Southern California
Beaches and Hot Springs
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Current Status of Southern California Beaches and Hot Springs |
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The purpose of this web page is to be a source of information regarding current events in and around Southern California regarding nudity at local beaches, hiking trails, and hot springs. We make every effort to keep the news up to date and accurate. If you visit any othese beaches and wish to add your experiences to our web site, please give us a telephone call (number is above) or drop us an email (see above).
 Map Courtesy of Digital Map Store |
Many of you have asked questions about the possible consequences of being cited for nudity at a California State Beach or at a hot springs on State Park land. Here's what you need to know: The California Code of Regulations Title 14 contains the rules that the public must follow within the California State Parks. CCR section 4322 regulates nudity within the State Parks. It states following: “Nudity. No person shall appear nude while in any unit except in authorized areas set aside for that purpose by the Department. The word nude as used herein means unclothed or in such a state of undress as to expose any part or portion of the pubic or anal region or genitalia of any person or any portion of the breast at or below the areola thereof of any female person.” Section 4322 is a public nudity regulation and should not be confused with indecent exposure or lewd conduct. Since it only addresses the issue of simple nudity such as sunbathing or skinny-dipping, it is not a registerable sex offense. Section 4322 can be cited as either an infraction, or a misdemeanor. The fine for an infraction is about $200 and about $400 for a misdemeanor. These fines are about the same as for littering or excessive noise in the park. The San Diego District Attorney will be in charge of prosecuting any cases. If handled properly, it likely that the case could be dismissed. So I encourage people to not just pay the fine. Being cited for nudity at the beach is actually quite minor, especially if you are dedicated to fighting for what you believe in. I believe we should stand our ground, and not succumb government oppression. If a person is cited, I strongly encourage them to contact me immediately. If possible, get the officer's name and badge number. I can explain the legal options and may be able to help someone handle the situation. I can be reached at: 714-962-0915 or rab@baylislaw.com
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SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
Overview July 2009:
Pirate's Cove at Avila Beach - nude section remains open despite its recent sale to the County.Avila Beach
Directions and Map
Nov 2008: Avila Beach sold (pdf)
Oct 2006: Avila Beach Poll Shows Wide Support
2005: Local Pastor Arrested at Nude Beach (pdf)
Jul 2004: My Visit to Pirates Cove )pdf)
City of San Luis Obispo
City Bans Nudity Only During Mardi Gras (pdf)
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Overview July 2009:
Gaviota State Beach - nude section remains open with support of park rangers. Bring a trash bag to help keep it clean.FRIENDS OF GAVIOTA BEACH MEET WITH NEW REGIONAL PARKS DIR, NO NUDITY CITATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED
By Dennis Craig Smith, Friends of Gaviota Coordinator
July 1, 2010 - Recently, FoG board members met with the ranger who has taken Supervisor Danita Rodriquez's place (Dan Falat), Officer in charge (Eric Hjelstrom), and the regional director (District Superintendent Richard Rozzelle out of Ventura).
We've waited for what seemed like years for Danita to be replaced. The meeting went well and we were assured that no one has been cited for nudity on either of the two beaches (San Onofre "north" or Vista Del Mar) that are directly east of Gaviota State Beach, nor does the state intend to begin citing for nudity. We want to underscore that point: No one has been cited for nudity on these two beaches since Officer Hjelstrom has worked the area (over 5 years). There have been arrests, however, for sexual activity on the beach and in the wooded areas in the stream bed. We have assured the State Park personnel that we share their concerns regarding lewd (sexual) activity on the beach and in the bushes along the trail.
Superintendent Dan Falat wants us to let Friends of Gaviota know that they intend to continue the Cahill Policy in this area. If you are asked to get dressed, however, by a ranger, please comply without argument. The matter cannot be resolved on the beach, but will be handled in appropriate and productive meetings with state personnel. The more we argue and fuss on the beach, the more difficulty we cause for ourselves.
