GARBERVILLE NUDE BEACH

Superman has his Fortress Of Solitude in the Arctic, but Garberville's oasis of peace can be found at a little-known skinny-dipping hole near the first highway exit into town. Located on the south branch of the Eel River, the riverbank site isn't visible from the highway, but there are houses nearby, so use this area with caution.

Unknown, may be public property.

From Mendocino, go north on Highway 1 to Garberville, passing Rockport and Leggett (where 1 merges with Highway 101), or take 101 north all the way to Garberville. The road becomes a two-lane highway bordered by redwoods. Take the first Garberville exit. Turn left at the "To San Francisco" sign, the first major intersection in the city. Instead of following the highway onramp, go straight. After the street goes downhill, turn right onto the first paved road. Park near the big pile of gravel (you may see cars pulled over, which is usually a good sign). An easy trail, usually without poison oak, will take you to the south fork of the river.

A skinny-dipping hole, protected from view from the road by a hill. Bring flip-flops or old sneakers to wear in the river.

Probably just you. Even on hot days, you may find only a few nude bathers.

Unknown legal status; cold water; homes nearby; river rocks.

BAKER'S BEACH

Recommended!

To find one of Humboldt County's skinny-dipping treasures, check out this delightful little cove that's 12 miles north of Arcata, off Highway 101. Named after the Baker family, who are believed to own the property, the nude beach has tide pools, agates, and a quarter moon-shaped shore that's protected from view by surrounding foliage. "It's really quiet there," says Vince, an Arcata resident. "It's never crowded. And the trail is easy."

Apparently owned by the Baker family. Nude use is tolerated.

From Arcata, drive 12 miles north on Highway 101. Take the Westhaven exit to Scenic Drive, then follow Scenic north to a large, vine-covered residence sign and a rusted Private Property marker on the right (look for pulled-over cars). The quarter-mile-long beach path begins 20 yards beyond two mailboxes near the signs.

Instead of sand, the area features sesame seed-size pebbles.

Even on busy days, there are usually no more than 40 people present, according to Carl Gelden-Meyers, a local resident. "They are mostly mellow college students," says Gelden-Meyers. Some families also visit the site, which gets both nude and suited use.

Car burglaries and gawkers reported in the past.

HIDDEN BEACH

A gorgeous nude beach with small numbers of visitors is emerging between Trinidad Head and Patrick's Point and College Cove. Best time to visit the string of pocket coves is low tide. During high tide, most of the sand is covered. "The few people who show up go nude there," says frequent visitor Alex, of San Rafael. "I've gone there many times, sometimes with friends, and run into other people only once or twice."

Private property.

From Eureka, go north on Highway 101 and take the Trinidad turnoff. At the first intersection, instead of turning right onto Stage Coach Road, which is the way to College Cove, keep going straight. Says Alex, "about a block after you pass a supermarket on your left, you will see some horse stables. Just past the horses, turn right and stay on the road for about 1.5 miles until it comes to a big, 90-degree bend and turn. Follow the bend and just after it look for a little turnout with a "No Parking" sign on the right side of the road. It only holds one or two cars. Park there and walk to the left, where you will see a fence with a hole. Walk through it and follow the path about a half mile to three-quarters of a mile, through some redwoods, to the shore. You'll get some beautiful views of the ocean along the way."

You get to pick from six or seven small but sandy beaches next to inlets. Each of the beaches is a few hundred yards long. The beach trail is usually free of poison oak.

Most likely, you'll be the only person present.

Beach washes away in high tide; private property; not much parking.

SOUTH COLLEGE COVE

Recommended!

Fall is one of the best times to visit the two beaches -- to the north and south -- that form what is locally known as College Cove. Or visit in mid or late summer, when the skinny-dipping season really gets underway along the coast in this area. "It has gorgeous clear water and great wind protection," says reader Jack. Agrees Jessica, a student at nearby Humboldt State College,"it's definitely a fun place." Numerous non-nudes also use the beach.

State property. Years ago, deputies raided the beach and handed out anti-nudity citations.

From Eureka, go north on Highway 101 and take the Trinidad turnoff. At the first intersection turn right (the left branch goes to Trinidad) onto Stage Coach Road and follow it a quarter mile to a dirt parking lot on the left. It's three-quarters of a mile north of Trinidad State Beach. If you pass Abalone Beach or Sea Cliff Camp, you have gone too far. To reach College Cove South, which gets more nude use than this beach, follow the trail at the south end of the parking lot.

A half-moon-shaped cove with around a quarter mile of sand.

Mainly young singles, most of them students. Expect around 50 visitors a day, with use equally divided between nudes and prudes.

