is quite nice. I hiked north all the way to where the textiles started showing up from the north right neat that metal buoy that is on the beach. . . about a mile or so in each direction, so a good two miles nude hiking each day. Wearing only my shorts on the hill it was a lovely two days. I spent an extra hour in the sun each day.” – Nekkid Couple

Olive Dell Ranch Freehike

On Friday, July 9th, three members of the SoCal Freehikers (a smaller group than normal) took a very pleasant hike in the hills above the resort. We met at the clubhouse before 9:00 am, and started by hiking up a new trail Ken had cut – Pirate’s Path, part of Dellymaze Park.

From there, we hiked to the top of Mount Kilborn, and continued north along the ridgeline. The weather was beautiful, the sun warming our skin, and the breezes wafting past our nude bodies, but the valley was filled with haze, so we could only imagine the beautiful views of Riverside, San Bernardino, Redlands, and the surrounding cities below.

As always, it was enjoyable introducing ourselves, sharing thoughts and experiences as we freehiked. Naturists have so much in common – it’s so comforting to know one isn’t alone in the need to be nude.

We saw three wild burros (walking nude of course) on the trail ahead just before turning back. We returned via the Olive Dell Nature Trail.

Afterwards, we soaked for a time in the pool and talked with others in the patio area - a relaxing end to a good freehike.

We decided that Friday was not a very good day to hike because so many were busy preparing for weekend family events, so I think we’ll stick with hikes on the second and last Thursdays of each month, as scheduled.

The Socal Freehiker’s next hike will be July 29th, on the Deer Springs Trail, near Idyllwild. This is a mountain freehike, led by Gil, so it should be great. I’ve not visited the area; if you have, please share a description so other members get an idea about the terrain. (Directions and times will be posted soon.) Please respond to this email to let us know if you are planning to attend.

And be sure to let us know if you’ve discovered any other great freehiking areas where you would be willing to lead a hike.

Here is a link to a few photos of our group freehike above Olive Dell Ranch: http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/olivedellhike9810

Ken

Freehiking Inspires a Sermon

“For me I find it really helps me draw closer to God when I am naked before him. Today I went and prayed at the flat rock area where I always go to when I need inspiration for a sermon I'm preparing. I also did some hiking. . . It is so good to have wonderful seclusion and yet have a great view of God's creation (the Australian bush).” - Bruce

Freehiking in a Garden of Eden

“Indeed, walking in the woods, surrounded by all of God’s GREAT handiwork - the sights, smells and sensations, precisely as God created us to do (‘naked and unashamed’) is a phenomenal experience. I have come across all sorts of animals. I noticed that when I am dressed, the deer run and scatter as soon as they see me. However, when I have been undressed, they have come almost right up to me. In fact, they were so close, ‘I’ was uncomfortable and actually had to chase them away. It kind of gave me a sense of what Adam and Eve may have felt in the Garden, where man was not yet a threat - or a meal.” - Natman

Freehiking's a Spiritual Connection to Nature

“I feel connected to my surroundings more when I am nude in nature. I have had so many encounters with wildlife from deer to coyotes and once a moose. It seemed as though the animals didn't quite know what to make of me. I have also encountered clothed hikers and in almost every case they have been positive. For me a solo nude hike in a remote forest is a spiritual experience. It renews my soul and fills me with joy. I take my time and I seem to observe my surroundings more. I feel the wind and sunlight on my body I am getting the fullest experience I can. A nude walk during a gentle rain is an experience difficult to top. It is something difficult to explain it's like explaining ice cream to someone who has never tasted ice cream. I know that this is a minority within a minority of the population but there is something so incredible, so wonderful about it that only those of us doing it can know. I encourage you all to get there and give it a try.” - Alan

July 4th Weekend at Olive Dell Resort

July 4th weekend was great at Olive Dell Resort. Friends visited us from Utah – it was nice to see them again. They arrived Friday night and we enjoyed a good meal in the restaurant – nude of course.

