Clothing-Optional Opportunities in B.C.
Copyright ©1991-2009 --- Page updated: 2009 Jan 7

Links.

Note.
This list of links consists of related sites that may prove useful to readers of this site. Only sites that are "worth reading" are listed here. That's not to say that others aren't worth reading, only that they don't compliment the content of COBC.

Important Links:

Additional Topics:

Weather Information.

Environment Canada provides a variety of weather information.

Organisations.

There are three major nudist organisations and one topfree organisation which extend into B.C.:

  • The Federation of Canadian Naturists (affiliated with the INF).
    This is the official Canadian organisation. FCN needs your membership in order to (1) show the Canadian government how many people are interested in nude recreation, and (2) to show the International Naturist Federation (INF) that nudism has support in Canada. Membership is inexpensive and includes a subscription to the quarterly magazine called "Going Natural". Click here for application form.

  • Western Canadian Association of Nude Recreation (affiliated with the AANR).
    Many of the local clubs are affiliated with the WCANR, which is a member of the American Association for Nude Recreation. AANR represents the United States to the INF. (Note: AANR passed a motion in 1997 to opt out of the INF, but the motion was later overturned.) Membership includes a subscription to the newspaper called "The Bulletin".

  • The Naturist Society.
    Also an American organisation, TNS promotes nude recreation on public land rather than private property (i.e., clubs). Membership is more expensive, but includes a subscription to one of the top nudist magazines, called "Nude and Natural". TNS also operates the Naturist Action Committee (NAC) which fights for the right to nude recreation all over North America.

  • Topfree Equal Rights Association.
    TERA is an association that helps women having legal difficulty going without tops in public places in Canada where men are allowed without tops, and informs the public on this issue. At heart here is not so much topfreedom or even nudism, but basic human rights!
References.

Although I am endeavouring to list all locations in BC which are commonly used for CO recreation, I highly recommend the guide books listed below. Additionally, any of several other hiking guides can be used for locating deserted alpine lakes and creeks where solitude provides its own CO opportunities.

  • Canadian Guide to Naturist Resorts and Beaches.
    If it's Canada you are interested in, this book has it all in one place. Most of the beach listings, however, are reprinted from the World Guide (below). COBC contains much more information on BC beaches.
  • Lee Baxandall's World Guide to Nude Beaches and Recreation.
    Appropriately nicknamed "The Skinnydipper's Bible", this is by far the best resource for the travelling nudist. Much of the information, however, is vague and/or dated, so be prepared for disappointments.
    • Copyright ©1991
      ISBN 0-934106-20-7
      The Naturist Society,
      PO Box 132
      Oshkosh, WI 54902

      [Click here to order this book from the Federation of Canadian Naturists.]

  • North American Guide to Nude Recreation.
    If you are interested in club listings, this book lists the vast majority in US, and many clubs in Canada. (It only lists clubs that are members of AANR.)
  • INF World Naturist Guide.
    The International Naturist Federation (INF) publishes this excellent guide to naturist facilities around the world. The INF World Guide is written in four languages in one book: English, French, German and Dutch .
    • Copyright ©1996
      23rd edition (1996 -1997)
      ISBN 906716-833-5

      [Click here to order this book from the Federation of Canadian Naturists.]

  • Hotsprings of Western Canada: A Complete Guide.
    This book is still available, but it has basically been replaced by the Glen Woodsworth book below.
    • Copyright ©1981
      by Jim McDonald
      ISBN 0-920641-30-X

  • Hot Springs of Western Canada (including Northwest Washington).
    This book is intended as a replacement of the Jim McDonald book listed above. Although the book seems quite complete, from a nudist perspective it lacks some important information---at which hot springs is nudity acceptable and where is it prohibited. The author omits this information because "local custom at any pool may change from hour to hour, depending on the people present" but he notes "the degree of acceptable nudity increases with increasing distance from main roads." (p.28) All of the people pictured are wearing clothes in order to increase circulation. As well, the book lacks the "4 star" rating system of its predecessor, which means that a lot more reading is needed to decide which spring to visit.
  • Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Northwest.
    Generally considered one of the best books on the subject, this book contains not only listings for the northwest USA, but also many springs in British Columbia. This book is fairly good at detailing where bathing suits are required and where nudity is accepted.
    • Copyright ©19??
      by Jason Loam
      ISBN 0-0624830-7-9

  • 103 Hikes in Southwestern British Columbia, 4th Edition
    Widely accepted as the best hiking guide for the region. There is, of course, no mention of nude hiking or soaking, but someone who wishes to hike nude would probably be able to find suitable trails in this book.
    • by Mary and David Macaree
      ISBN 0-89886-395-3

  • NFIR Calendar. Published monthly by Korky Day of NIFTY, this web page is an extensive collection of nudist (and nudity-relation) groups and activities around Vancouver and around the world.

  • Rec.Nude Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list

  • Free Beach Etiquette. A guide to courtesy at clothing-optional sites.

  • Cheef Dan's Nudist Pages. Includes site listing for North America and discussions about religion and nudism.

  • NetNude. Includes site listings and trip reports from around the world, general articles, and a chat group.

  • GoBare. A comprehensive site from the UK.

Body Acceptance.

Cheri's Reluctant Partner Brochure - Written from a woman's perspective, this brochure addresses all of the common concerns of individuals who are afraid to take their first step into a better realm. (Also available at the old URL.)

Tell 'em you're a Nudist - Tips for broaching the subject with friends.

