By Corin Antonio and Eve Weston
Are you someone that walks around their home naked? Ever wondered: Can I legally walk around outside naked? If you haven’t, that’s OK, not everyone ponders that question.
But here in Oregon, there’s surprisingly a lot of places where you can do just that. From mountain passes to even some beaches, there are spots where you can get your nude on.
Before getting into where you can go, you have to look at what being nude actually means.
Oregon Revised Statute 167.060 defines being nude as the following body parts being uncovered or “less than opaquely” covered: post-pubertal human genitals, pubic areas, post-pubertal human female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola, covered human genitals in a discernibly turgid state (or as the rest of us call it, an erection).
Oregon law does not prohibit nudity if the exposed genitals and body parts are not being used in a sexual manner. However, municipalities can and have implemented stricter laws banning the exposure of genitalia.
While state law does mention breasts as included in nudity, Oregon has strict freedom of expression laws that have historically protected the right of its citizens to be topless in public. In Eugene and Springfield, public indecency laws prohibiting the exposure of genitalia exclude breasts from the prohibition.
That means if you really wanted to, you could walk around downtown Eugene topless — as long as you’re not doing it in a sexual or lewd manner — although this is certainly not common, and you might get some looks or complaints. This also means almost every beach in Lane County is a topless beach, but very few are accepting of nudity. In fact, there is no officially designated “nude beach” in Lane County.
Lane Code § 6.200.100 prohibits the exposure of genitalia in public places. This ordinance may be enforced county wide — although enforcement may be less common in remote areas. In places where there are no local laws prohibiting nudity, it is permissible to be in the nude as long as it does not constitute a “public disturbance.” That means if you’re on public land in a jurisdiction that does not explicitly prohibit the exposure of genitalia you can legally hike, camp or bathe in the nude. It’s always best in practice to be mindful of your surroundings and respectful of others who may not wish to see a nude person while hiking with their family — so take precautions. Don’t be fully nude on a busy hiking trail. That might cause a disturbance, even if it’s technically legal.
“Oregon is the perfect place for me. We have some of the nicest and most welcoming places to recreate nude,” says Shirley Gauthier, who has been a nudist for 53 years. “I have the pleasure of being here at this beautiful [nude friendly] place,” she says, “being in the mountains and the hot springs at dispersed spots through the Willamette National Forest.”
So, why be nude? “Why wear clothes?” Gauthier answers. She has been a member of the Willamettans nudist club outside of Springfield since 1972. “When I first joined, I was 5’ 7” and I weighed 128 pounds and I had no breasts and I was super skinny and super self-conscious, and this was one of the few places where I came and I was totally comfortable.”
While there are no officially sanctioned public “clothing optional” areas in Lane County, there are places that have been designated as “clothing optional” by the community.
Glass Bar Island is accessible only by the Willamette River. The Oregon State Parks and Recreation says while the location is not sanctioned by the state as clothing optional, it is known for its clothing optional space by the community. The area is maintained for environmental purposes rather than public use. Travel and enjoy at your own risk.
Terwilliger (Cougar) Hot Springs, located on the McKenzie River District in the Willamette National Forest offers a 1/4 mile hike along the Rider Creek Trail to four soaking pools with varying temperatures. The Forest Service says temperatures range from 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the lower pool to 112 degrees Fahrenheit in the upper pool. The pools are 3 to 12 feet across and an average of 2 to 3 feet deep. The pool floors are mostly bedrock, but some gravel, sand and debris remain at the bottom of the pool.
McCredie Hot Springs, located in the Willamette National Forest eight miles east of Oakridge on Hwy 58 near mile post 46, offers man-made pools bordering Salt Creek.
Nudie Rock on the McKenzie is located on McKenzie View Drive near Armitage Park about one mile east from Coburg Road.