Hiking naked in Utah

[Titans]

We met two guys yesterday while hiking. The first one was very interesting, we hiked with him for some miles, he had lots of experience, I posted a pictograph in an album. He also had a previous quicksand experience, waist deep in Paria River.

The second guy was at the TH, when we returned and I saw him pull his underwear up. No big deal, we all change clothing at the trail heads. He was also barefoot, in his underwear and a t-shirt inside out. He was hiking barefoot he said, just a casual, easy walk down the wash. We have seen some people hiking barefoot before. Good traction they say. My turf toe injured big toe loves shoes, rigid shoes. In particular in sandy washes. Then he asked several questions and at some point, I replied it was very warm all day and I was hot. Then he said, "you could just take off all your clothing and hike naked he said". I do that, he said. As a matter of fact I saw two girls earlier today at the Toadstools hiking naked, actually topless, he said. "Really!" I said!

Should I mentally prep myself for the encounter of people hiking naked on the Paria plateau or was this an unusual guy?
We are fairly certain he was getting ready for his naked hike into the wash. I have heard about it in Vermont, I just didn't expect it in Utah.
@Rockskipper - this is a stark contrast to your frosty book store experience in that area

 

[Nick]

Watch out for @slc_dan.

I tried it once in the mountains in Logan Canyon. This was many years ago and I had a crush on a girl at the time who said she liked to do it, so hey, I should try it so we can do it together! Not 2 minutes after stripping down and putting my pack back on, a moose nearly runs me down. I know clothes do not protect from a moose, but it made me feel way too vulnerable and I quickly put them back on.

I've never encountered a naked hiker myself though, aside from a very interesting experience in the winds, but she wasn't hiking, she was taking a bath in an ice cold lake and having fun showing off. Memories...

 

[regehr]

I've never seen a naked hiker and, given my white skin and the intense sun in Utah, feel no desire whatsoever to do this myself.

I have run across a surprising number of people making poor choices of location for a bathroom stop, including a hilariously not-classy lady with no pants on in full view of the highway into Capitol Reef, at that now-overrun informal campground near Meeks Mesa.

 

[Titans]

@regehr : fair skin, red hair, I was thinking about the cooked lobster look myself!
Now, close to home, I have been "caught" doing a bathroom stop. We have so many ticks, I didn't want to go far off trail in the high grass, well known to have lots of ticks. We hadn't see anyone for 50 mins, but sure enough, a runner comes along. I apologized profusely to the runner, as he apologized to me. He thought, I was studying something on the trail, ha.....

 

[LarryBoy]

If there's anywhere I'd expect to see people in a state of undress, it'd probably be Coyote Gulch. Hippy-dippy instagram-happy place, forgiving place, can walk barefoot, etc. But no, never seen anyone hiking in the altogether - in Utah, that is.

 

[Carcass]

Not in Utah, but it would not surprise me. Ive seen several hiking to the hot springs near Lake Mead, and naked in the pools themselves.

I'd say the more remote the hike is, the better odds you do see someone naked.

 

[scatman]

Well, not Utah but in Wyoming instead. Back in 2005, on a trip up the Bechler River, we ran into two guys who were walking back and forth buck naked along Ferris Fork, while we enjoyed a soak in Mr. Bubbles. They had walked over from campsite 9D1 in the buff to enjoy Bubbles and the thermal areas. Had a nice chat with them. As I recall, one was from Montana and the other was from California, and they were on an advisory board for the Park and would take a backcountry trip in the park each year after their meetings. I remember one was a civil engineer, but I can't recall what the other one did. Anyway, this was my first backpacking trip with a digital camera (my wife's actually) and I could only take like 30 images with it for the entire trip, so I had to pick and choose my subjects carefully. I still shot film at this point, and I probably have better pictures on film somewhere.

One of the gentlemen enjoying Mr. Bubbles

You can see the two gentlemen down Ferris Fork a ways

 

[gnwatts]

My wife and I day hiked naked in Coyote Gulch once. The only other people we saw were another naked couple with their newborn.
I also spent 3 days backpacking in lower Johns Canyon naked (except my shirt, frightening imagery I know). Saw no one.
Quite the liberating experience.

