There is an area of Upper Creek, nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, that has for years attracted skinnydippers. The nude area is upstream from Upper Creek Falls, a beautiful cascading waterfall with a 70-foot drop that is a popular attraction in this region of Pisgah National Forest. Most visitors who park in the Upper Creek Falls lot come to see the main falls and have no inkling that there are nudists off the beaten path upstream. The nude area consists of a series of swimming holes in the creek and large boulders good for sunbathing. The more distant pools (farther upstream) tend to draw a mostly gay crowd.

Reports about encounters with forest rangers run the gamut. On the sunny side, some say that rangers are aware of the nudists, don't care and rarely even patrol the area. On the cloudy side, some have reported cases of rangers spying with high-powered binoculars from the hillside and issuing citations to nudists, but those reports are old. We hope that it was just one or two rogue rangers who are no longer around. If you are caught naked by a ranger, the worst consequence is likely to be a fine of under $100. If you are lucky, the ranger may be friendly toward nudists. Of course, don't take a chance. Suit up if you see a ranger or even if you see casual hikers who may not be like minded.

GPS: 35.9594, -81.8673

city, county, state, country  Jonas Ridge, Burke, North Carolina, U.S.A.

classification  3 (discretion recommended)

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