# Nude hiking



## Anonymous (Mar 28, 2002)

Is there any one that hikes nude? If you ran into a nude hiker would it offend you?


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## Anonymous (Mar 29, 2002)

*Hiking nude*

Is every body he that uptight about nudity? If you have never hike in a natural state in Nature you don`t know what you are missing!

John


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## Anonymous (Mar 30, 2002)

you can hike my happytrail


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## Anonymous (Mar 31, 2002)

Thanks JB,who ever you are?
Just a little Info. as to why I hike nude! This might be worth reading.
Go to  "www.mbay.net/~cgd/naturism/nudity19.htm"

Enjoy Nature the natural way 
John


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## Anonymous (Apr 1, 2002)

*Hiking nude*



			
				John said:
			
		

> If you have never hike in a natural state in Nature you don`t know what you are missing!



What am I missing? Getting arrested?  :blink: 

Public Indecency is *illegal* in New Hampshire. I'm sure most other states have similar laws. This is probably the main reason you don't see many hikers prancing around naked. Grow up.


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## Mike P. (Apr 4, 2002)

*Offended or upset?*

This comes up almost yearly, as mentioned below, it's illegal in NH & likely on the AT as it has National Status.

Offended no, but since I could be leading a group of middle school students or my daughter, outraged may be more appropriate.  Nude beaches in this country are kept seperate from clothing required beaches, (read segregated from the general public)  How you hike on private property is your own business but if hiking out with the public, dress liek the public.  Nude sunbathers do go to other beaches also, they just wear clothes when they do.  Please be considerate to the rest of the hiking public when hiking on public lands.


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## MARI (Apr 14, 2002)

Hey I have to agree with the moderator here, you really have to be "considerate". Even though I might not be offended, I would be most likely surprised by encountering a nudist on the trails! As is " What is your intention???" There are alot of cool places around where you can be a naturist or whatever - I think in general, the hikers I know are open and unconventional to different lifestyles, but seriously, you might really get a whole lot of the public very wigged out. I say "Don't do it."
A good read: David Sedaris the book "Naked" where he experienced a nude resort. Totally hysterical.


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## Anonymous (Apr 25, 2002)

*Nude Hiking*

Boy 212 views and not to many replies? I guess all the hikers here are from the East? Not as excepting to Nude hiking as the hikers in the West? Is there any Western hikers here from 
Calif.?

Natural Hiker 

"Life`s Short Hike Naked"


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## Anonymous (Apr 26, 2002)

If I came across someone hiking nude, I wouldn't necessarily be offended or annoyed. What would annoy me is the fact that some moron thinks they have to hike nude to "get in touch with nature". Puuuhhlease. I would look at it as more a sign of trying to get a rise out of people (no pun intended).  

The fact is, while not offensive to all, it would be offensive to some. Be considerate and mature.


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## Anonymous (May 13, 2002)

*hiking nude*

The black flies would love nude hikers!


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## pancho (May 14, 2002)

*nudes*

  I believe hikers should be respectful of one another.  Many people would be offended for a variety of different reasons, so it would be direspectful  and a selfish act to hike in the nude.


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## Mongoose (May 15, 2002)

*Nude hiking? Ouch..*

What about all those branches and sticks you know, snagging things. And then there's all those blowdowns you got to stretch over...


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## Greg (May 15, 2002)

*Re: Nude hiking? Ouch..*



			
				Mongoose said:
			
		

> What about all those branches and sticks you know, snagging things. And then there's all those blowdowns you got to stretch over...


LOL! Oh man, too funny.  :lol:


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## Anonymous (May 30, 2002)

The fact that this subject comes up regularly as well as the fact that mainstream outdoors magazines cover the topic on a regular basis are the most telling statements as to our desire to be nude outdoors.  Has anyone not seen Nike's current ad campaign ... "You are naked...blah,blah,blah, Go."  The AT has a nude hiking day (first day of summer) and this thread has been viewed far more than any other.

The fact of the matter is that nude outdoor recreation is cool.  The arguments against doing it are interesting and some are valid, but people just like being naked and always will.  

Yet some will argue vehemently against outdoors nudity.  The two most common misconceptions that people make in arguing against nude hiking are:
1- That somehow being naked outdoors is akin to sexual aggression: and
2- That people who like to be nude outside are basically exhibitionists.