Also remember that the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office is another matter altogether. There is an anti-nudity ordinance in the county, so the sheriff or CHP can issue tickets. As far as I know, there has never been a CHP citation on the coast of California for nudity, but the sheriff is a different matter. At this time, Sheriff Brown leaves the area we know as San Onofre "north" to the State Park Police. We all felt the new supervisor was not hostile to the existence of clothes-free recreation in the area we have traditionally used for forty years. He is, however, operating under Ruth Coleman (State Director of California State Parks and Beaches) and state park regulations, so we could not pin him down to whether or not he personally was for or against nude-use areas. Of course, he doesn't want to go on record one way or another, but we all felt good about what came out of the meeting
A few days after our meeting I was on the beach during the week. All the people on the beach were in bathing suits (except me) and panic was running up and down the shoreline. "The rangers are here and they're raiding the beach," I was told. The rangers were on the bluff, and I waved to them and they waved back. They were not there to "raid" the beach, nor did they. I told everyone I met not to run and get dressed, "Just be natural. They are not here about our nudity." I explained if it was nudity they were there for, I would have been "busted." I was nude and they were waving at me. If they approach you, be polite, stay nude unless asked to get dressed. At the meeting they said they could tell who was with Friends of Gaviota because those who are not "run in all directions" and scramble into their clothes. We have worked hard to achieve a good relationship with the rangers, and we don't want to lose what we have gained.
Gaviota State Beach
Directions and Map
Jan 2007: Gaviota Beach Status
Feb 2007: NAC Advisory
Friends of Gaviota
P.O. Box 351
Lompoc, CA 93438
Voice: 805-733-4950
Email: denbar@sbceo.orgThis is a non-profit group promoting nude use of Gaviota State Park
More Mesa Beach
Directions and Map
2006: More Mesa Beach
HUNT IS ON FOR “HOMELESS” PERVERT STALKING MORE MESA NUDE BEACH
July 25, 2010 - Last month we wrote about two people who were ticketed at More Mesa Beach in Santa Barbara after a homeless-looking man appeared on the beach, appeared to use a cell phone, and then left the beach as two deputies then came down and issued a pair of tickets.
On July 18 of this year, the same homeless guy was observed on More Mesa Beach and witnesses said he looked like he was masturbating. Nudists approached him and told him to leave. He used his cell phone and left, and minutes later deputies came down and issued two more tickets, thinking one of the remaining nudists was the pervert. One of the victims, who was definitely not guilty of anything except not wearing his pants, told if he fought the indecent exposure ticket they would charge him with lewd behavior, so when he said he would fight it, they arrested him, thinking he was the guy. We helped connect his lawyer to NAC for legal advice. Both Dennis Craig Smith, of Friends of Gaviota (FoG) and Gary Mussell were interviewed by reporters from the Santa Barbara Independent newspaper as word about this homeless-looking person spread through the beach-going community.
SCNA is distributing fliers on the beach asking people to take pictures of the homeless looking person so we can determine if it someone who needs to be put away, or if he is, as some theorize, is an undercover cop trying to provoke a shutdown of the remaining nude beaches in the county. If he is just an individual on his own warpath, then it isn’t just the beaches under attack, it is also the parks, playgrounds, and shopping malls, anywhere this guy may decide to visit.
On the remote chance a person may get a ticket as a result of this person’s actions, please be polite with the officers, write down all conversations and try to get names of witnesses who can help if later legal help is required. SCNA is also looking for a sympathetic ear in the District Attorney's office so that these cases won’t be prosecuted. It is our position all these tickets need to be challenged. If you know of additional lawyers in Santa Barbara County who might be willing to help, please call us at (818) 225-2273. SCNA and other naturist clubs in Southern California are considering establishing a legal referral service to assist those whose own lawyers may not be familiar with case law as it pertains to social nudity. Details about the referral service were still being worked out at press time.
Please call us immediately if you see anyone let us know if you hear of any other tickets being issued. Be sure to tell the victim that legal advice is available to them and give them our phone number. Meanwhile continue to enjoy More Mesa. With your help, we will find and isolate this pest and get him off of our beaches!
Summerland Beach
This beach is closed to any nudity and deputies vigorously enforce the ordinance.
