SCOTT CREEK BEACH

The surf's up and the clothes are off at this Davenport area beach, which is one of the best places in Northern California to unwind and recharge. Picture a great surfing beach that also gets some nude sunbathers (like some other Santa Cruz fun spots, such as Privates Beach and Panther Beach, plus Big Sur's Fullers Beach) and that's what you'll find at scenic Scott Creek. Even more amazing: though surfers, nude and suited sunbathers, and suited swimmers all visit Scott Creek, it's seldom crowded. There's a beautiful little lagoon and a large stream in the middle of the property during most of the year. Surfers prefer the north side of the shore, especially from October to May. For the best chance to have the site all to yourself, visit on a weekday morning or late afternoon. Use caution when swimming to avoid sudden undertows. And for even more fun, check out the refuge for elephant seals, located just north of the beach at Ano Nuevo State Reserve.

Legal status: County land.

How to find it: Scott Creek is three miles north of Davenport, off Highway 1, and 15.5 miles north of the junction of Highways 1 and 17, in Santa Cruz. It's also 35.8 miles south of the intersection of Highways 1 and 92 in Half Moon Bay. Check for Swanton Road, shown on some maps. There are two turnouts for parking. You can walk to the beach from either north or south of the bridge.

The beach: Frequently deserted, half-mile-long Scott Creek Beach is at the bottom of a small bluff. At the north end, a submerged reef creates one of the finest surfing spots in northern California.

The crowd: The beach is usually quiet, but the two turn-outs, which hold 60 to 100 cars between them, fill up quickly on peak summer days.

Problems: Wind; undertow; cold water; a pipeline offshore detracts from the view.

Rating: B.

ROPE BEACH

New listing!

Yet another nude beach has sprung to life! Located between Davenport Cove and the town of Davenport, Rope Beach -- named for the rope on the beach trail that hikers use to balance themselves -- is not as pretty as Shark's Tooth Beach and twice as hard to find, says visitor Russ Lucas. "We saw someone look for it for an hour." Lucas says he happened across the site, whose north end borders Davenport, because he kept seeing people in the area. The land on the cliffs above the beach, used in the past to grow artichokes, reportedly was recently bought by the Nature Conservancy from the Packard Foundation.

Legal status: Rumored to be destined to become a state beach.

How to find it: Follow the directions to Davenport Cove (see entry below) off Highway 1 north of Santa Cruz. The turnoff is 39.1 miles south of the junction of Highways 1 and 92 in Half Moon Bay and 12.2 miles north of the junction of Highways 1 and 17 in Santa Cruz. Park at the main public beach, find the railroad tracks, and take the trail that begins there. But instead of following it about a half mile south, which will take you Davenport Cove, at the tracks "you go to the right," says Lucas. On part of the trail, "there's a stretch where you need to hang onto a rope there for support."

The beach: "It's a straight stretch of beach," says Lucas.

The crowd: "We usually see maybe 8-10 people there," reports a recent visitor. "Quite often, there are nude people on the beach."

Problems: Slippery trail; needs better directions.

Rating: C.

DAVENPORT COVE

Davenport Cove, also known as Shark's Tooth Beach, is a clothing-optional shoreline off Highway 1, just south of Davenport town's public beach that continues to draw fans to its picturesque little beach and cove. Some visitors swim here, but the water is usually too cold and, adds a regular, "if it's a rough sea day, with all the rocks offshore, it isn't advisable." However, the wind-sheltered beach is great for sunbathing. In fact, if the breeze picks up, "it can help keep it from being too hot," says another visitor. As for those rocks offshore, the beach faces a jutting formation in the sea that looks like – you guessed it – a shark's tooth. A steep trail takes you to a cave you can explore (some water pours into it) and some interesting rock formations. But use caution when exploring the cove – in high tide, it often washes out. Also, "avoid the area at night," suggests Lucas, who has heard stories of rowdy partiers harassing people who remained after dark. A three-year-old sign near the end of the trail cites beach hours (it's closed after dark) and urges visitors not to leave valuables in their vehicles. Gawkers in the bushes on the cliffs can be an annoyance, but Lucas says he's figured out a way to get them to leave: "I just point to them, and they get the message. It works every time."

