By David and Cindy T.

July 2004 - During the past few months, we have looked for public lands that may be suitable for nude use. What we have found, so far, is one real jewel as well as some other possibilities. Off Lockwood Valley Road, in the Los Padres National Forest about 1/2 way between Hwy 33 and Frazier Park, is the Pine Valley campground. It is surrounded on three sides by the Sespe Wilderness Area; such areas are designated “off limits” to 4-wheel driven vehicles, motorcycles, and anything else disturbing to the environment.

The campground is very large, off the beaten path, and offers innumerable locations for seclusion. High trees and dense shrubs conceal countless flat clearings, and a long, beautiful canyon is also superb for nude use. Even on a crowded weekend day, you will surely be able to find a secluded spot for SCNA outings. Along the road leading to the campground are many more opportunities for seclusion. Bonus fact: The "Piano Box Loop" is open and barren, serving as a magnet for the off-roaders, thereby diverting them away from the Pine Valley campground. This looks really promising.

But Pine Valley isn’t the only possibility on Lockwood Valley Road. Near the southern end of Lockwood Valley Road is a road leading to Reyes Creek campground. However, that isn’t where we are headed.

About half mile up the road leading to the indicated camp, off to the left, is an unmarked facility that is betrayed only by a barely visible yellow campfire restriction sign. It's a bit close to Lockwood Valley Road itself, but the chance of being seen by a passing motorist (which are few) is small. And needless to say, most traffic on the road to this site will be headed instead to one of the marked facilities. The site has a hiking trailhead at its deep end and a well-concealed concrete slab near that trailhead.

We investigated other possibilities as well, but each have their shortcomings. On Hwy 33, just north of Lockwood Valley Road, is Tinta Campground. It's small, but it borders on the Dick Smith Wilderness area. If you don't mind a 1.5-mile hike to get there, it's a perfect site for us right now, since the riverbed that we must cross recently washed out the road, keeping vehicles out.

On Cerro Noroeste, west of Pine Mountain Club, there are many dirt roads into the shrub, each of which offer possibilities. There are also a few campgrounds -- Cindy and I have streaked Valle Vista campground, though it's closeness to the road makes this not recommended. The other campgrounds along Cerro Noroeste, despite their very remote locations, always seem to have occupants.

We have also streaked the Chuchupate campground, just three miles past the Ranger station on the way to Frazier Mountain. Chuchupate is almost always empty, and approaching vehicles are easy to hear. It has a nice flat behind the campground itself that is well protected, yet within reasonable distance of the outhouse. The trouble is, there is only one secluded flat.

Aliso Park is an extremely remote yet nicely developed campground just south of New Cuyama, on Hwy 166. We have spent many nude hours there, both on the trails and at the campground itself.

I would recommend it to everyone, except for one problem: if someone is already there, who objects to your nudity, then there are no alternative sites within 30 minutes' travel time. We struck out on the last two trips there, which now makes me nervous about recommending it.