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Nude Beaches

Lake Tahoe

Hidden Beach (Tahoe)


Rating: B

In a repeat of last summer, lower water levels are creating more sand than usual on Lake Tahoe's nude beaches, which, just two years ago, were strewn with exposed rocks.

"In June, the lake was down two feet from the natural rim and is probably even lower now," says North Swanson, leader of the Tahoe Area Naturists (TAN). "We've got a lot of beach sand. It's such a great year that I'm trying to go there at least once a week all summer."Read more »

Chimney cove


Rating: C

Chimney is the first in a group of clothing-optional beaches south of Sand Harbor. "It's sometimes used by teens and twenty-somethings who go skinny-dipping during the week, when few other people are around, but the rest of the time it's mostly clothed," says a visitor.

In June, "it was trashed by some drunken youths," says TAN's North Swanson. "Over the last 20 years, there have been a number of efforts to clean up the beach, but within a few weeks, kids start leaving their garbage there again."Read more »

Secret Cove


Rating: A

Known variously as Secret Cove Beach, Paradise Cove, Paradise Rock, and Frankie Loves Dougie Beach, this spot is so great that it's visited by up to 70 people on warm summer weekends -- a large crowd for one of Lake Tahoe's small coves. Steve Williams reports 95 percent of the visitors were naked during one of his visits; Dave Smith, of San Leandro, rated it "90 percent nude."Read more »

Boaters Beach


Rating: B

If you don't like the crowd at Boater's Beach, wait 15 minutes and it will probably change. One moment, it's serves as Lake Tahoe's version of a parking lot for boats (common practice is to haul them up on the sand here), but just wait for the boats to depart and then nudists may start streaming onto the sand.Read more »

Secret Harbor Creek Beach


Rating: A

I've got a secret. If you like to socialize with other people, you'll probably adore Secret Harbor Creek Beach, with it's gorgeous swath of sand, three pristine trails (local nudists filled 20 trash bags with litter from the paths, beach, and highway during a June cleanup), and very friendly people.Read more »

North Whale Beach


Rating: C

A whale in Lake Tahoe? Nobody knows how one got there from the ocean, but the denizen of the deep has apparently had a whale of a time leaving. Just kidding. Actually, Whale Beach is named for a group of big rocks just offshore that look like the head of a whale. The long line of sand links a number of coves rather than a single site, with North Whale Beach and South Whale Beach being the main sections. Not many people visit North Whale because of the long hike that's required on the main trail from Tahoe's other clothing-optional beaches. Read more »

South Whale Beach


Rating: C

Want to be nude and away from the passing parade of people who visit other beaches? It's hard to find a more hidden locale than this little-known nude enclave. Continue on the trail from North Whale Beach until you come to a surprise: the end of the path. The quick and easy walk dead-ends at the top of South Whale Beach, which can be reached by stepping down some small rocks from there onto the sand.

Legal status:

Part of Toiyabe National Forest.Read more »