Nudity/Nude sunbathing. (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Edgewood: houses, campground, legality)

[DrinkMagaritas]

Santa Fe is liberal from what I gather, but how liberal??

Is nude sunbathing accepted? Any groups that are for nudity or being topless or is it somewhat shunned and looked down on? What about nude sunbathing outside of the city limits? Say on a hill somewhere off of a hiking trail?

[lalahartma]

10 Thousand Waves has clothing optional pools.
Ten Thousand Waves - Spa Treatments, Hot Tubs and Saunas - Hot Baths

Also: http://www.sunrisesprings.com/

See recent news:
Santa Fe Nude Ordinance Voted Down - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque (http://www.koat.com/news/24490947/detail.html - broken link)

[aries63]

The Roadrunner Naturists have a website and explain the legality of outdoor nudity in New Mexico here. When I first came here 20 years ago I would occasionally run into topless women while hiking, not so much recently. I've taken some out-of-town friends hiking who decided to go topless (and one also bottomless). I have also done a couple of nude hikes, one to the top of Mt. Taylor, while being ready to cover up at a moment's notice when strangers approach. Once I needlessly covered up -- I discovered the approaching hikers were also nude. Probably the worst danger is sunburn on sensitive areas. I've gotten burned as early as March. Up your SPF. Other than that, it's a tremendously good feeling, rain or shine.

Nudity used to be routine at some of the natural hot springs in the area but there have been some crack-downs in recent years. But still at some of the more off-the-beaten-path hot springs that are known mostly to locals, coverings are seldom used.

[lalahartma]

Wow!

[JBM]

I just like being naked outside haha. I've never gone hiking, though. I'll have to go sometime.

[aries63]

New Mexico is great for this, we have so many hiking trails where you won't see another person all day, especially on a weekday. Just bring plenty of sunscreen, water, wear shoes, have something ready to throw on, and take some friends with you.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by aries63

... hiking trails where you won't see another person all day, ...

Generally, the trails in the Sandias won't be like that.

Manzano West side trails and South End trails are likely to be
un-shared, but trails around 4th-of-July Campground would be
spotty. Doing Mount Taylor naked is likely to result in an encounter
with a clothed hiker.

In all my time hiking, I've never met anyone hiking naked ( that I
know of ). If I did, I'd just say "hello" like I always do and move on.

Originally Posted by aries63

...being ready to cover up at a moment's notice when strangers approach ...

I don't see how this would work.

You would be better off hiding and waiting for them to pass
or just saying 'screw-it' and let them see you. For more
rugged West-side trails, the chances of having adequate
notice are slim at times. You can easily be surprised as you
come around a sharp turn at a rock outcrop.

At that moment, they'll see your thingie(s). -- too late.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by DrinkMagaritas

Is nude sunbathing accepted?

What about nude sunbathing outside of the city limits? Say on a hill somewhere off of a hiking trail?

The Jemez Falls area have long been a place to practice nudity. There are trails, rock cliff's and some hot springs. I believe it is still illegal, I don't know what they are doing about it. Go for it...


Rich

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by DrinkMagaritas

Say on a hill somewhere off of a hiking trail?

I forgot to address this one:

The trailheads and connections with crest trails and other trails are
generally spaced a mile or a few miles apart. Anyone wanting solitude
to meditate/sunbathe nude/clothed can find it -- even within sight of
Albuquerque. Just go up a trail, any trail for about thirty minutes and
then head off laterally to the right or left for 100 yards or so.

There are places where you can sit ( naked, smoking pot, whatever )
and see people hiking who won't be able to see you. The rocks up there
look like stones but can easily be the size of houses. Unless someone
knows exactly where to look and has a telescope, you won't be spotted.

Privacy just-off-trail is easy. Privacy hiking -- not so much, but possible.

You could croak within earshot of a trail and possibly lie there for a year
or more before any people discover your ( nasty old ) half-eaten remains.

[aries63]

Originally Posted by mortimer

Generally, the trails in the Sandias won't be like that.

Right, this is the Santa Fe forum, so I'm not talking about the Sandias and in fact have never gone "au naturel" there (although there have been times where mine was the only car parked at a trailhead in the Sandias on a weekday).

Originally Posted by mortimer

I don't see how this would work. [covering up]

You would be better off hiding and waiting for them to pass
or just saying 'screw-it' and let them see you. For more
rugged West-side trails, the chances of having adequate
notice are slim at times. You can easily be surprised as you
come around a sharp turn at a rock outcrop.

At that moment, they'll see your thingie(s). -- too late.

Well, again, I would never try this on the west side of the Sandias, too many people and too open... South Crest trail, maybe. Although the women that were with me did go topless on Pino Trail (which is west side) and just placed their t-shirts over their front and laughed a lot when passing someone. The group hike I did was on South Mountain in the San Pedros, just north of Edgewood in Santa Fe County. Nobody else was there.

I usually can hear people walking (or talking) a good distance away on wooded trails before we see each other. In cases where you know there is a chance you might surprise someone around an outcropping you can cover up preemptively. Just have a towel handy to wrap around, or shorts to jump into. I have never surprised anyone. But it's been a good 10 years since I've done this, I'm sorry to say. I miss it.