Legal status: Believed to be privately owned, with public access allowed under state law.

How to find it: Look for Davenport Cove off Highway 1 north of Santa Cruz. The turnoff is 39.1 miles south of the junction of Highways 1 and 92 in Half Moon Bay and 12.2 miles north of the junction of Highways 1 and 17 in Santa Cruz. Park at the main public beach, find the railroad tracks, and take the trail that begins there and runs about a half mile south to the cove. Or check for a turnoff half a mile south of Davenport, pull off the highway, and park in the rutted lot, which holds about 10 cars. Go around a long metal gate to a path leading to the sand. It's a poor and steep trail, winding up and over the railroad tracks, but it will take you directly to the cove.

The beach: Backed by towering white cliffs. The cove is small but sandy.

The crowd: Only a few people visit Davenport Cove, and not everyone goes nude. Russ and his wife counted six other visitors.

Problems: Fog; wind; cold water; steep trail; poor parking; sometimes poison oak on trail; gawkers; rough surf; cove may be covered by high tide.

Rating: C.

BONNY DOON BEACH

Recommended!

Catch it while you can: the state is taking over Bonny Doon Beach, so there are fears that nude activity there may eventually be banned or curtailed. According to State Parks spokesman Roy Stearns, the beach and others near it that are were acquired will be listed on the state parks web site, signs will be posted, and rangers will start patrolling. But rangers need to be hired and the change in stewardship may take a year to be fully implemented.

The land was part of the Coast Dairies Ranch. In 1998, the Trust For Public Land Of California bought it for $45 million, almost half of which was given by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Since then, the group has been trying to give it to the state, but the state turned it down, saying it did not have enough money to hire rangers. All that changed on July 14, 2005, when a state board voted to accept the land west of Highway 1, including the beachfront property, and use $16.7 million in funds budgeted by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to help cover costs.

Bonny Doon's "clothing-optional status may be in jeopardy," says Bay Area Naturists leader Rich Pasco, who needs volunteers, including regular users of the beach, to help serve on a Friends Of Bonny Doon Beach lobbying group that will try to convince officials to continue the nearly 40 year long tradition of nudity there.

Everyone seems to love the beach, which is 11 miles north of Santa Cruz. "The scenery is spectacular and it has a nice, friendly crowd if you want to socialize," says Pasco, of San Jose. It's still just as beautiful as ever," reports Bay Area Naturists leader Rich Pasco of San Jose, who's been visiting it since 1973. "It was scary at first," a 35-year-old male reader told us a couple years ago, having decided to try Bonny Doon after seeing our guide. "It was a nice, small, very clean beach. So I went back the next weekend, took my swim suit off and, after a while, had a very enjoyable experience."

Most Dooners disrobe in the skinny-dipping cove that adjoins a public, clothed beach. The site attracts more women and couples than many nude beaches. "Minuses" include occasional auto burglaries (lock your car) and gawkers on the bluffs or in the bushes.

Legal status: Formerly privately owned, with public access available under state law, Bonny Doon Beach was sold in 2001. It may become Bonny Doon State Beach (see above). Settled in the 1850s as a logging camp and named in 1880 by a group of spiritualists, Bonny Doon has no town center or shops, although there are some wineries and even an airport.

How to find it: From San Francisco, go south on Highway 1 to the Bonny Doon parking lot at milepost 27.6 on the west side of the road, 2.4 miles north of Red, White, and Blue Beach, and some 11 miles north of Santa Cruz. From Santa Cruz, head north on Highway 1 until you see Bonny Doon Road, which veers off sharply to the right just south of Davenport. The beach is just off the intersection. Park in the paved lot to the west of Highway 1; don't park on Bonny Doon Road or the shoulder of Highway 1. If the lot is full, drive north on Highway 1, park at the next beach lot, and walk back to the first lot. Or take Santa Cruz Metro Transit District bus route 40 to the lot; it leaves the Metro Center three times a day on Saturdays and takes about 20 minutes. To get to the beach, climb the berm next to the railroad tracks adjacent to the Bonny Doon lot, cross the tracks, descend, and take a recently improved, sign-marked trail to the sand. Walk north past most of the beach to the nude cove on the north end.