Icy water; eroding trail; gawkers; occasional fog; law enforcement raids in the past.

NORTH COLLEGE COVE

Most beachgoers wear swimsuits at North College Cove, but up to 25 people a day enjoy naked sunbathing and swimming at this beautiful cove, which is slightly larger and has a better trail than College Cove South. Jogging and volleyball are other common pastimes here.

State property.

See directions for College Cove. Take the trail at the northern end of the parking area there and go down its steps to the sand.

Bigger than South College Cove. At low tide, you can walk from there along the sand around the big rock between the two coves. At high tide, access is mostly cut off by a rocky promontory.

About 75 percent of the folks who show up on the sand wear swimsuits.

Less nude use than at College Cove South; cold water; may be windy or foggy; raids by deputies in the past.

AGATE BEACH

Are you ready to rock? The south end of Agate Beach, at Patrick's Point State Park, north of Trinidad, has been attracting small numbers of suitless sunbathers and clad and unclad rock hounds for years to its shore. Due to intermittent fog on the coastline, spring and fall are the best times to become a "nude rocker" by hunting for beach agates with nary a stitch of clothing on to interfere with your tanning. The hills behind the beach are usually covered in purple lupine flowers in the spring. But summer's also a great time to visit the beach to escape the inland heat and, in late afternoon before the fog returns, to do some sunbathing. Other fun activities include tide pooling, camping (the site's campground has 124 sites, showers, and a picnic table, plus a cabin that sleeps four), and hiking. The best bet for a walk is to take the Rim Trail to viewpoints of harbor seals, sea lions, and gray whales.

Part of Patrick's Point State Park.

Take Highway 101 north for about 25 miles, north of Eureka and five miles north of the Trinidad exit to Patrick's Point State Park, which is 56 miles south of Crescent City. From Agate Campground, look for the Agate Beach trailhead and take the short, steep path to the beach, passing spots that offer nice vistas of Agate Beach and Humboldt Lagoons State Park far below.

What's the main activity at this nine-mile long, clothing optional beach? Looking for agates, of course! Wave-polished black jade and beach agates can be found in the sand and tidal zone at the water's edge. Winter storms also usually dump loads of driftwood on the shore.

On warm weekdays "you might find three or four people going nude here," says Alex. Except for the south end of the beach, Agate mainly gets clothed use. On weekends, nudism usually disappears.

Day use and overnight camping fees; wind and fog during the summer; nude use occurs only on weekdays; agates easiest to find in winter; fierce riptides and cold, hazardous water limits swimming.

VAN DUZEN RIVER

Want to trade summer fog on the Humboldt County coastline for warm weather and skinny-dipping at one of the 10 clothing optional swimming holes that await you just a few miles inland? Most of these sites are known just to local residents and our readers. Don't forget to bring plenty of suntan lotion. When it's in the 60's or 70's near the sea, expect it to be in the 80's near the town of Blue Lake, to the east, and up to 100 degrees in Willow Creek, farther inland. Coming from the coast, the first place to enjoy nude swimming and sunbathing is this site overlooking the Van Duzen River. On a weekday, you may be the only person here.

Unknown.

Take Highway 101 north to Highway 36. From Bridgeville, drive downstream to Goat Rock, then look for the nude beach on a ribbon of sand along the river.

Bring water shoes, old sneakers, or flip-flops to wear in the river so you won't get "rock burn" from the pebbles in the water.

A huge gathering would be 15 people. Most likely, there will be only a few people present.

After rainy winters (this one wasn't), beware of rushing, sometimes hazardous water; rocks in the river; needs better directions.

MAD RIVER

Don't get mad, get even -- by giving yourself a clothing-optional mini-vacation at an old-fashioned skinny dipping hole on the Mad River. Heading east from Highway 101, Highway 299 is lined with a string of naked swim sites. Best time to wear your birthday suit in some refreshingly cool river water: midsummer through early fall.

Unknown.

Take Highway 101 north through Arcata. Two miles past Arcata go east on Highway 299 to the little town of Blue Lake. After crossing the Mad River, about seven miles from Arcata, take Fish Hatchery Road to the parking lot of the hatchery. Park and cross the rocks between the lot and the riverbank. The main nude area is just above the hatchery, but other naturists flock to points both upstream and downstream. For the best side, wade across the river east of the hatchery, then walk along the north bank. Look for other visitors spread out to the east. You can also get there via West End Road.

"It's really pretty," says visitor Alex Towery. "If you like to fish, when the water's high and steelhead are running, you can stand there fishing while the sun is beaming down on you." Not only is there rarely any fog here, but the water's also warmer than at Baker's or College Cove, which rival Mad River in popularity.

