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New England
MAINE
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NUDE BEACHES
Maine has had a few notable skinny dipping sites over the years, but sadly they have diminished to oblivion due to a host of problems. In the White Mountains of southwestern Maine, Frenchman's Hole [2] 44.5086N, 70.9174W near Bethel is a scenic swimming hole along a creek. Nudity occurs sporadically a bit downstream and out of view of the main swimming area. Frenchman's Hole seems to be the only location left in Maine that has even a semi-regular nudist presence.
LODGING & SOAKING
Twin Ponds Lodge
44.4747N, 69.4605W 
Albion (north of Augusta)
Richmond Sauna
44.1008N, 69.8889W 
Richmond (southwest of Augusta)
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MASSACHUSETTS
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NUDE BEACHES
Massachusetts has two established coastal nude beaches, both on Cape Cod. Herring Cove Beach [2] 42.0276N, 70.2035W in the gay mecca of Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Cod, is populated almost entirely by gay men. 12 miles away, Longnook Beach [2] 42.0130N, 70.0306W in the town of Truro is attended mostly by couples and families, but steep parking fees and parking limitations are drawbacks.
The only established inland site in Massachusetts is the Westfield River at Cummington [1] 42.4357N, 72.8604W , a popular and secluded riverbank beach located about 35 miles northwest of Springfield in Western Massachusetts. The Cummington site seems to have peaked in the '90s when parking was easier, but it still has a following despite having falling a bit off the radar since the turn of the millennium.
The well-heeled islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard have a few nude beach options. One of those sans-swimsuit havens is Miacomet Beach [2] 41.2416N, 70.1104W on the south coast of Nantucket. The other is Moshup Beach [2] 41.3493N, 70.8362W , a gorgeous beach beneath the stunning Gay Head cliffs at the far western tip of Martha's Vineyard. A final option for nude bathing is Lucy Vincent Beach [1] 41.3401N, 70.7218W , which is less than 10 miles away from Moshup Beach, but you can't just visit on a whim. It's a private beach, and you'll need to lay out considerable cash to rent a house in Chilmark before you are eligible to buy a permit to visit. Lucy Vincent is almost certainly the most exclusive nude beach in North America.
LODGING
Sandy Terraces
41.6638N, 70.4463W 
Marston Mills (far southeastern MA)
The Gaslamp Bed & Breakfast
42.0507N, 70.1886W 
Provincetown |
RHODE ISLAND
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NUDE BEACHES
Rhode Island has no well-established nude beaches. Very discreet nudity is possible at a secluded cove of Beavertail State Park [4] 41.4600N, 71.4005W on Conanicut Island (west of Newport).
LODGING
Dyer Woods
41.7677N, 71.7474W 
Foster (west of Providence, near CT border) |
VERMONT
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NUDE BEACHES
Vermont is perhaps the most tolerant and enlightened state in the country with regard to nudity on public land. While Vermont has no specifically sanctioned nude areas, the state government decreed in the early '70s that it has no interest in nudity on private property out of public view or on secluded public land. Therefore, the state is teeming with swimming holes that are traditionally used nude. Our sampling represents the best established and most popular sites, along with a few other interesting spots thrown in for good measure. There are many more skinnydipping opportunities in Vermont besides the ones named in this guide.
The two most notable skinnydipping sites in Vermont are in the far southern part of the state in the Brattleboro vicinity. The Ledges [1] 42.8368N, 72.8768W on the Harriman Reservoir near Wilmington is the best known and overall most popular nude spot in the entire state. It is the most likely of Vermont's nudist sites to have substantial crowds and—relatively speaking—a gender balance. The Rock River [1] 42.9474N, 72.6510W near Newfane does not have the notoriety of The Ledges, but it draws a much higher percentage of gay men as part of the overall crowd. On hot summer days, the Rock River is Vermont's most popular gay nudist venue, but some straight nudists visit as well.
Moving north to the Rutland area, skinnydipping is popular at narrow Clarendon Gorge [1] 43.5226N, 72.9450W about 10 miles south of Rutland. Farther north, the Mad River Punch Bowl [1] 44.1486N, 72.8420W between Waitsville and Warren is a charming swimming hole accessed through private property. The owners welcome nudists and promote a suitable-for-all-ages atmosphere.
Between Montpelier and Burlington, the Huntington Gorge [2] 44.3731N, 72.9580W is one of the most famous (and dangerous) swimming areas in the state, and the lower gorge is very popular with nudists. In Burlington, Starr Farm Beach [2] 44.5163N, 73.2689W along Lake Champlain is a fairly new nude beach, "colonized" by a naturist group circe 2003.
Northwest of Montpelier in Woodbury, Woodbury Quarry [2] 44.4411N, 72.3852W is a secluded, off-the-beaten-path respite for nudists. Even farther north, just 20 or so miles south of the Québec border, Southwest Cove on Lake Willoughby [1] 44.7163N, 72.0333W is a very well-established nude beach that draws small crowds. The nude beach affords terrific views of the mountains rising up on either side of the lake.
LODGING
Vermont Freedom Campground
44.5530N, 72.2486W 
Greensboro Bend (northeast of Montpelier)
Frog Meadow Bed & Breakfast
42.9749N, 72.6938W 
Newfane (near Brattleboro)
The Gargoyle House
44.1398N, 72.0812W 
Wells River (near Montpelier)
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