Fire Island National Seashore
Fire Island National Seashore
Fire Island National Seashore has a history of nude and clothing optional recreation both official and unofficial. According to Long Island Travasuns, the "Long Island naturist and naturism headquarters," there are a number of clothing-optional beaches on Fire Island.
Smith Point
This is one of the best clothing optional beach on Long Island. It is very family-oriented with only a relatively small number of sightseers . This is a well established clothing optional beach that has been used for over 30 years.
This is the beach where the Long Island Travasuns were first established in the early 1970’s. The people who use this beach are quite friendly and the beach is very clean.
It is located in the eastern portion of Long Island on the Fire Island National Seashore, and is legally tolerated. It is located between the 2nd and 3rd dune crossings. The areas between the 1st and the 2nd, and then the 3rd and the 4th dune crossings are established to be "buffer zones" to separate clothed areas from the nude area. The 1st dune crossing is part of a self-guided nature trail, and the 4th dune crossing is part of a town mooring area.
It takes about 30 minute to hike west from the Smith Point Beach parking lot which is located at the southern end of the William Floyd Parkway. This hike probably helps to discourage the casual voyeur or pervert.
There are no restrooms or other facilities, nor are their lifeguards at this beach. So plan accordingly.
Please note that no nudity is permitted at Smith Point County Park.
Smith Point County Park provides the parking area from which to access the Fire Island National Seashore Wilderness Area to the west.
Davis Park
A smaller nude beach is located at Davis Park. The only disadvantage of Davis Park is getting there. It is only accessible by a passenger ferry. At the ferry terminal in Patchogue the parking fee for out-of-towners is very expensive and the ferry schedules limit your beach time.
Davis Park is one of the many communities on Fire Island, and as is the case with most of the towns, there are no roads and vehicles are not allowed. Everyone uses red wagons to tote their belongings and supplies from the ferry to their house. The town residents are a very typical and normal cross-section of New Yorkers.
The beach was very family-oriented. The clothing optional section literally begins at the very next blanket west of the very last dune crossing of the town. Nudity is obviously very well accepted. The beach was immaculately clean.
Watch Hill (Camping Area east of Davis Park)
Although we have not been there, we've been told by those who have that nudity is tolerated within the campground.
Cherry Grove
This is a predominately gay community. Unfortunately ignorant people have used this fact to falsely stereotype all of Fire Island.
We have never been there but have been told two differing stories as to its nude beach status. One story is that the nude section is separate, and the other is that nudity is intermixed throughout the entire beach. The important thing is that a nude beach is available.
Based on what we've seen on other Fire Island beaches it would be expected that the beach is immaculately clean.
Fire Island Pines
Misc. Fire Island National Seashore
Between communities there is virtually no problems with nudity. We've hiked nude for miles through portions of the Fire Island National Seashore, and it is indeed wilderness. The Rangers have said that they do not wish to enforce New York State's anti-nudity laws, and only set up unwritten rules in the vicinity of neighboring clothed areas.
Jones Beach
While not on Fire Island, the eastern most portion of Jones Beach has had a nude beach for many years, but since it is part of the New York State parks, it is totally illegal, and not recommended by the Travasuns.
The section that has been used clothing optional begins 2 miles east of the eastern most parking lot of the Jones Beach State Park. Unfortunately, since it is not on federal land the county and state police do enforce NY State regulations against nudity on State Park Land.
Lighthouse Beach
Lighthouse Beach is open but clothing optional use is not yet being re-permitted.
For more information about Travasuns, visit http://www.travasuns.org/Travasuns/Home.html
Fire Island National Seashore has a history of nude and clothing optional recreation both official and unofficial. According to Long Island Travasuns, the "Long Island naturist and naturism headquarters," there are a number of clothing-optional beaches on Fire Island.
Smith Point
This is one of the best clothing optional beach on Long Island. It is very family-oriented with only a relatively small number of sightseers . This is a well established clothing optional beach that has been used for over 30 years.
This is the beach where the Long Island Travasuns were first established in the early 1970’s. The people who use this beach are quite friendly and the beach is very clean.
It is located in the eastern portion of Long Island on the Fire Island National Seashore, and is legally tolerated. It is located between the 2nd and 3rd dune crossings. The areas between the 1st and the 2nd, and then the 3rd and the 4th dune crossings are established to be "buffer zones" to separate clothed areas from the nude area. The 1st dune crossing is part of a self-guided nature trail, and the 4th dune crossing is part of a town mooring area.
It takes about 30 minute to hike west from the Smith Point Beach parking lot which is located at the southern end of the William Floyd Parkway. This hike probably helps to discourage the casual voyeur or pervert.
There are no restrooms or other facilities, nor are their lifeguards at this beach. So plan accordingly.
Please note that no nudity is permitted at Smith Point County Park.
Smith Point County Park provides the parking area from which to access the Fire Island National Seashore Wilderness Area to the west.
Davis Park
A smaller nude beach is located at Davis Park. The only disadvantage of Davis Park is getting there. It is only accessible by a passenger ferry. At the ferry terminal in Patchogue the parking fee for out-of-towners is very expensive and the ferry schedules limit your beach time.
Davis Park is one of the many communities on Fire Island, and as is the case with most of the towns, there are no roads and vehicles are not allowed. Everyone uses red wagons to tote their belongings and supplies from the ferry to their house. The town residents are a very typical and normal cross-section of New Yorkers.
The beach was very family-oriented. The clothing optional section literally begins at the very next blanket west of the very last dune crossing of the town. Nudity is obviously very well accepted. The beach was immaculately clean.
Watch Hill (Camping Area east of Davis Park)
Although we have not been there, we've been told by those who have that nudity is tolerated within the campground.
Cherry Grove
This is a predominately gay community. Unfortunately ignorant people have used this fact to falsely stereotype all of Fire Island.
We have never been there but have been told two differing stories as to its nude beach status. One story is that the nude section is separate, and the other is that nudity is intermixed throughout the entire beach. The important thing is that a nude beach is available.
Based on what we've seen on other Fire Island beaches it would be expected that the beach is immaculately clean.
Fire Island Pines
Misc. Fire Island National Seashore
Between communities there is virtually no problems with nudity. We've hiked nude for miles through portions of the Fire Island National Seashore, and it is indeed wilderness. The Rangers have said that they do not wish to enforce New York State's anti-nudity laws, and only set up unwritten rules in the vicinity of neighboring clothed areas.
Jones Beach
While not on Fire Island, the eastern most portion of Jones Beach has had a nude beach for many years, but since it is part of the New York State parks, it is totally illegal, and not recommended by the Travasuns.
The section that has been used clothing optional begins 2 miles east of the eastern most parking lot of the Jones Beach State Park. Unfortunately, since it is not on federal land the county and state police do enforce NY State regulations against nudity on State Park Land.
Lighthouse Beach
Lighthouse Beach is open but clothing optional use is not yet being re-permitted.
For more information about Travasuns, visit http://www.travasuns.org/Travasuns/Home.html
Posted by Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong
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