First Time Nudist Stories
Funny nude beach experience
There is a wonderful nudist beach on the shore of Lake Michigan, right in the center of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
This is NOT an 'officially designated' nudist recreation area, but local Air Force personnell have traditionally been using the beach as nudists since 1953. You have to keep an eye out for the occasional clothed beach hiker or family who is "just passing thru" & this occasionally means covering-up or ducking into the woods to avoid offending anyone's sensibilities.
The area is so remote that there are FEW people willing to walk nearly two miles (from the north or the south) to reach the nudist area, and even fewer folks who are eager to complain about what they saw out in the middle of the wilderness.
From the town of Empire, Michigan, follow State Rd. 22 south, about 7 miles, to the intersection of SR 22 & Esch Road. Follow Esch Road West until it dead-ends at the public beach on Lake Michigan. This is a "rustic" area, no bathrooms, no paved parking, no 'improvements' of any kind.
PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE of others! Many cars get TOWED AWAY because they are dumb enough to park right in the MIDDLE of the road, blocking the way in & out!
Once you are LEGALLY PARKED at "Otter Creek Beach", you must hike two miles north on the Lake Michigan shoreline to reach the nudist area.
I once pitched a tent & 'camped' with my girlfriend for 3 days, about a mile south of Otter Creek & right on the shore of Lake Michigan. No one bothered us, but this is technically illegal. There is no legally-permitted camping anywhere in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The south end of the beach is not the best location for nudists... for several reasons. The Federal park ends about 1.5 miles south of Otter Creek & there are private homes on the shoreline just outside the park boundaries. You will encounter MANY more hikers, walkers & those "just passing thru" south of Otter Creek. The south end of the beach is also notorious as a meeting place for gays. These guys didn't bother us at all, but their presence & activities were obvious.
It is also possible to start off on foot from the public beach at Empire, Michigan & hike south along the shoreline to reach the nudist area. I have done this in the past, and I don't recommend it. There is a LONG, FULLY EXPOSED portion of the beach, just south of Empire, which attracts LOTS of walkers & hikers. Starting from the town of Empire, you will need to hike about 3.5 miles down the beach (south) before finding any seclusion.
I have been on this beach, and nude, when the Michigan State Police attempted to "raid" the beach & thus..."Rid the World of horrible nudists!" The police are full of the well-known-substance & have NO AUTHORITY in a Federal park. They are only there to pull their "Tough-Guy-Act", and they will run away quickly if you laugh at them!