In the heart of Southern Wisconsin, nestled between the small towns of Mazomanie and Sauk City (don’t let the “city” fool you — it’s population is at just over 3,000 people), lies one the country’s most naked gems. Mazo Beach, resting on the banks of the Wisconsin River, is one of the most popular (non-coastal) nude beaches in the United States, attracting an approximated 70,000 visitors a year to its secluded, state-owned and brain-hanging shores.
The beach has faced its fair share of adversity in its decades-long and always-naked history, having encountered opposition from conservative law makers, protesters and fellow beach goers, but the newest threat comes in the form of several arrests arising from lewd and sex-related acts occurring in the area. While in the past lawmakers have decided that simple nudity was not enough to charge sunbathers with indecent exposure, the recent criminal activity may give those who have been in opposition to Mazo Beach a leg-up in having it closed.
Nudists who have long been regulars at Mazo are disappointed by the lawbreakers. Says Nicky Hoffman, head of a naturist society out of Oshkosh, WI, “If someone is misbehaving, we really want them to stop. It ruins it for everybody.”
To all of the people mucking up the nude beach with their needs to have sex in the woods: Southern Wisconsin features a variety of seedy to charming motels, B&Bs and inns for any budget. Why not rent yourself a room and leave these naked hippies in peace?
On the Beach, in the Buff. In Wisconsin? [NY Times]
Image via Kao Wenhua/Shutterstock.
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