 

[Don]

Many, many times.
I was once the highest naked person in Utah; naked on Kings Peak. And on that same trip we made it all the way from Dollar Lake to the trailhead naked.
Obviously, 'mostly naked' is more truthful; shoes or sandals just make sense.
You're most likely to encounter a naked hiker around a hot springs. I've frequently seen naked bathers and naked hikers at and around 5th Water in Diamond Fork Canyon, and I have more than once hiked from the pools to the car naked. In addition to Kings Peak and 5th Water I've been naked in Zion, Arches, Cayonlands, Capitol Reef, all over the desert really (including once at Freeze Fest), more than a few places on the Wasatch mountains and in the Unitas. I've also skinny dipped all over including the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Persian Gulf.
A few times I've naked-hiked alone, but it always kinda freaks me out because if I ran into someone they'd definitely assume 'creeper', so naked hiking with a group, or at least a partner, always feels safer to me.

And, once while mountain biking up by Soldiers Summit, while stopped next to the trail for a water break, a topless girl came riding by on her mt bike.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

 

[Bob]

Personally hiking naked where there is a chance to meet others....which is most named places now is pretty self centered ...... I'd say most dont want to see a naked body hiking....

 

[gnwatts]

We were at Conundrum hot springs outside Aspen once (11,200'), an electrical storm came through, 30 naked people jumped out in the dark, could not find their clothes etc. I believe quite a few strangers hooked up after that, survival instincts. Nancy and i knew where our clothes were thankfully.

 

[gnwatts]

Personally hiking naked where there is a chance to meet others....which is most named places now is pretty self centered ...... I'd say most dont want to see a naked body hiking....

Unless everyone else is naked.

 

[Titans]

My wife and I day hiked naked in Coyote Gulch once. The only other people we saw were another naked couple with their newborn.
I also spent 3 days backpacking in lower Johns Canyon naked (except my shirt, frightening imagery I know). Saw no one.
Quite the liberating experience.

@gnwatts - I can still not access your TR, maybe @Nick restricts the TRs with naked hikers! But to @Don 's point, if I met a guy hiking in just a shirt (without pants) walking down the wash, then I might freak out a little, but that is my problem......
In The Netherlands I frequently went to the sauna (where everyone is naked). You bring two large towels, one to use inside the sauna and one for drying yourself after showering. It's also very common in Finland, when you visit saunas. In Scandinavia and in probably more of Europe, almost all girls are topless on the beach.
During hiking I have always been very covered up, for many reasons, but especially due to the strong sun and ticks (east coast). I was just wondering after meeting that guy yesterday but after reading everything above, I'm mentally prepared now!

 

[regehr]

I just want to say that I am NOT mentally prepared to run into any of y'all naked while hiking. But if I do, I may well take some pictures and post them here.

 

[wsp_scott]

I went for a skinny dip this summer in SEKI, but no one was around and I definitely was not hiking. I don't think I'm a prude, but I can't imagine walking down a trail with everything on display

 

[regehr]

Ya, skinny dipping doesn't count, that's just good common sense to not get the clothes all wet!

 

[Titans]

I just want to say that I am NOT mentally prepared to run into any of y'all naked while hiking. But if I do, I may well take some pictures and post them here.

 

[Yvonne]

In Hawai'i, it was quite normal, but here in UT I never saw a naked hiker.

I've seen a lot of naked hippies on the Big Island, they walk naked at many spots. There are also a lot of clothing optional beaches.
One of my good friends once stripped down naked next to the lava flow. It was hilarious. But he was the kind of guy to do that.
We skinny dipped a lot in some of the hot ponds at night when they were still there and not lava covered.

 

[Outdoor_Fool]

I was sitting in Mr Bubble a few years back with an old college buddy of mine, both of us naked. A couple of other elderly gents showed up and were a little tentative about joining us. After some conversation, either me or my buddy mentioned our wives and the other 2 relaxed. Pretty soon they were also in the buff and drinking tequila. They were already quite stoned (by their admission). Anyway, the crazier one of the 2 eventually went over to his pack, grabbed a pair of his girlfriend's thong underwear and put them on for a picture. I am still haunted by that mental image.

 

[George_Washington_Hayduke]

When you are in the middle of nowhere and all of your clothes are all wet, you gotta get nakey.