Considered one of the county's most popular inland swimming holes, Mad gets both suited and suitless users. One visitor counted around 25 nudists, while others have found none.

Rocks; needs better directions; best weather starts in midsummer; percentage of nude use widely varies.

MAPLE CREEK

Tube riders coming down the river are sometimes amazed to see dozens of nude sunbathers at two holes near Maple Creek and the Salyer Roadside Rest Area, both off Highway 299. The water is usually cold, so most nudity is confined to the shore. But bring sandals or old shoes to wear in the water, just in case you decide to take a dip.

Unknown.

Follow Mad River directions to the town of Blue Lake (see above). Access to Maple Creek, which consists of a few buildings, is via a small road in town. "It's a little ways inland from Blue Lake," reader Douglas Beck says. The same drive can also be made from Kneeland, which can be reached from Arcata. From Highway 101, head up Fickle Hill Road to the Maple Creek exit. Take the exit to where you see cars pulled off, then park and walk upstream past a clothed beach to the nude swimming hole.

Depending on the season, the beach of rocks and sand is next to a small river or stream.

You and a few others may be the only ones here.

Unknown legal status; river rocks; better directions needed.

SALYER HOLE

If you're heading inland from the coast, once you pass Blue Lake look for the Salyer Roadside Rest Area, east of Maple Creek beach. Across the street from the rest stop, you'll find a clothing-optional hole enjoyed by local residents and travelers.

Unknown.

Follow the directions to Maple Creek (above). The "nude beach is just east of the entrance to the Salyer Roadside Rest Area," says reader Donald. It's located about 100 yards east of the rest spot on the opposite side of the road. "At that point," suggests Donald, "you should turn down the gravel road to the parking area. A rocky, somewhat steep, but good trail will bring you down to the river."

A riverbank beach of sand mixed with rocks.

You may see a few visitors. Or you may be the only person present.

Gravel access road; rocky river bottom; unknown legal status; better directions needed.

BOOGIE BAR

A popular weekend hangout for college students and other coastal residents, Boogie Bar's strip of sand mixed with rocks is also called the Bend and Sandy Bar. Look for this awesome swimming hole on the Trinity River just west of the town of Willow Creek. "The river is usually up to 25 feet wide," says Towery. It's located just off Highway 299, between Arcata and Weaverville. Popular activities for the several dozen visitors include sunbathing, reading, and people-watching.

Unknown.

Take Highway 101 north to Eureka and Arcata. Pick up Highway 299 two miles north of Arcata and go east for about 25 minutes. Three miles west of Willow Creek, cross the Trinity River Bridge and take an immediate right onto South Fork Road. About three miles down the road, you'll see a big meadow and a junkyard, the last two landmarks before the beach path. The best landmark to find the trailhead, says Towery, is to look for cars pulled over several miles beyond the junkyard. To avoid poison oak that sometimes overhangs it, don't park too close to the edge of the vehicle area.

A cove on the south fork of the Trinity River.

On the warmest days, perhaps 20-25 visitors.

Rocky river bottom; unknown legal status; poison oak near parking area; directions could be improved.

BIG ROCK BEACH

Lack of sand doesn't stop suitless sunbathers from sunning themselves at Big Rock Beach, near Willow Creek. "It's a comfortable place, and it's really warm there," says Vince, who was introduced to the area by friends. Visitors, who include clad and topless tanners, like to bake on the boulders that dot the riverbank.

Unknown.

From the coast, follow Highway 299 east about 30 minutes to the town of Willow Creek and turn left (or north) two turnoffs before the town's Chevron gas station. Follow the road several miles past a gravel quarry. After forest growth begins to increase, look for cars pulled over in a large turnout next to a rocky outcropping over the river. Park and take the steep path near the turnout, by the Forest Service sign, down to the water.

Rocky and remote, the big, smooth stones here are used for sunbathing by visitors in the summer and early fall.

Probably just you and your group. The beach gets both nude and non-nude use.

Not much sand; unknown legal status; needs better directions.

WILLOW CREEK BRIDGE

Just outside the town of Willow Creek and east of Willow Creek Bridge, skinny-dippers and swimsuit wearing sun-seekers love to gather on the sand and rocks of a little riverbank beach. "On the day I went there wasn't anybody nude, but I know other people who like to get naked there," says a visitor who went with his girlfriend and found several other couples present.

Unknown.

From the coast, go east on Highway 299 to Willow Creek, some 30 minutes from Arcata. After crossing Willow Creek Bridge, check your odometer Less than a mile east of the bridge, pull off the highway to your left onto a little dirt road that runs parallel to the highway. The road has small shrubby oaks on either side. After 100 meters or so, it ends at the beach parking area. Park and take the path down to the creek.