The beach: Bonny Doon is a sunny patch of sand and surf. You can bring dogs, and if you come before July, you may see whales. "The area just away from the cliff offers good shelter from the wind," says Pasco. But don't sit right next to it, as erosion (and falling rocks) is a problem.

The crowd: San Francisco's Bob Wood found several dozen people, almost all nude, young and old, couples and singles, gays and straights, and men and women, though more men than women.

Problems: Clothing-optional status may change (see above). Other problems include: wind; gawkers; hazardous waves; loose cliffs; parking lot fills early; auto burglaries; sometimes becomes rocky shelf with no sand in late winter.

Rating: A. On a scale of 1-10, Pasco rates it a 9.0 "because it's a wonderful beach, but we still have some litter."

PANTHER BEACH

Whether you want to swim, explore the shore, or simply do nothing at all at picturesque Panther Beach, around 10 miles north of Santa Cruz, is up to you. Swimming is touch and go – if your toes tell you it's too cold or the riptides are frothing, then you might want to stick to clothing-free tanning. You can even watch whales as they migrate past the shoreline, which has tall rock towers, natural bridges, a wall of rocks, and some caves, on the south end. Bring good walking shoes for the trail to this small but gorgeous beach.

Legal status: Was privately owned, with public access. But the California State Parks Department voted on July 14, 2006, to accept five miles of rugged coastline, including Panther Beach, into its system. According to State Parks spokesman Roy Stearns, the beaches will be listed on the state parks web site, signs will be posted, and rangers will start patrolling over the next year.

How to find it: Panther Beach is located between mileposts 95 and 96 on Highway 1, some 10.6 miles north of the junction of Highway 1 and 17 in Santa Cruz and 40.7 miles south of the intersection of Highways 1 and 92 in Half Moon Bay. Park on the small dirt road on the west side of the highway. The rutted parking area lies on a ridge between the highway and the railroad tracks. From the north end of the lot, cross the tracks and follow the steep, sloping, somewhat crumbly path to the sand.

The beach: High rock towers, natural bridges, and a wall of rocks complete with caves on the southern edge make Panther picture perfect. The beach is about 100 yards long and 70 yards wide and has some of the area's best sand.

The crowd: Usually a half dozen people, half of whom are nude. Nude and suited sunbathers, surfers, and others usually get along well here.

Problems: Rutted parking lot; eroded trail; hazardous access to the south beach; auto vandalism.

Rating: B.

HOLE IN THE WALL BEACH

Even though it can only be accessed during low tide, Hole In The Wall Beach attracts up to 50 people on the hot days. The 200 yard-long site is usually quiet, clean, and a nice retreat from the usual beach scene. It's linked to the south end of Panther Beach by a wall of rocks with, you guessed it, a hole in it. Don't even consider visiting in high tide. The reason: even if the water in the passageway between Hole In The Wall and Panther looks calm, you may be washed away. In November 2002, a wave swept two men through the tunnel-like hole and into the sea; one never returned. A month earlier two others drowned. And two more people died in 1998.

Legal status: Privately owned, with public access under state law.

How to find it: From Panther, walk south and through the hole.

The beach: About 25 to 50 yards wide and backed by tall cliffs ending in a rocky shelf. Farther south, low rock shelves continue for several hundred yards.

The crowd: Like Panther, Hole in the Wall attracts only a handful of users. On the hottest days, though, expect up to three or four dozen people.

Problems: Rutted parking lot; eroded trail; auto vandalism; litter.

Rating: B.

LAGUNA CREEK BEACH

Laguna Creek is a rare find. It features an above average strand of sand that's ideal for tanning, reading, or other quiet activities, little coves that are surprisingly good for beachcombing, and if you're a birder, there's even a lovely lagoon to explore for resident and migratory waterfowl. The best landmark: look for adjacent Laguna Road, on Highway 1, some 9.8 miles north of Santa Cruz.

Legal status: Privately owned but publicly used.

