The truth is I don't have many friends down in Albuquerque New Mexico. I had more friends up in Ephraim Utah. So I really can't think of anyone to go hiking with. I would love to go on a hike, especially a nude one. However it is risky. Though the mountains I am hiking aren't easy to get lost in, there are rattle snakes during the day. I have hiked with people up these mountains before and never had problems with snakes. You just have to be careful. I would love to hike up aways where it is safe and just strip naked. However I wonder if it is wise for me to hike alone. What do you guys think?
I have hiked alone and I think it is ok if you just take some common-sense precautions. A backpack with some survival stuff (a survival blanket, clothes, water, energy bars, bug repellant, cell phone, ect.) would be what I'd take. Also, be sure to leave word with someone about where and when you are going on the hike. I have gone on many weekend "sabicals" with just a gallon jug of water, bug repelant, a little dome tent and my bible. It's a great way to spiritually "refocus" a relationship with God.
After his baptism (done nude), Boyd was promoting the fact that Jesus left immediately for the wilds, completely naked. This is what the one priest was mimicking after he was baptised.
I used to go naked hiking across several neighbors' properties where no one ever showed up. Have had to curtail some of this because of adverse reactions here and there. Out in the wilds or on federal territory, I don't see that anyone could complain.
Just watch yourself. I'd carry a cell phone of maybe a little citizens' band radio in addition to water. With rattle snakes, I'd be inclined to wear high boots. Only snakes I've run into are black snakes and hog-nosed corn snakes. You can get those emergency cell phones, but make sure the provider has coverage where you'll be hiking.
I was wondering if anyone here even had any comments on that subject of Jesus and the wilderness! Very few responded to it!
Of course, I wouldn't exactly call what Jesus did "a nice hike and walk in the wild" since he was practically "driven" out there.
Just keep your eyes open, enjoy the walk and one more thing to consider:
Do not act "appologetic" or pushy and do not "hide" all the time. The more you try to cover up in an embarrassing way or do anything that looks suspicious, it will not look natural.
Be natural, be ok with it. Don't "push" it on others and don't act like you are "caught naked". Just be yourself as much as possible. The more natural you act, the more likely you will get by with it.
Maybe others can add to this or explain it better.
Thank you so much for your advice Boyd. I greatly appreciate it. However shouldn't I bring a towel to cover up with in case someone comes by? Not out of embarresment, but out of respect.
I will be honest I do get worried about other people coming by. I've heard horror stories (not so much in NM) about nude hikers getting arrested. Of course where I will be hiking, there won't be a lot of people, but still.
You may want to go to Jans NetNude site and join the Forum there. It has a lot of subjects outlined for different categories such as sports, including hiking.
You will have to sign in, (create a profile there) and then you look under Message Board and you will find "Sports and Recreation Wilderness. Sailing. Canuding. Biking. Skiing. Tennis. Hiking. Camping. Running." as one of the subjects.
You can get a lot more information on that with people who have a lot more experience!
This board tries to stick to subjects on naturism for Christianity and hopefully guide people on a spiritual as well as physical level.
We often get on to other subjects and help each other out, but we are primarily a Christian Naturist board.
Of course, we do expect you to stay with us here for the rest!
Christian naturism (here or on any forum) has nothing to say about nude hikes, but it has everything to do with showing the love of Christ as you engage in nude activities (and clothed).
We have talked about the common sense need not to get arrested in parts of the nation that are known to be intolerant. Your freedom to enjoy nude hiking varies from state to state. This is not the forum to discuss the whens and wheres. Just do your homework before you go.
So let's say you decide that you are in a place where you are not likely to be arrested, but you still don't want to cause offense to others.
Some nude hikers do take along a pair of shorts so that they can slip them on as soon as they see someone coming from a distance. I think that is a good thing to do since you don't know what they feel about nudity. Those who hike nude long enough eventually encounter someone unexpectedly in close proximity. You have to allow for that eventuality and think ahead of time how you intend to handle the situation.
When I go hiking, I customarily smile and give a friendly nod to hikers I pass on the trail. I see many other hikers do this too. Most people don't want to stop to chat, but do seem to appreciate the assurance that they are sharing a wilderness trail with someone who means them no harm and is possibly available to lend a helping hand if trouble strikes. I do this clothed, I see no reason to change my countenance to a stony-faced scowl if I happen to be nude.