I can't speak for anyone but myself.  I'm not into nude beaches and am generally pretty shy.  To be honest, I wish I had the guts to hike nude more often than I actually do (which is once or twice a year out of at least 20 annual hikes).  I generally hike solo and will only strip down on remote trails where I'm all but 100-percent certain I won't run into anyone else.  After a while you forget your nudity - which is great.  There's nothing exhibitionist or aggressive about it.  It's unfortunate that our society is often unable to disconnect nudity from sex. 

Has anyone out there run into a nude hiker in a heavily travelled area like Marcy Dam or the Presidentials?  I doubt it, because in such circumstances your own nudity would certainly become a distraction to not only everyone else, but yourself as well.

If you are alone or with like-minded people in remote areas, I say go for it.  It's not illegal unless there's someone to complain about it.  In my opinion, there's no better way to commune with nature than to be natural yourself.

Happy hiking.


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## riverc0il (May 30, 2002)

*Re: nudes*



			
				pancho said:
			
		

> I believe hikers should be respectful of one another.  Many people would be offended for a variety of different reasons, so it would be direspectful  and a selfish act to hike in the nude.



the above quote sums up my thoughts precisely.

Nude dude, the reason this post has more views than any other is two fold: A: the topic has had more replies than almost all other topics, so it keeps getting bumped.  people will generally re-view a topic once it's been replied to obviously.  the other reason is the topic is sure to stir up people's opinions pro and con (more con i would imagine) and people like to view stuff they are extremely in favor or opposed to.  you don't generally read posts that have nothing to do with you unless you are an obsessive compulsive forum reader such as myself  :lol: 

next, subject at hand: for better or for worse, 99% of people in society have ingrained social moores and norms.  it's part of people, it's part of society.  when you go against certain social values, people get a little upset.  if you really want to piss people off or upset them, i say feel free.  unfortunately, our society is full of people that act without concern for how other people feel.  Nude dude, you seem very respectful of other people in avoiding people while hiking nude, more power to you.

NOW, whether society's views of nudity are right or wrong really is a non-issue.  the fact is that hikers in the whites would mostly be upset and not happy to see a nude hiker cross their paths.  i would consider it disdracting and unwelcome (and i realize that's more society talking through me, but sorry, that's the way it is).  some women might even be traumatized and deeply offended by nude male hikers (brings to mind the guy in the trench coat flashing people on the street).  again, i'm sure 99% of nude hikers are hiking their own hike and are not the proverbial sick and twisted 'fat man in a little coat.'  it doesn't diminish the fact of other people's perceptions and reactions.  regardless of how you feel and think, you really should consider someone else's 'perception.'  perception is key in our society.


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## Anonymous (May 31, 2002)

rivercOil-

I agree with you completely.  The point of my post essentially was that I think we're talking about an activity that is more common than some might think.   I've been hiking throughout the Northeast extensively for nearly a decade and the list of mountains I've climbed is pretty impressive.  In that time, I've NEVER seen a nude hiker and I've never been seen while hiking nude myself.  Part of the reason for this is that there is much more solitude to be found in the hills of the Northeast than many weekend White Mountain warriors are willing to give credit for - so there's plenty of opportunity to hike nude without having to worry about offending.

As a weekday hiker (I do have a job, I just have odd days off), I would estimate that about a third of the time I will not see another soul all day.  When you pull into a remote trailhead with no other cars in the lot and no one has signed through the register in three days, the question I usually ask myself is "Why not?"  So I do - weather permitting.  My most recent hike was in the nude.  The hike out is always in full garb.

Anyway, I'm a pretty normal well-adjusted guy and I completely respect a parent's right to decide when and where they expose their kids to what.  Only a jerk would go parading around Lonesome Lake campground in the buff.  I also happen to think that more than a few of the 888 people who have viewed this thread share my opinion.


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## Anonymous (Jun 3, 2002)

*nude hiking*

Many, many years ago (1963, I think) I attended an "Indian" camp run by Quakers in Vermont. The owners, Ken Webb (?) and his wife were in their late 60's I'd guess and were naturists. We campers spent the summer in either breechclouts or nothing and I became accustomed to being nude outdoors. To this day, I prefer to swim naked and given the choice, I do so. I would hesitate to hike naked in the East, however. I'm told that Ken Webb and his wife did and they must have surprised folks who encountered them but that was long ago when hikers were few. 
Out west is another matter. If one hikes out for a few days, beyond day hikers. boy scout groups and whathaveyou , then who's to complain, other than startled elk? It's a nice feeling of freedom (above the timberline, no need to worry about bugs, deadfalls, etc) and one I wish I could enjoy more often. All that said, I keep my shorts on here in the east.