How to find it: About 9.8 miles north of the junction of Highways 1 and 17 in Santa Cruz and 41.5 miles south of the Highway 1 and 92 junction in Half Moon Bay, look for either Laguna's dirt parking lot on the inland side of Highway 1 or the unmarked side road (Laguna Road) next to the lot. Park there and head for a road on the west side of the highway that faces the lot, where Laguna Road and Highway 1 join up. Just north of that road, follow a narrow path through the bushes. It will become a jeep path. Take it to the north end of the beach, where you may see some skinny-dippers. Or walk along the water's edge to the south end, which gets both suited and nude use.

The beach: The half-mile beach widens to the south, but the north end is warmest, according to Bill, a regular visitor who likes Laguna's small, protected coves. Birds usually seen in the lagoon include grebes, gulls, and song sparrows.

The crowd: Even on warm days, fewer than 50 people, and sometimes just one or two. "It had nudists and non-nudists on both ends of the beach," says Bill. The beach has become something of a gay hangout, especially in the middle.

Problems: Erosion; gawkers; wind; poison oak on trail; wind on south end.

Rating: A.

FOUR MILE BEACH

Improved directions!

Although it's used by many more surfers and suited families than naturists, a few nude sunbathers sometimes appear on weekdays and when crowds are almost gone on the south end of the beach of Wilder Ranch State Park, which is known locally as Four Mile Beach. Visitor Mike Oropeza, who, until recently, was more likely to be found at recently closed Red, White and Blue Beach, says he's also tried "the Table Rock area near this blowhole [at Four Mile], where the waves crash" and the north side of the beach, when the surfers who frequent it are gone. Usually, though, only 5 to 10 persons, and often even fewer, use the clothing-optional area.

Legal status: Part of Wilder Ranch State Park.

How to find it: Four Mile Beach is off Highway 1, four miles north of the junction with Mission Street in Santa Cruz. San Franciscans may prefer to think of it as 44-Mile Beach because its distance from the junction of Highways 1 and 92 in Half Moon Bay is exactly 44 miles. Park where you see a group of cars pulled over on the unpaved turnout next to where Highway 1 crosses Baldwin Creek. Take the dirt road that begins there. Stay on the road as you cross the railroad tracks and wind left of the marsh. In less than 10 minutes you'll be at the beach. Or from Santa Cruz, go north on Highway 1 about two miles past Western Drive and turn left into the entrance for Wilder, whose address is 1401 Old Coast Road, Santa Cruz. The park is open 8 a.m.-sunset; day use parking costs $6.

The beach: A mile of glistening white sand and excellent breakers that attract surfers from throughout northern California. Clothed sunbathers come here too.

The crowd: Even on the hottest afternoons, only 10 to 20 visitors use the nude portion of the beach.

Problems: Threat of law enforcement; large mounds of seaweed on the shore; entrance fee.

Rating: B.

SAN LORENZO RIVER

It may not be the Garden Of Eden mentioned in the Bible, but Henry Cowell State Park, between Santa Cruz and Felton, has one that's a skinny-dipping hole. It's often sunnier here than at the coast, so perhaps that's how it got its name. But the path to the Garden is no picnic, so be careful as you walk. It's one of three such swimming holes on the San Lorenzo River. To find these easy-to-miss swim spots, look for cars pulled over on Highway 9, next to the state park, which bans nudity but seldom sends ranger patrols to the creek. "It's a beautiful area for hikes," says Russ Smith, of San Jose, remembering a spring visit. "We saw very little litter along any of the trails. There were quite a few small groups of people, including one nude couple, about 50 yards upstream from the main beach at the foot of the trail. But I was told by a woman that there are many more 'nudals,' as she called them, in the summer." Some poison oak and occasional rowdy users seem to be the only problems, along with somewhat slippery paths.

Legal status: Part of Henry Cowell State Park. Nudity is not permitted in the park, but rangers seldom patrol this particular area.