Some people apologize for being nude when they unexpectedly encounter another hiker and the person seems shocked or upset. However, if the other hiker seems to take the nudity in stride, just smile and keep on going!
We are in a balancing act, trying to teach the goodness of the body as God gave it, without being too "in your face" with those who are not ready for this truth.
I am not personally comfortable with nude hiking on public trails, but there are some who believe that it can help our cause if done in a respectful Christlike manner.
Praying before your hikes will prepare your heart to show the love of Jesus no matter what you are wearing.
I have gone nude hiking on public trals in a limited fashion. It was just a mile or so in the late afternoon on a seldom used state-maintained trail. I encountered no other hikers. It was delightful to be free-walking in the elements, but I could not relax and enjoy it as I might.
Much more so, I enjoy off-trail hikes in remote parts of the national forests or wilderness areas. That's where there is almost zero chance of encountering others and you really can relax and feel like Adam in the Garden of Eden. It is essential to know the land well if you do that. Have a map and compass to consult if there is the slightest doubt of your whereabouts. It would be much safer to take along a naturist friend or two.
When I am in the backcountry I am wearing shorts and a tee shirt on public tralis, but when I need a bath, I find a discreet place along a river, creek or lake and enjoy nudity, knowing that it almost never causes offense to another hiker to encounter someone bathing in a secluded spot. There may be parts of the western states, Canada or Europe where nudity on public trals is no big deal. If public attitudes will allow it where you are, that's great! Enjoy nature as God intended. Where I live population densities are higher and attitudes are often more prudish. I have to keep that in mind.
I tend to camp well off trail and nudity is quite alright, particularly late in the day when most hikers have reached their destinations or early in the morning when you are making ready for the next day's hike. If someone happens by, you are not the offender. They stumbled into your campsite and you have in no sense imposed your nudity upon them.
That seems to be about the type of experience I have had. But I have been rather close to population, but very watchful.
One thing to keep in mind folks, find a time in the middle of the week, say a Tuesday or Thursday, do your hiking. When most of the population is no where around. Lunch times and after 5 is riskier too.
(time is guess work, but days are pretty much standard)
Weekends are a tough time to do this kind of thing.
You are correct, oh wise one of the nekkid existence. I've found that what holds true at our resort also holds true for most public areas. Parks, beaches, etc. Despite the fact that many, many of us work weekends and are off weekdays, society is geared towards a Monday thru Friday, 9-5 work week, so crowds are sparse during the week. But, yes, caution is still a wise choice. Even though people are not around much, they are still aorund. Much like Boyd, I had a confrontation with a sensitive person once who seemed offended by my partial nudity. About 10 years ago (wow, that long ago?) the 5th of July was on a Friday. I was a frequent visitor to a somewhat secluded beach that was not nude, so I wore a thong. This was pre-clothing optional beach discovery days. I figured since all the crowds had visited for July 4th, it would be quiet on the 5th. Wrong-o buddy. Lots of folks took off the 5th for a long weekend. I had parked myself in a slight cove hoping for some privacy around a few other people who looked to be rather accepting. After an hour a couple of families came to the beach to scuba dive off the coast. I was laying on my front with a bare butt exposed and a guy came over and started yelling at me about nudity and families and kids there and implying that I was gay because of the thong. It was tough to tell what exactly he was saying because he seemed drunk. I started to say something about being there first and he just screamed louder, so I put up my hand and told him to settle down and that I was leaving. Turns out, he wasn't with the scuba families at all. Just some drunk guy interfering with something that was none of his business. I don't think the families really cared one way or the other. I think I could have taken him, but discretion won out and I rode my bike home.
I reallized after that that emotions about nudity run very high and not neccesarily logical. They just blow up and don't think in rational terms. I guess if I could find some trails I felt I could hike nude, I would still take my cut off sweat pants for discretion and to avoid any uglt scenes.
That was a rare event, took a drunk idiot to get messed up about it and the unrelated family (note: FAMILY) probably didn't care about it one way or the other!
Being caught with nothing to cover with, hmmm I remember now, if you grab a hand full of leaves and stoop behind a rock or something like that, and maybe grunt a little they seem to walk right on by, it could work for anyone.