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## Greg (Jun 3, 2002)

Nude dude said:
			
		

> It's not illegal unless there's someone to complain about it.



I don't buy this rationale. Say someone is assaulted, and the victim doesn't report it, has the perpetrator done anything illegal? Of course they have.



			
				Nude dude said:
			
		

> In that time, I've NEVER seen a nude hiker and I've never been seen while hiking nude myself.  Part of the reason for this is that there is much more solitude to be found in the hills of the Northeast than many weekend White Mountain warriors are willing to give credit for - so there's plenty of opportunity to hike nude without having to worry about offending.
> 
> As a weekday hiker (I do have a job, I just have odd days off), I would estimate that about a third of the time I will not see another soul all day.  When you pull into a remote trailhead with no other cars in the lot and no one has signed through the register in three days, the question I usually ask myself is "Why not?"  So I do - weather permitting.





			
				happytrails said:
			
		

> If one hikes out for a few days, beyond day hikers. boy scout groups and whathaveyou , then who's to complain, other than startled elk?



Yeah, but how are you so *positive* you won't see anybody? My feeling is nude hiking is totally irresponsible.

And I can speak from experience as I *have* come across a naked guy while hiking. And it wasn't on some secluded trail in the Whites, it was on an open ledge in a small state park in Connecticut! It didn't bother me much, but my wife was with me and I didn't want her to be offended. I was a bit ahead of her on the trail and ran back to her to warn her. She didn't believe me until she saw for herself.

We actually joke about it, and call the area "Naked Man Hill". She did indicate she was glad I was with her though and she would now never hike there alone. That's a shame that her comfort level has been compromised because someone felt the need to be irresponsible.

Keep the skivvies on.


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## RJ (Jun 3, 2002)

*Naked hiking*

Although I don't advocate nude hiking, nor would I personally want to, I did accidentally encounter a naked Croo at the Lonesome Lake Hut on Saturday.

I was taking a shortcut from the bathroom to the AT trail just above the hut when I happened upon a naked Male (damn) Cross just about to enter the shower. I apologized for startlingly him, and then proceeded to hike up the trail. He didn't seem to mind; so I guess if you take a shower at the Lonesome Lake hut, expect visitors.


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## Anonymous (Jun 4, 2002)

Greg -

Based on the tone of your post, it would be real easy to get involved in a war of personal nasitiness.  But the philosophical merits of this discussion are much more interesting to me than a prospective personality conflict.

Let me start with this:  In a democratic society, the rights of the minority are at least as important as the will of the majority. if not more so.

In other words:  Despite the fact that I feel it's my God-given right to be naked when and where I please, I accept the fact that society does not feel this way.  Consequently, I adjust my behavior accordingly in spite of the fact that society chose me and not vice-versa.  (I didn't choose society and don't really have the option of rejecting it without rejecting all the worthwhile people within it as well.)  What you need to do, my friend, is expand your mind and realize that what I do in the seclusion of the uninhabited woods is none of your concern so long as it doesn't affect you.  This is the right of a free man exercising free will.

Also, your assault analogy rings hollow.  In my example, there was no victim; in yours, there was.  

Peace.


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## Greg (Jun 4, 2002)

Nude dude said:
			
		

> But the philosophical merits of this discussion are much more interesting to me than a prospective personality conflict.


I would consider this more of a healthy debate not a "conflict".





			
				Nude dude said:
			
		

> Despite the fact that I feel it's my God-given right to be naked when and where I please...


But it's not. As stated earlier in this thread, it's *illegal*. According to New Hampshire State Law, if one "exposes his or her genitals", they are guilty of a misdemeanor, Indecent Exposure and Lewdness. - See *Chapter 645 Public Indecency*.





			
				Nude dude said:
			
		

> I accept the fact that society does not feel this way.  Consequently, I adjust my behavior accordingly in spite of the fact that society chose me and not vice-versa.  (I didn't choose society and don't really have the option of rejecting it without rejecting all the worthwhile people within it as well.)  What you need to do, my friend, is expand your mind and realize that what I do in the seclusion of the uninhabited woods is none of your concern so long as it doesn't affect you.  This is the right of a free man exercising free will.


Again, it has nothing to do with society's views. It has to do with Law.





			
				Nude dude said:
			
		

> Also, your assault analogy rings hollow.  In my example, there was no victim; in yours, there was.


Okay. Point taken. Probably not a fair analogy.