How to find it: From Santa Cruz, drive north on Highway 9 and look for turnouts on the right side of the road. The first, a wide turnout with a tree in the middle, is just north of Santa Cruz. Rincon Fire Trail starts about where the tree is, according to reader Robert Carlsen, of Sacramento. The many forks in the trail all lead to the river, down toward Big Rock Hole and Frisbee Beach; Carlsen says the best area off this turnout can be reached by bearing left until the end of the trail. Farther up the highway, 1.3 miles south of the park entrance, is the second and bigger turnout, leading to Garden of Eden. Park and follow the dirt fire road across the railroad tracks. Look for a sign with park rules and hours. Ox Trail, which can be slippery, winds down steeply to the creek. "The path continues to the left, where there are several spots for wading and sunbathing," Carlsen says. The main beach is only 75 feet long and 30 feet wide, but fairly sandy. Carlsen's favorite hole is accessible from a trail that starts at the third turnout, a small one on the right side of the road, about 4.5 miles from Highway 1 and just before Felton. A gate marks the start of the path. The trail bends left. When you come to the road again, go right. At the railroad tracks, go right. From here, look for the river down the hill on your left; many paths lead to it. "When we got to the water, we saw suited families so we walked upriver until we saw skinny-dippers," says John, a visitor from Monterey.

The beach: Three tiny skinny-dipping holes along the San Lorenzo River.

The crowd: Use of these sites tends to ebb and flow, depending on the weather, time of week, and whether word of mouth has helped send new visitors down the trails. You may come across a few other visitors or even one or two groups. Or you may be the only one present. Note: the holes draw small numbers of mostly young visitors, including clad teens and college students. But there are some skinny-dippers.

Problems: Slippery trails; often foggy through midday in summer; poison oak near paths; nudity not allowed in area.

Rating: C.

NATURAL BRIDGES BEACH

Nude beaches seem to be springing up everywhere in Santa Cruz County. Naturists are even coming back to some old haunts, such as this nearly idyllic cove at the north end of West Cliff Drive, in Santa Cruz, that's known for its adjacent butterfly refuge. Scattered numbers of free beachers have finally started coming back to Natural Bridges Beach, where small numbers of nudists gathered in the 1970s and 1980s. The site has tide pools and a shoreline (bring binoculars) that's good for spotting whales, seals, and otters. The still-emerging nude spot is a tiny, 150-foot-long "hidden" section located around the remains of the collapsed natural bridge that gives the park its name. "No one can see you there, and nobody patrols the area," says George, a UC Santa Cruz student. "The beach gets fewer nudists than 2222 [see below], but it's far less visible to the prying eyes of ogling tourists than Its Beach [see below]." Budget cuts have helped the nudists by sparking what George terms a "drastic reduction of lifeguard and ranger staff." Often lifeguards aren't even present on weekdays; on weekends they're said to stick to the main beach. One bummer: except in low tide, getting to the nude spot isn't easy. Says George, "You walk down to the main beach, keeping tight to the cliff and then simply go around the point. Depending on the tide, your shorts might get wet and you might even be temporarily stranded on that side." While you're at Natural Bridges, be sure to check out the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve, the official state monarch refuge in California, where up to 100,000 monarchs form a "city in the trees," hanging from mid October until the end of February. From the park's parking lot, walk uphill and follow the Preserve signs and then an easy wooden walkway to the butterflies.

Legal status: Part of Natural Bridges State Beach.

How to find it: Take Highway 1 to Swift Street in Santa Cruz. Follow Swift to the sea and turn right on West Cliff Drive. Or coming from the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, go north and stay on West Cliff until it ends at Natural Bridges.

The beach: 150 feet long, located around the point from the main beach, hidden from view.

The crowd: Only a few visitors.

Problems: Fog; wind; cold water; day use parking fee; except for the part around the point, Natural Bridges is a clothed, family beach; tides sometimes swamp the nude area.

Rating: C.

ITS BEACH

The fact that it holds a surfing museum isn't the only thing interesting about the lighthouse near the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. The famous landmark at Lighthouse Point on West Cliff Drive, in the city of Santa Cruz, is also just around the point from one of America's top surfing spots, Steamer Lane. A few nude sunbathers started showing up on the surfing beach in the 1990s. Santa Cruz Sentinel columnist Don Miller has called them "mostly middle-aged guys," and one woman has "passionately complained" about the nudists to city attorney John Barisone, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The latest controversy to hit the beach, however, involves dogs. Pooches have been allowed to roam without leashes since 1993, after several public hearings and rulings by the Santa Cruz City Parks and Recreation Commission, the city council, and then-director of parks and recreation Jim Lang. More recently, a neighborhood group called Lighthouse Field Beach Rescue sued the city, seeking an environmental impact report to measure the effect dogs have on noise, health and safety, and beach erosion. A Santa Cruz Superior Court ruled against the group. The legal wrangling held up improvements in the area, but now new bathrooms have been built there.