Bates (North Rincon) Beach
April 2010 - After a news report about the nudists trying to re-establish the clothing optional section at Bates Beach, the police received several sweeps, yielding a few tickets from surprised nudists who didnt expect any trouble on this mostly-deserted stretch of beach. The mysterious "homeless-looking" man described above was on the beach at the time of both sweeps but was not cited. Some are suspecting he is an undercover cop directing deputies to nudists sunning themselves quietly on the beach. In one case one of our beach patrol people saw two deputies climb down the broken concrete above the concrete sea barrier so be aware that not all deputies come from the walk ramp at the south end.
The two people who got tickets have received legal representation and are fighting their citations. No court dates are yet set.
12/2009 - NUDIST UNDER TOWEL BEATS BATES BEACH TICKET In September a man received a ticket for nudity at Bates Beach while sitting nude under his towel. He decided to fight it and was just rewarded by having the ticket thrown out.
In October a young woman who was cited at the same beach in May for top-free sunbathing also won her court case. She described a "homeless-looking" person sitting nearby on his cell phone prior to the deputies arriving. Hmmmmm....
Directions and Map
2006: Our Reunion With the Officer Who Gave Us Our Ticket
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Nude Beach Alliance/SCNA 23679 Calabasas Rd #940 Calabasas, CA 91302 Voice: (818) 225-2273 Email: scna@socalnaturist.org |
VENTURA COUNTY
Overview July 2009:
There are no nude beaches in Ventura County. However there are opportunities for nude hiking in th Sespe Creek area as lomg as you are discreet. A better option is to go sailing off the Channel Island coast from either the Oxnard or Ventura marinas. We notice many boaters enjoy nudity once they are beyond the more populated harbor and breakwater.Nude Sailing to the Channel Islands
Sespe Creek Nude Hiking Areas
LOS ANGELES
Overview July 2009:
It surprises tourists from other areas to learn there are have been no nude beaches in this county since 1977. However that doesn't mean people can't find secluded places along the coast to skinny-dip. We just won't publicly acknowledge any of them on the Internet. Wear less than a bathing suit at your own risk, as they will give you a ticket if you are discovered!On the bright side, in 2006 Sheriff Lee Baca issued a letter to one of our members who was hiking nude in the Angeles Forest. He fought his ticket on the grounds there is no law against hiking nude on federal land. Baca agreed. We recommend if you choose to hike nude in the national forests of this county, be discreet around other hikers.
The bad news is the area of the hiking trails was badly debuded by the recent Station Fire and the area is now closed to hikers and campers through the winter 2009-2010 until the threat of mudslides ends. You may want to avoid hiking nude there anyway until some protecting bushes and plants grow sufficiently high.Sheriff Says No Law Against Hiking Nude in Angeles National Forest
Nude Hiking Near Fraiser Park
ORANGE COUNTY
Overview December 2009:
Sadly, there are no nude beaches (or hiking trails) in this county. Recently the city of Huntington Beach banned nudity everywhere within its city limits. In response, a group of nudists have organized monthly swims renting the city-owned municipal swimming pool. (As a non-profit corporation, the city could not ban them.) Below is the information about the group:
NATURISTS IN THE OC
9042 Garfield Ave #306
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
Email: info@nitoc.org
Travel club based in Huntington Beach, California
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
July 2010 SAN ONOFRE UPDATE: NO NEW TICKETS ISSUED
We had the good fortune to meet Allen Baylis of the Naturist Action Committee while at Olive Dell over Memorial weekend. Over lunch he updated for us the current status of San Onofre State Beach:
As of the first of July, no new tickets for nudity have been issued at San Onofre State Beach. There seems to be a kind of strategic pause, as both the park rangers and the nudists wait to see the outcome of the first four tickets that were issued during March and April.
Allen told us that the court date for the first case has been postponed twice as the District Attorney is still considering whether or not to prosecute. Dismissal of the cases, or having the local judge rule against the deputies would be a major blow to the effort by the local Park Superintendent to shut down the nude section of the beach.