In retrospect, my nude hiker experience was rather funny, but at the time it kind of annoyed me. I mean we didn't feel all that willing to hang out on that ledge next to the "Naked Man". In the event I came across a nude hiker again, I don't think I would necessarily be offended, probably just a little uncomfortable. Fact is however, there are plenty of people out there that would be really offended so I think the truly responsible approach is to not hike nude at all.

I'm glad you are not blatantly hiking in the buff, but whenever you feel compelled to perhaps you should have something on hand to cover yourself in the event you stumble upon someone in the "uninhabited woods"? Maybe a tee shirt or towel to act as a temporary loincloth for example?


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## Anonymous (Jun 4, 2002)

*naked bliss*

The basic problem that I see is that we happy hippies (well, old, ex-hippies, by now) don't see anything wrong with letting the sunshine in and therefore wouldn't think we were acting illegally, even under New hampshire law, which seems, to this lawyer, to require an intention or at least reasonable expectation of causing undue alarm or fright.

BUT, your story of your wife's fright at seeing a naked hiker obviously changes that. I know that I'm a perfectly harmless goof who dislikes sweaty clothes and enjoys the feel of cool breezes on my (entire) body and THAT'S IT, but if someone else out there, who has as much a right as I do to enjoy the wilderness, has that enjoyment ruined, then it seems little enough to ask me to don, as you suggest, a loincloth.

As I noted in my earlier post, I never endulged in free hiking in the crowded east-I'll be doubky sure not to do so now. As for out west, I think I'll still bath naked (not in streams-I'm a 1970 NOLS grad) but I'll carry something for your protection and peace of mind. But really, if you're three days in from the road, isn't there room to cut the whackos of the world a little slack? I'm personlly far more upset by those damn ATVs than I am fellow nudists, but I figure even ATVers are enjoying the wilds in their own way.
happy trails to us all


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## Greg (Jun 4, 2002)

Happy Trails - Yes, I agree there are more important things in life than picking apart every aspect of what other people do. I'm not trying to do that. After all, I strongly believe that people should do whatever makes them happy, as long as they're not hurting anyone else. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable hiking nude, but I suppose if I try hard enough I could understand the appeal of hiking "free".

The problem is that non-nude hikers most likely won't know 'Mr. Naked Man' from Adam. They'll have no idea what his true intentions are, regardless of how harmless he may be. This goes back to riverc0il's comment of considering someone else's 'perception'. Again, at the bare (no pun intended) minimum, have some way of concealing yourself in case you happen across clothed hikers.


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## Anonymous (Jul 19, 2002)

*Hiking Nude*

Just a few photos over the years of hiking nude sence 1965,so if don`t like nudity please don`t view! 

_[Link Removed by Greg]_


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## Greg (Jul 19, 2002)

Sorry Naturalhiker. Your pictures have more to do with nudity than they do hiking in New England and I'm sure we all can picture what a naked man looks like.  :blink:


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## Anonymous (Aug 7, 2002)

*Hiking nude*

I've hiked for a lot of years. So far I've not hiked nude or meet anyone
else hiking nude. I have on a hot day stopped to rest at a over view
and removed some clothes to help cool off and dry out my clothes 
some. But only if noone was around.  Well, other than my wife. She 
has never told me that it bothered her.

As for feeling treatened by nudity cause one doesn't know their
intentions. I don't remember the media reporting many cases of
people being attacked by nude people. I'm sure the statistics would
show more people are harmed by people with clothes on. 

So the main issue is the large group of people that just don't want
to see a nude person in a public place (any where outside their home).
I personally have no desire to see a male nude hiker, but it wouldn't
bother.

that's now I see it.
dayhiker


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## Anonymous (Sep 23, 2002)

*nude hiking*

Isn't unexpected nudity apt to scare people, just like a pervo flasher? And aren't scared people the most dangerous things one is most likely to run into anywhere?

If a nudist runs into someone with a child or two in tow, and perhaps a big protective doggie, you could run afoul of the dog and the law!

Before one hikes nude, recommend they see the movie "Deliverance."

But getting to the real point, people who incur unnecessary risk in things like hiking certainly should be free to do so, but if you get your keister in trouble made worse or caused by your taking that risk, you should expect to get a hefty bill for saving same!


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## Anonymous (Oct 1, 2002)

*Re: Hiking nude*

I like to see women naked, and women might not mind to see other women naked either.  So guys keep the pants on.  Ladies, wild on the woods!  






> John said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Greg (Oct 2, 2002)

Gonna lock this one before it gets out of hand. I believe all points have been made.


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