Sand is usually best in late summer and early fall; the beach nearly evaporates in late winter, leaving just a thin band of sand next to the cliffs and, sometimes, just water. Nearby attractions include the butterfly refuge at Natural Bridges State Beach, just to the east on West Cliff; the Municipal Wharf to the west; and the surfing museum in the lighthouse. B&Bs dot the West Cliff Drive area.

Legal status: Lighthouse Field State Beach, also known as Its Beach and Point Santa Cruz.

How to find it: Take Highway 1 to Swift Street in Santa Cruz. Follow Swift to the sea, then turn right on West Cliff Drive. Follow West Cliff until you see the lighthouse. Starting from the wharf, take West Cliff Drive north to the lighthouse, which will be on the left (beach) side of the street. Park at the lighthouse and walk down to the little, pebble-strewn shore.

The beach: Small with a mix of sand and rocks.

The crowd: Visitors are mostly suited, but the site gets occasional use by nude sunbathers.

Problems: Cold water; wind; fog; hazardous swimming conditions; beach open to view.

Rating: C.

2222

Welcome to one of America's smallest nude beaches. Named for its location across from 2222 West Cliff Drive, in Santa Cruz, the cove is about the size of an average backyard. At the most, it could hold 30 visitors. Fortunately, 2222 usually only gets 5-20. Most, but not all, users are young adults, especially students at nearby colleges and other locals. Neal the Juggler, said to live nearby, often practices with his juggling balls, pins, and beanbags on the sand. Some users are so engrossed in their solitude that they hardly notice him. Tip: don't visit unless you're agile enough to handle the steep climb down and up the cliff. Hikers must climb over some concrete blocks on the way down to the sand (leave children and heavy gear at home). The beach can be seen from above, but tourists walking on a path above the cliffs rarely stop to look down.

Legal status: Santa Cruz city property.

How to find it: The beach is a few blocks west of Natural Bridges State park beach and about 2.5 miles north of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. From either north or south of Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 to Swift Street. Drive .8 miles to the sea, then turn right on West Cliff Drive. 2222 is five blocks away. Past Auburn Avenue, look for 2222 West Cliff on the inland side of the street. Park in the nine-car lot next to the cliff. If it's full, continue straight and park along Chico Avenue. Tip from Pasco: using care, follow the path on the side of the beach closest to downtown Santa Cruz and the Municipal Wharf.

The beach: As Pasco puts it, "It's a small, delicate, baby beach."

The crowd: On a warm Sunday, we counted five nudists. In March 2005, Pasco found "maybe 10 to 15 people" at the beach. Almost everyone goes nude.

Problems: Parking; proximity to residences; lack of privacy; cold water; flies; steep trail with concrete blocks.

Rating: A.

COWELL STATE BEACH

Most of the surfers who use a deck next to the ocean at Cowell State Beach to plunge into the ocean have never seen anyone disrobe there. But on hot days, it sometimes really does happen. In fact, we've observed people sunbathe and jump into the water nude.

Legal status: State beach.

How to find it: Head to West Cliff Drive but park when you first turn onto it from the Municipal Wharf area. Parking is often easy to find. Walk to the beach stairway at West Cliff and Monterey, on the west side of West Cliff. Leave your clothes on the deck, where water access begins (there's no beach per se).

The beach: A deck and the water near it. Watch out for frequent rough waves. Skinny-dippers prefer to stay near the shore.

The crowd: Mostly surfers, but on some hot days a few naturists show up.

Problems: Not a beach; mainly used by suited surfers; heavy undertow; cold water; proximity to residences; lack of privacy.

Rating: C.

PRIVATES BEACH

Recommended!

New listing!

Surfers and nudists coexist wonderfully at a series of three pocket beaches known collectively as Privates Beach or Opal Cliff Beach, off Opal Cliff Drive, north of the Capitola Pier, which was recently called the "best nude Frisbee beach" by the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "There's a lot of sand and you feel really sheltered," tells longtime visitor Hunter Young, of Aptos. "I've been there all by myself but sometimes there are as many as 50 people."