All of the cases are being represented by legal counsel, and a vigorous defense is being planned. “All we can do is wait for the DA to decide what to do next,” Baylis told us. “We hope the DA realizes it may not be worth the cost to prosecute.”
Meanwhile, it appears that the State Department of Parks and Recreation is already suffering a significant loss in revenue at San Onofre since undertaking its assault two months ago. Park attendance at the beach is down considerably, evident by the much smaller number of cars in the parking lot above Trail 6, and fewer people on San Onofre Beach in general.
In addition to having spent over $40,000 in last year’s lawsuit against the nudist community, Baylis estimates the state will likely lose over $100,000 in day use fees and annual pass sales this summer. The typical scenario has been that the Rangers drive down the road which parallels the fence at the southern border of the park, and use binoculars to spy on the beach goers. The tendency has been to target single individuals rather than groups. All of those cited have been male.
Baylis asks everyone to come to show their support. The decision to be nude is up to you, of course, but he emphasizes “if we vacate the beach, it will surely be lost!”
Baylis is also circulating a petition to all the clubs in California asking for the Parks Department to designate 8 state park areas for nude use: Torry Pines (Black’s) Beach, San Onofre State Beach, Gaviota State Park, Gray Whale Cove State Beach, Auburn Dam Recreational Park on the Sacramento River, Bonny Doon Beach and the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (both in Santa Cruz County) and Fort Ord Dunes State Park (in Monterey County.) Other beaches like Pirates Cove, Stimson Beach and Bates are county beaches and don’t fall under state jurisdiction.
If anyone gets a ticket or is approached by a deputy to get dresses, please let Allen know at (714) 962-0915. Email is: rab@baylislaw.com.
Overview February, 2010:
1/2010 - Click here to read the story:
PARK OFFICIALS APOLOGIZE FOR BURYING DEAD SEA LION ON SAN ONOFRE NUDE BEACH
11/25/09 - State officials spent more than $42,000 battling a group of nudists who wanted to keep Trail 6 a clothing-optional beach, California Department of Parks and Recreation documents show. Also, a public records request for all reports and complaints relating to public nudity at Trail 6 revealed only two written complaints. Park officials had said a growing number of complaints were one of the factors for banning nudity at Trail 6.
Ken Kramer, district superintendent of the Orange Coast District, said the money spent was well worth it. "Our approach to this issue transcends dollars and cents," Kramer said. "This is money well spent to make sure we address these concerns. We have the duty to make sure that with this type of increased popularity and visitation that we have a park where all visitors feel welcome and that there is lawful activity occurring."
When asked as to how two complaints about public nudity jived with the claim of a growing number of complaints, Kramer said that the majority of complaints were verbal. The agency, however, has not documented nor kept track of such verbal complaints, Kramer said. He did not comment about why the agency did not keep track of verbal complaints. "It couldn't have been too serious," Baylis said, questioning Kramer's reasoning. "If they took verbal complaints seriously, they would have documented them."
Kramer instead pointed to what he said was an increased level of criminal activity in the surrounding areas of Trail 6. While Kramer stopped short of blaming the nudists, he did say there was a correlation between the two. "I don't think we can ignore the fact that we have a substantial criminal activity problem where nude recreation is going on," he said.
An on-line poll showed 97% agreed that the state spending this money was a waste of money and limited state resources.
11/2009 - NO TICKETS YET An article about the fight to retain the clothing optional section at Trail 6 appeared in USA Today on November 18. The reporter William M. Welch quotes both Allen Baylis and Bob Morton of the Naturist Action Committee extensively in the article.
Park Superintendent Richard Haydon warns rangers will begin issuing citations but won't disclose when. "We are going to be moving forward with starting to enforce the nudity statute down at San Onofre, and basically returning that portion of the beach to all people who want to go down there without fear of running into [nudists]," Haydon said. Baylis said nudists are ready to be arrested. "If they really want to come down there and issue citations, we have people willing and able to be cited in order to take it up in the criminal courts as a matter of civil disobedience," he said. "It's a very important issue for a lot of people."
