Natural Hot Springs Sans Bathing Suits

Baker Hot Springs, located approximately 20 miles outside of Sedro Wooley, Wa on Forest Service RD #1144. A short 1/4 mile hike to a beautiful natural hot springs. The day that John and I decided to hike there it was raining and about 55 degrees. What a better way to spend the day, I mean if you are going to get wet anyways, it might as well be in 100 degree water.

I have to admit that this was our first experience with natural hot springs that offer clothing as "optional". When we first pulled into the parking area off the side of the road there was already (2) cars parked there. One vacant and one that had a gentleman sitting in it. I decided to make sure that the trail we were thinking led to the hot springs was indeed correct. He gladly responded that it was, it was a short hike and that he was "thinking of going back up again". This we found odd. If he was already sitting in his car and ready to leave, why go back. John assumed that it was for a free viewing of me. I jokingly laughed and said that maybe it was him that the guy was interested in. We decided no big deal, lets just head up to the hot springs and check it out.

It is literally a 5-10 minute walk to the hot springs where I saw a pair of shorts hanging off of a log and saw the white outline of the male butt in the hot springs. No problem. We decide that we can still soak for awhile for god sakes. The guy in the pool starts talking to us, really nice guy, making sure that we understand the clothing is optional. We said yes we know and no problem as long as he doesn't mind that we wear bathing suits. Shortly after we arrived the guy from the parking lot shows back up, removes his clothes and gets into the hot springs. He stayed for about an hour and then left, which was fine as he was alitle odd. The other gentleman was with us for about 2 hours. It turns out that he is a 70 year old nudist minister. That provided several interesting conversations of which John and I really had to hold our tongues. He also takes it upon himself to maintain the hot springs by removing sediment and garbage. He would go there at least 3 times a week and wants to make sure that the springs are always nice to use.

After he left I talked John into bathing au natural. I mean if you are in Rome do as the Romans do. I have to admit that for awhile I was a little paranoid. I mean what if someone saw us. Then I thought, what if they do. It is not like we are likely to ever see these people again.

I will probably never be a full fledged nudist, but for that little time, I did understand the freedom that they feel. Where you stop worrying about what other people might think and just appreciate your body for the fact that it allowed you to hike to places like this in the first place.

For the first time I actually just experienced the moment, maybe because it was something that I never pictured myself doing. To step outside of that "comfort zone" that we spend far too much time in. Narrowing our adventures to preconceived notions of right and wrong, good or bad.

Am I ready to explore this new activity with people who I know, probably not. Have I ruled it out as a possibility in the future. Who knows. Once we let ourselves experience new ideas, we move the boundaries that we forced ourselves into. My boundary on this maybe will only go so far, but maybe it relaxed other boundaries that I was always to afraid to explore.

Here's to the future of new adventures and experiences!