A mix of sand and rocks.

Few persons visit Willow Creek Bridge beach; those who do may be nude or suited.

Unknown legal status; rocky river bottom; cold water; needs better directions.

ELSEWHERE NEAR WILLOW CREEK

A little west and east of the town of Willow Creek, even more skinny-dipping holes can be found along several miles or riverbank. What's the best way to find them? Look for cars pulled over along Highway 299, suggests former coastal resident Kie Relyea. "You just kind of drive along," she says. "There are some places where you can get off the road. You look for a trail, and if it feels OK, you take it down to the water. We just keep going until we find a deserted spot or a place that has somebody you feel OK with who may also be naked. When you get to the beach, you just take off your clothes. The locals usually don't mind."

Unknown.

Take Highway 101 north to Eureka and Arcata. Pick up Highway 299 two miles north of Arcata. Continue east, looking for access to the river before and after the town of Willow Creek, about 30 minutes from Arcata. Keep your eyes open for trails heading toward the water, then follow them to sandy patches of riverbank next to your own private, just-discovered swimming hole.

Small swimming holes, usually with a few patches of sand next to the water's edge, with enough space for several people to hang out on towels or beach chairs.

On warm days, usually just you and a few other visitors. Otherwise, be prepared for solitude -- these swim spots are often deserted.

Rocky river bottom; cold water; unknown legal status; needs better directions; dense undergrowth (and possible poison oak) on trails.

TISH TANG

Want to visit a "drive-up" nude beach? At Tish Tang, some 45 minutes from the coast, visitors usually drive right onto a gravel-strewn riverbank, park their cars or trucks, get out, and start sunbathing and swimming au naturel. "It's so cool that you can take a vehicle and do this," comments Alex Towery, who usually goes to the Trinity River site at least once a summer. Access to the nearly mile-long beach is from a nearby campground. The beach itself isn't that impressive. And it can be loud on weekends, when suited families, mixed with teens and partiers, sometimes bring their boom boxes. "Some people even set up barbecues on the sand," says Towery. A few persons have reportedly injured themselves using a rope swing that's about 100 feet off the ground; the beach has several rope swings. Seniors and new agers have been coming to Tish Tang for years to try its waters, which some Hoopa Indians allege have the power to heal.

Property of the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, whose residents have complained about nudists in the past. Hoopa Valley is the largest reservation in California. According to an order issued by President U.S. Grant in 1976, the reservation encompasses 89,572 acres. The reservation is about 50 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, and 300 miles north of San Francisco.

Head to Willow Creek (see above), then drive 7.9 miles north on Highway 96 toward Hoopa. "Highway 96 winds through a fantastic river canyon, along some of the best blacktop in California," tells Jerry White, of San Leandro. Driving time is approximately 30 minutes from Arcata to Willow Creek and then another 10-15 minutes to Tish Tang. The road follows the river in Six Rivers National Forest, just south of the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation. Look for the Tish Tang campground and from there, drive onto the beach, being careful to stay on the smoothest, most well-worn stones.

The best area is south around the bend. You can also canoe to Tish Tang. Water depth and speed depends on whether a dam along the Trinity is open, causing high levels, or closed.

Canoeists, tube riders, families, and a few skinny-dippers. Towery has observed 5-20 people present, with up to 25 percent going nude.

Rocky river bottom; cold water; may be noisy on weekends; some objections to nudity; during high water years, drownings have happened.

ELSEWHERE ON THE TRINITY RIVER

A nearly endless ribbon on nooks and crannies favored by skinny-dippers line the riverbank past Willow Creek and the locations mentioned in Elsewhere Near Willow Creek. "The whole river is full of great spots," says Ian Colvert, a Humboldt State University student. "I just go with my girlfriend, and we get naked whenever we can."

Unknown.

Take Highway 101 north to Eureka and Arcata. Join Highway 299 two miles north of Arcata. Drive east approximately 30 minutes and check for access to the river several miles east of Willow Creek. If you see cars pulled over, it might indicate a spot worth exploring. Look for a path next to the cars, leading down to the river. Colvert's favorite site is on "a little squirrelly part of the river. It's a ways down (from the highway), about a quarter mile from where you park. Above the beach, there's a little cliff that we jump off into the river." You may find the riverbank deserted. "Usually there aren't too many people there," says Colvert. "That's the way it is here, and that's the way it should be."

Riverbank, with or without sand.

Probably just you.

Rocky river bottom (bring old shoes); cold water; needs better directions; unknown legal status.