Saturday we ate breakfast, and then participated in the nude games, lead by Craig. It was lots of fun. I worked on clearing a new trail in Dellmaze Park, and got super dirty, but dirt easily washes off a naked guy. That evening we all enjoyed the Red, White, and Blue dance – I wore a tie, just a tie. PJ and I practiced the club swing steps we’d learned several weeks ago at the Glen Eden AANR West festival.

Sunday we mostly relaxed, though I did spend some time clearing the trail again. That evening a large group of fun naturists sang karaoke for nearly five hours. Some left early to climb the hills above Olive Dell to view the fireworks in the valleys below, but we couldn’t leave because I was the KJ.

Monday I finished clearing the trail, and spent some time with Errol in the meadow above the resort laying out a Disc Golf course for next month’s competition – anyone for nude disc golf?

All in all, it was a very enjoyable naturist July 4th celebration.

Freehiking Zion Nat'l Park

I love freehiking in Southern Utah. So does Naked Bruce and his girlfriend:

“My girlfriend and I did an overnight backpacking trip into Hop Valley in Zion Nat'l Park. I was able to spend the entire hike from the car in and out completely naked! . . . What a great hike - beautiful rocks, no noise, solitude. We were able to drive home to SoCal nude most of the time. I live in an area of the desert near Joshua Tree Nat'l Park, and hike most mornings in the nude . . .” - Naked Bruce

HIKE DESERT FREEHIKE

On June 27th, PJ and I freehiked and shot rifles with friends in the high desert, north of Victorville, California. It was a very nice day, although a little hot for comfortable hiking. As you can see from the photos, this area of California’s high desert is very barren, but nudity, along with lots of water and good company, made the hike enjoyable.

It’s wonderful to be comfortable freehiking with friends. We’re grateful they wanted to share with us this area that they love.

Here are a few photos of our high desert adventure: http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/highdeserthike

Ken

Freehiking Saxon Shore Way

According to the Eureka Naturist Club webmaster, the Saxon Shore Way is an excellent remote thames-estuary riverbank trail ideal for freehiking. The Saxon Shore Way (http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/countryside_and_coast/walking/saxon_shore_way.aspx) is a public footpath and cycle track along the kent coastline, starting near Gravesend in Kent (about 20 minutes from Eureka).

Anyone had the opportunity to freehike this trail or anywhere else in the United Kingdom?

I Explained Naturist Hiking to Her

“I had just crossed a creek and was stepping up into a clearing when I startled two ladies standing at the edge of the trail, the younger one stated, ‘What do you think your doing walking around here with your penis exposed?’ I was also startled upon seeing them and had to get my composure together and apologize for startling them. I than explained that I was a nudist and didn't expect to see anyone on the trail. The older lady in her 60's laughed and said that this would be a great story to tell their friends later about the naked man. She said it wasn't a bad idea and that it would certainly be cooler than the sweat they were wearing. The younger lady had calmed down and seemed a little more accepting of my nudity and we soon parted ways. . . I . . . spent a couple more hours enjoying the trails and creek but saw nobody else. I think my apology for startling them and explaining that I was a nudist along with the older lady’s acceptance made my situation easier . . .” - GABare

Advantages to Freehiking in the Rain

“I've been able to get in a lot of nude hiking this year. It has been a rainy summer which worked to my benefit. Most people don't hike in the rain and don't like clingy wet clothes hanging on them, and stay away from hiking trails anytime it is raining. I carry a zip lock food storage bag and stash my clothes and cell phone and return to retrieve them hours later. It feels great not to have any clothes with you and feel the warm rain on your skin. On several occasions the sun would come out and I'd dry off and put dry clothes on just before getting back to the parking area. On a couple of occasions people arriving as the rain quit have asked me how I stayed dry. I told them I stored my clothes in a plastic bag and hiked nude. One couple said, ‘Hey, that is a good idea.’ I have been able to hike two to three times a week nude three to five hours at a time around a local lake and on different hiking trails around New River Gorge. There are several trails with a single trail head, so you know if no one is parked there you can safety walk in nude, it is the return trip that is risky.” – Maturwvcouple