"And when the swells hit, it's a supremely good surfing spot, comparable to Cowell's or 38th Avenue," says Young, a worker at nearby Freeline Design Surfboards who's observed three types of boarding there: standup, longboarding, and skinboards down. "People keep it pretty clean. A couple of times a month, they have volunteer beach clean up days."

The name of the area came from a train stop and lumberyard called Opal, run by the Loma Prieta Lumber Company, a century ago. Lumber was brought to Opal to be hauled by the Southern Pacific Railroad to San Francisco. After landowner Frederick Hiln left the property to grandson Eulice Hiln, Eulice left it to his wife, Kathryn, who married developer J.T. McGeoghegan. In 1923, the land became known as the Opal Subdivision of the Fairview Tract. By the 1950s, streets like Diamond, Topaz, Jade, Garnet, and Crystal had sprung up around Opal.

There are at least four ways to get to Privates. Some visitors walk north from Capitola Pier in low tide. Others reach it in low tide via the stairs at the end of 41st Avenue, which lead to a surf spot known as The Hook at the southern tip of a rocky shoreline called Pleasure Point. Surfers paddle on boards for a few minutes to Privates from Capitola or The Hook.

Four people, including three from Santa Cruz and one from Camarillo, walked from Capitola Beach to a beach just east of Privates, only to become trapped by rising water. After someone on the cliffs notified police, they were rescued by swimmers who assisted them onto a harbor patrol boat, where they were treated for hypothermia and, in the case of one woman, cuts.

Still others enter the beach from little Opal Cliff Park, on the cliffs, via a key entry gate at the top of a staircase. The park is between two houses, near 4524 Opal Cliff Drive.

Most users buy a key for $100 at Freeline Design, 821 41st Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, (831) 476-2950, at the corner of 41st and Portola, approximately 1 1/2 blocks west of the beach. The keys, which are changed yearly, are good for June 1-May 31. But other options are available: $50 in winter, good through May 31, or (charged last year and under consideration for 2007) $30 per month in summer, with credit given if you decide to buy a yearlong rate later. Local residents who are listed on a roll of taxpayers (kept at Freeline), paying property taxes to support the park and gate, can get a yearlong key for $50.

It's even possible to go through the gate for free. "The few times I've been there, I've either gone along with someone with a key, or waited outside the gate until someone with a key goes in and then followed them," says Pasco. "Most beach users will gladly hold the gate open for someone behind them whose hands are full."

How to find it: In Santa Cruz, park in the five-vehicle lot next to Opal Cliff Park, in front of the gate near 4524 Opal Cliff Drive or, from Freeline, at 821 41st Ave., walk 1 1/2 blocks (roughly five minutes) east to the park, which the size of an average house lot. Go down the staircase. The nude area is to the left of the bottom of the stairs.

The beach: A beautiful, gently curving, sandy site backed by slowly eroding sandstone and siltstone cliffs.

The crowd: A mix of nudists and surfers, including locals and out-of-towners. Depending on when you arrive, you may be alone or one of several dozen visitors.

Problems: Entrance fee; small parking lot; cold water; wind; fog; sometimes a few sticks on the beach.

Rating: A.

ELSEWHERE IN THE SANTA CRUZ AREA

Small numbers of women sunbathe topless at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk Beach and Capitola Beach, continuing a tradition that's lasted for several decades. Each site has a long history of permissive attitudes by lifeguards and rangers.

Legal status: Since at least 1981, when activist Nikki Craft was arrested on a Capitola beach for topless sunbathing (she then co-founded the Cross Your Heart Support Committee, whose members were arrested nine times in Santa Cruz for nudity), counter-cultural and law enforcement values have occasionally clashed on and off the sand in Santa Cruz and Capitola. Neither city has an anti-nudity statute, and attempts to pass them have been unsuccessful.

How to find it: Boardwalk Beach: from downtown Santa Cruz, go west on Front Street until it ends at Beach Street, across from the Santa Cruz Municipal Pier. Park on the pier or turn left onto Beach and find parking on a side street. Capitola: take Highway 1 south of Santa Cruz to the Capitola Avenue exit. Follow Capitola west to Capitola State Beach.

