Top five nude beaches in New England
J. Amanda Ferry, Boston.com staff, 06/26/03
Boston.com asked D. Kirkpatrick, the head of a local naturists association named Pilgrim Naturists of New England, to list the top five nude beaches in New England. His list, which starts below, includes directions to help you find each beach, plus some advice for the intrepid skinny-dipper.
First, the advice. While there is no such thing as an officially sanctioned nude beach in New England, there are beaches where local tradition supports the right to bare it all. These beaches exist thanks to the tolerance of the community, and as a result it's simply a matter of good manners to respect local community members and the beach itself. Please park legally, do not litter, and be polite.
Now, on to the beaches (in no particular order).
No. 5 -- The Ledges
Adjacent to the public picnic grounds maintained by the PG&E Corporation, this small inland beach in Wilmington (west of Brattleboro) is a bit tricky to find (like most naturist beaches). Turn onto Boyd's Hill Road, off of Route 100, just north of the Massachusetts border, and go past a small paddock. Follow the hard-packed dirt road for a just over a mile until you reach the parking area. Facing the water, walk to the lower, right-hand picnic terrace, where you'll find a well-trod path through the woods. That will lead you to a series of rock ledges over the water at Harriman Reservoir.
The swimming hole recently found itself at the center of some controversy, when Wilmington passed an anti-nudity ordinance. The town voted to overturn the law, however, after only a few months.
No. 4 -- Acadia National Park
There are actually two beaches in Acadia with a clothing-optional history. Duck Brook beach, near the run-off for the town's reservoir, is so hard to find that Kirkpatrick suggests asking a local for directions. The other beach, Lake Wood, is off Route 3. "Take a right at the Hull's Cove Area Post Office, and take your second left past a construction site." The sign will say "National Park." At the top of a rise park your car, and off the left side parking area find the path into the woods down to the water's edge.
Continuing on the dirt road past the parking, you'll find a "textile beach" (nudist slang for a clothed beach), used by area residents and visitors alike.
"Last time I was there," said Kirkpatrick, "I didn't go swimming because there were otters in the water."
No. 3 -- Isolated beaches on the Cape Cod National Seashore
There's a federal regulation banning nudity on the National Seashore. That said, if you go well past the populated beaches (a long hike on a busy summer day), until "the people on the textile beaches look like tiny sugar ants," says Kirkpatrick, you can enjoy the sun au naturel. Keep an eye out for rangers on ATVs and cover up if they approach -- they might write you a $50 citation if you're too flagrantly inflagrate.
No. 2. -- An unnamed beach on Nantucket
There's a small beach on the south side of Nantucket where you can really work on your tan. Hike toward Surfside from Miacomet beach to find it. Kirkpatrick notes that there's a small salt marsh pond where families like to swim. "We like to avoid that pond so as not to bother anyone with children who may be offended by nudity," he says.
No. 1 -- Adjacent to Moshup Beach on Martha's Vineyard
Head northeast from the Gay Head Lighthouse to find this beach -- it's an easy 10-mile bike ride from the ferry landing or use the
island's circuit bus. Again, there's technically a no-nudity ordinance in effect, so discretion is the better part of valor.
If these five places aren't enough, you could opt to attend the Naturist Society's Eastern Naturist Gathering, taking place this year in Lenox Mass., from August 18-24. Or on the Web at http://www.naturistsociety.com/ where you can search for knowledgeable contacts by state.
Road trip leads to nude beach, more