Why Get Naked? - Answering people's concerns about trying nudism.

bodyBODY - bodyBODY: Aphrodite Raves is a theatrical exploration of the women's body-image issue

Body Painting.

Body Gras - The Canadian body painting festival.

British Columbia.

BC Parks - A guide to all of BC's provincial parks.

Computer Resources.

Symantic Anti-virus Research Center - Virus Hoaxes - Before passing on the latest "Virus warning", check out this site. Chances are it's a hoax.

General Nudist Information.

Being and Nakedness - Includes general articles and links to many other pages.

Guides.

NudeSwims.com - A guide to swim nights in Canada and USA.

Nude Beaches of the Northeast - A guide to the northeast states.

The World Nude Beaches Guide with Photos - Some beaches have descriptions and photos. For other beaches links to other sites are provided.

Mooncrow's Naturist Pages - An excelent source of information for the Pacific Northwest (USA). Carl (Mooncrow) Evans created this extensive collection of listings for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The listings have now been taken over by The Cheef.

Nudist Explorer - Check "Where to get naked" for nudist locations in USA, Canada, and the world.

History of Nudism.

Gymnosophy - A very incomplete history of nudism. (Hopefully, this is the start of something better.)

Hiking.

Northwest Washington Hiking Mini-Guide - A practical guide to nude hiking in Washington. Including suggested trails.

Nude Hiking in Yukon and Alaska - Despite "Yukon and Alaska" in the title this is more of a general discussion of nude hiking.

Steve's Northwest Nude Hiking - Steve talks about reactions to his nude hiking.

Hot Springs.

Canadian Rockies Hot Springs - A Parks Canada guide to the non-nude, commercial hot springs in the BC Rockies.

SeattleInsider.com - A guide to Washington's hot springs.

Soak.Net - A natural hot spring resource.

Tim's Hot Springs Page - Includes some photos of Hot Springs Cove.

NWHotsprings.net - Information about hot springs in BC, WA, OR, ID, and Alaska.

TopoZone - Topographic Maps of the United States

Toporama - Topographic Maps of Canada by the Natural Resources Canada, Centre for Topographic Information.

Hot Spring Enthusiast - US hot spring data from the National Geophysical Data Center

My Hotsprings Photos - Photos from various northwest hotsprings.

Idaho Hiking and Hot Springs - Includes great information about springs in Idaho, but lacks any mention of clothing expectations. And you'll have to look up directions elsewhere because the author has chosen to exclude them.

Legal Information.

Maple Ridge v. Meyer 2000 BCSC 902 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA - This is the decision in Linda Meyer's challenge of the anti-topfreedom bylaw of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, enacted on June 24, 1997. It struck down the bylaw. (Also on the TERA website.)

The Uniform Law Council: A Review of the Law of Indecency and Nudity - Reviews the findings of R. vs Gwen Jacob in the Ontario Court of Appeals (1997) which overturned Jacob's conviction for walking topfree in Guelph on July 19, 1991, and analyzes the implications for legislation regarding nudity and indecency.

Gwen Jacob: Summary - Summarized by Stephane Deschenes (FCN), Dec 1996.

Body on Trial: Nudity & the Law - A public lecture and panel discussion on the Canadian Criminal Code and its application to the issue of public nudity. Presented by TNT!MEN.

TERA: Judicial Decisions and Related Documents - Legal rulings regarding topfreedom in North America since 1986.

FCN's Legal Information - Discussion of the relevant sections of the Canadian Criminal Code.

1999 Survey of Canadian Attitudes Regarding Nudity - Survey concludes that 2.7 millions Canadian are nudists. (Also see the comments on the TNT!MEN website.)

Lots of Links.

Kent Ashton's Naturist Links.

Bob's Naturist and Nudist Links.

JMF's Nudist/Naturist Pages.

Nudist Explorer - Lots of links to other sites.

Being and Nakedness - Includes general articles and links to many other pages.

News.

Nude News and Views - Current nudist-related news.

Naturist Weblog - Current news and discussions.

Religion.

Nakedness and Clothing in the Bible - What the bible says about clothing and nakedness.

Sailing.

Nautical Naturist - A site dedicated to sailing in the buff.

Volleyball.

FIVB Official Volleyball Rules - Most nudists would rather play "Jungle ball" than real volleyball, but there are a lot of serious volleyball players around as well. This site contains the complete International rule book which applies to competitions pretty much everywhere but the USA. They, of course, have their own rules that are almost identical. These apply specifically to 6-aside indoor volleyball which seems to be about the best rules you can get for 6-aside outdoor games, though it is necessary to incorporate some outdoor rules such as the lack of a centre line, the effect of wind, and the slightly softer ball. The rules about player uniforms and player substitutions are usually relaxed for recreational play (including recreational tournaments) along with referee requirements. Volleyball Canada publishes these same rules with some notes about 3- and 4-aside play, as well as "under 12" rules.
Note: if anyone knows a better source for 6-aside outdoor rules, please let me know.

FIVB Official Outdoor Rules - Apply for 2-aside outdoor volleyball, except for AVP competitions (which, I think, include all US competitions). A lot of the rules are specific to 2-player games rather than outdoor games, so these rules don't extrapolate very well to 6-aside outdoor games.

Todd's Volleyball Pages - Contains discussions of various rules which frequently cause confusion. And includes a good section on significant differences between indoor and outdoor rules (although it only specifically applies to US rules).

AVP Volleyball Rules - Contains rules for AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) rules which apply only to 2-aside outdoor volleyball.

Rules of the Game of Volleyball - Contains information on some of the US volleyball rules.