10/23/2009 - The California Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by nudists that challenged the State Park’s repeal of the “Cahill/Harrison Policy” governing nudity in the state parks system.The Naturist Action Committee (NAC) issued a statement calling the court’s lack of action “a tremendous setback,” but they added “the battle has not ended. [We are]carefully considering [our] remaining options and the ramifications of each. NAC will continue to issue Action Alerts, Advisories and Updates on this issue as circumstances require.” Read More...
At the present time, the clothing optional section of San Onofre State Beach remains open with no ticketing activity. In 2008 the State Parks Department decided to ban nudity as a response to reports of lewd activity in the campgrounds about a mile away in the parking lot camp ground. The nudists filed suit and won in the Superior Court in August 2008. However the state won a reveral in the Appeals Court in July 2009. The nudists have now appealed that ruling to the State Supreme Court, which should prevent any threantened ticketing after Labor Day weekend. While deputies and rangers still come down occasionally to the beach to verbally intimidate the nudists into put back on their clothes, they are not ticketing and so we ask beachgoers to be polite but to remain on the beach as unclothed as you prefer at this time. Report any tickets and conversations with authorities to the legal team at Friends of San Onofre (information and links are below.)San Onofre State Beach
Directions and MapJune 2009:Appeals Court Overrules Nudists at San Onofre
June 2009:Appeals Court Overrules Nudists at San Onofre
June 2009:Appeals Court Overrules Nudists at San Onofre
Aug 2008: Superior Court Ruling (Court Document)
Aug 2008: Nudists Win San Onofre Lawsuit
Jun 2005: Marines Crack Down on Beach Trespassers
May 2005: Letter from Parks & Rec Regarding San Onofre Nudity
FRIENDS OF SAN ONOFRE BEACH
P.O. Box 2552
Capo Beach, California 92624
Voice: 949-443-0891
Email: info@friendsofsanonofre.org
NAC NEEDS YOUR FINANCIAL HELP TO WIN THE FIGHT Fellow California Naturists:
The non-profit Naturist Action Committee exists to serve naturists. NAC has reacted swiftly and powerfully to the threat at San Onofre Beach. Now NAC is asking for your financial help. The expenses associated with defending naturism in California have left our war chests dangerously depleted. We need your immediate help to continue the essential fight for your right to enjoy nude recreation in an appropriate manner on public lands. The battle is a costly one, but NAC believes it must be fought, and with your help, it can be won.
Please send your contribution today!
Call toll free (800) 886•7230, or send a check to:
NAC
P.O. Box 132
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903
Or use your credit card to donate on-line at: www.naturistaction.org/donate
"Black's Beach" (aka North Torre Pines State Beach)
Overview July 2009:
Summer is proceeding nicely at this gem down the cliff from the Torrey Pines Golf Club. Weekend picnics and BBQs are planned June-September. Check the web site below for current information.Directions and Map
Link to Web Site:
BLACK'S BEACH BARES
P.O. Box 12255
La Jolla, California 92039
Email: info@blacksbeach.org
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Deep CreekOverview July 2009:
No problems. Nudity at Deep Creek continues. One helluva hike, though!Directions and Map
Story of the Deep Creek Volunteers
INYO COUNTY
Saline Warm Springs
Overview July 2009:
No problems. Nudity at Saline Warm Springs continues. We advise visits during the spring and fall only due to the extreme heat of summer, and snow often blocks access in the pass during the winter. The "Clothing Optional" sign is still down from the main entrance, but has not affected the Parks policy. A new Superintendent is due to be appinted soon replacing the retired J.T. Reynolds (who removed the sign, see story below), so we will watch for any changes in policy.Directions:
1: How to Get To Saline Warm Springs
2: Our Journey to Saline Warm Springs - What to See and Do There"Nude Sign" at Saline Warm Springs Removed by Rangers
Some of these documents require Adobe Acrobat to read them. Click here (or click the button at left) to load a free copy of the program, if needed.
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This page was created by and is maintained by the
Southern California Naturist Association (SCNA) 23679 Calabasas Rd #940 Calabasas CA 91302 (818) 225-2273 |
