Getting Naked in Los Gatos

Up in the Los Gatos mountains, above Lexington Reservoir and near Old Santa Cruz Highway, sits the Lupin Lodge, a camp-like center for outdoor fun and relaxation for members to escape the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley—in the nude.

No, that wasn’t a typo. The 76-year-old recreation hub is a clothing-optional resort for local residents to take a break from daily life and experience nature in the nude, says lodge special events and groups coordinator Cindy Gregory.

“We don’t hear traffic noise, we hear birds singing and people playing in the pool,” Gregory said. “People get to experience the feeling of being nude in nature, and it is beautiful and relaxing.”

The 110-acre getaway features a clubhouse, restaurant and overnight lodging suites and campsites for guests all year-long. It also offers several recreational activities such as tennis, volleyball and hiking trails.

There is also a swimming pool, spa and sauna—the only areas of the resort where clothing is prohibited. Yep, that's right, to be in these parts, you must be in the buff, Gregory said.

The resort has been averaging around 300 members annually, and can expect nearly 100 people to visit on a daily basis, Gregory added.

San Jose residents David and Ardis Williams joined the lodge in the summer of 1990 after seeing a small ad in the San Jose Mercury News.

"We drove up there and saw people who looked no different than the people we see at the grocery store or post office," said Ardis.

According to David Williams, the club’s membership was nearly 1,100 members at the time he and his wife joined, and was rebuilding after the Loma Prieta earthquake knocked down several buildings the year before.

David Williams, a retired artist, said he enjoyed going up to the grounds over the years because he could relax and have the freedom to enjoy nature in the nude without the fear of judgment from others.

“Naturists are very relaxed, and aren’t judgmental of body image, which is pleasant,” David said. “Nothing feels better than going swimming with nothing on. The people you meet become your second family and your sphere of influence.”

Ardis Williams, a retired real estate agent, said she is still attached to her friends at the lodge, and loves the fact that she can enjoy herself without being judged for anything physical.

“I love all kinds of people and in nature people learn to accept themselves. It’s easier to accept others once you have accepted yourself first,” Ardis said. “Naturists are more likely to judge others by actions rather than their exterior.”

Lupin Lodge members also like to host dinners and events like an annual formal New Year's party and teen dance. Members have also participated in the nation's biggest skinny dip for the Guiness Book of World Records.

The lodge is the oldest member of the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, according to Gregory. Its property was originally a vineyard and winery but was closed in the 1920s due to alcohol prohibition laws.

The site was then purchased by a group of German naturists who wanted to create an outdoor nature destination where nudists could take part in exercising and healthy living, she said.

Over the years, members of the lodge would form to become the American Sunbathing Association, which in now known as the American Asociation of Nude Recreation.

“They were the forerunners to the modern nudist organizations,” said Gregory.

The site went through several owners over the years until it was bought by current owners Glyn Stout and Lori Kay in 1976.

While nature and the outdoors are a big part of the nudist lifestyle, Gregory indicated the geographical location of the resort in the mountains has a great weather system for members, who can view a live weather webcast on the lodge's website.

"We have our own micro-climate," Gregory noted. "It could be raining and foggy in Los Gatos or in other parts in Silicon Valley, but it would be clear and sunny up where we are."