The beach: Backed by a large amusement park, Santa Cruz Boardwalk Beach is wide, expansive, and very flat and sandy. Capitola Beach is enclosed between two bluffs and is bordered by the Esplanade, an area lined with shops, galleries, and dozens of restaurants.

The crowd: A mix of locals and tourists.

Problems: At both beaches, wind, fog, and cold water. For Boardwalk Beach, add noise from the amusement park. Both sites tolerate topless sunbathing, but not full nudity.

Rating: C.

RIO DEL MAR BEACH

At a total of four neighboring beaches in southern Santa Cruz County and northern Monterey County, nudists continue to seek shelter from wind and the prying eyes of rangers in sand dunes. They include this site, near Aptos. If you see law enforcers, put your swimsuit on quickly. "The state police who patrol Manresa do drive beyond their assigned borders and down to this beach, but they've never bothered me," one reader says. "And I like the safety factor of having them there." Most of the nudists are gay men, though straight folks also sunbathe without swimsuits there.

Legal status: Unknown.

How to find it: Look for the beach .8 of a mile north of Manresa State Beach and 2.1 miles south of Aptos Beach State Park, just south of Aptos. Take Highway 1 to the Rio del Mar exit. Go all the way to the coast (about a mile or two), then turn left (south) on Sumner Avenue. Follow Sumner, continuing past Seascape Boulevard, for about two miles until it ends. The nude beach is just south of the Seascape condominiums and inn. Park near the end of the road, walk toward the condos, cross over the train tracks, and follow a nearby wooden staircase down to a path leading through greenery to the sand. Or, at the end of the road, look for a security fence over a gully and take either of the well-worn trails on each side of the fence to the dunes near the gully. The nude area is about 800 feet south of where you'll enter the beach.

The beach: Sand, dunes, and grassy knolls. Nudists usually stick to the dune areas.

The crowd: "I feel very safe here because of the family beaches on both sides and also because of the people walking by regularly," says a visitor.

Problems: Unknown legal status, rangers, proximity to condos.

Rating: C.

LA SELVA BEACH

Cops sometimes drive by the sand dunes of this south county beach to try to frighten away its sans-suit sunbathers. "It's duney, but also so wide open in places that rangers can drive up and down and harass people," a regular says. But when the law enforcers go away, the disrobing often begins again. Although the site is mostly a clothed, family beach, a few naturists tend to visit on weekdays or when there aren't many other people. Use with caution.

Legal status: Unknown.

How to find it: La Selva is just south of Rio del Mar. Drive to Manresa State Beach (see next entry), then walk north along the sand.

The beach: The dunes before and after homes overlooking the ocean.

The crowd: Mostly a family beach.

Problems: Riptides; undertow; cold water; increased law enforcement; proximity of homes.

Rating: C.

MANRESA STATE BEACH

Most of Manresa State Beach is flat, sandy, gorgeous, and used by families and other suited visitors. But the sand dunes on the north end are dotted with comfortable, wind-protected nooks and crannies where small numbers of nude sunbathers like to work on their tans. For those who stay in the dune area, there seem to be few hassles. Remembers Ron Schafer, head of the state parks for the Bay Area region and a former staffer at Manresa State Beach: "In some of the more remote areas there were people who would sunbathe without clothing. It was a plain old non-issue (to rangers)."

Legal status: Part of Manresa Beach State Park. In areas of the beach frequently used by families and other visitors, rangers will probably ask naturists to put their suits on. Elsewhere, enforcement of the park's nudity policy seems to be left up to the individual ranger.

How to find it: From Santa Cruz, follow Highway 1 south past Watsonville to the Larkin Valley Road exit and look for the town of La Selva Beach. Turn right on San Andreas Road and follow it to its terminus near the beach. Walk north to the dunes near the beach property, just south of La Selva Beach.

The beach: Mostly flat, sandy, and beautiful. Many naturists prefer the dunes north of the main public beach.

The crowd: Same as at La Selva.

Problems: Same as at La Selva.

Rating: C.

Select Another Area: