Winberry Creek Nude Camping and Hike by Shirley

"This hike was better than any drug, illegal or prescribed, than I have ever experienced. No way to put into words how much I enjoyed it."    Shirley

I love Oregon. Nude camping, swimming, hot spring soaking, river beaches and hiking trails all open to nude recreation.

July 11th a Wednesday, I drove about 25 miles from my home in Springfield, Oregon to a beautiful campsite located in the Willamette National Forest. The Wineberry Creek area is one of my favorite places to recreate nude. Undeveloped campsites on the forest are FREE! My favorite campsite was not available due to fallen trees across the road. That campsite would have had me camping at the Joe Peak Trail #3482.

The campsite closest to trail #3482 and absolutely beautiful was two miles from the trailhead. This campsite would add an additional 4 miles round trip to my hike. Joes Peak hike is a strenuous 2.5 uphill hike and 5 mile round trip that I knew would be challenging for me. Total of 9 miles…I am up for it!

Arriving at my campsite around 2 pm I immediately placed a large tree branch across the entrance to let others know the site was taken. Immediately got nude and started picking up litter. I have a history of camping at this site and it was the cleanest I have every encountered. One large army style tarp on the ground and one bag of litter in the large fire pit. Not bad compared to past visits. This is an undeveloped site that is almost always in use.

Winberry Creek beside the campsite

A perfect spot for camping

The large fire pit was more than I needed so a small pit was created inside the large one. There is nothing I find more relaxing than sitting nude in front of a fire and enjoying the old growth forest noise. The river was a short distance away and I really can’t call river sounds noise. River sounds are perfect to lull me to sleep.

Usually I start a trail hike very early. Because it was a Wednesday and the upper road was closed due to the fallen trees I started the hike around 7:30 am. What a sense of freedom to go from campsite to trailhead nude. Tennis shoes and a good expensive pair of socks and I was off. Wait…massive amounts of sunscreen and a hat! No bug screen was needed as long as I kept moving the bugs seem to avoid me.

This hike was much more strenuous that I had imagined. It was an uphill switch back trail and I did not realize how steep until I was on the way down. My toes were yelping at me on the way down. You hikers know how on a steep hike the downhill is much more challenging on the toes and knees.

I took plenty of breaks taking pictures of the rock formations, flowers and eating the berries. I call them red huckleberries and others called salmon berries. I do not know flower names at all but there were so many that it felt like a treat just being able to reach out and smell them.

Red Huckleberries

Common and widespread in the Pacific Northwest is Lilium columbianum,
Columbia lily or sometimes called simply tiger lilies

The ubiquitous Foxglove

My regret was not taking more water. I took 1 quart of water. Not enough on a hot day even though the entire hike was in the shade. I was surprised by the uphill grade of the hike and the heat.

The cold Wineberry Creek (river) was a welcome to my sore toes. I placed a lawn chair in the river, got my book and soaked my feet. What a day. Not sure my feet would agree but my memory tapes are richer for this hike.

Oregon old growth forest is the best. Until you experience it you can't imagine it. The entire hike I kept thinking “use it or lose it.” Nudists get so comfortable within their comfort zones for going nude. I spent from 2 pm Wednesday until Friday clothes free and never saw one person. Now let’s suppose I would have come upon someone on the trail I would have simply said “hello, hope your hike is memorable for all the right reasons.” Of course I dream of meeting other nude hikers.

If you have been giving thought to hiking nude….just do it! Use common sense and search this blog for suggestions on how to do it appropriately.