HIDDEN POND

Several times a year, around a dozen members of the Bay Area Naturists (BAN) meet on the slopes of Mount Diablo and hike about three miles to a delightful little lake -- big enough in non-drought years to hold some 30 people, according to BAN leader Rich Pasco. Nudists have been quietly visiting the lake for about four years, and now you can join them too. It's takes over an hour to walk there from the nearest road, but visitors say the journey is usually worth it.

"In 2006, the pond was even deeper and wider than the previous year," Trevor Murphy says, who points out the water doesn't look as inviting when it's low, as it's been lately. In those cases, nudists often put down towels or tarps under a shade tree and have a picnic. The site is off a trail and over a hill, so walkers can't see skinny-dippers from the path. "It's a gorgeous place," Murphy recounts. "Even though it isn't very remote, it's extremely peaceful there." Along the way, naturists sometimes see cows on the trail, as well as evidence of feral pigs ("rooted-up ground," says Murphy, who notes that two large wire pig traps in the area were removed by rangers). Rolling grassland covers the foothills of the state park. "It's a pristine, Norman Rockwell kind of place," says Pasco, formerly of San Jose.

Want to visit? Hidden Pond doesn't appear on maps, so the best way to do so is with BAN, which plans to continue its periodic treks (usually every spring, although there's talk of going twice a year). For membership information and access to the organization's newsletter, go to www.bayareanaturists.org.

Part of Mount Diablo State Park.

Take Highway 680 to Danville and exit at Diablo Road. Following the green state park signs, drive east on Diablo. At El Cerro turn right to continue on Diablo. At the stop sign, which forms a junction with Blackhawk, turn left onto Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard, which becomes South Gate Road at the park boundary. The road here is narrow and frequented by bicyclists. Follow it to the park's entrance kiosk (where you'll pay the $6 entrance fee and can get a map), then continue about 1.5 miles to the big, flat parking lot on the right -- the first one past Rock City. Look for a Curry Point sign near the start of the trail. BAN usually begins its hike there, following the path from the trailhead to a fire road. "You don't see [the lake] from the main trail," Pasco says. "You have to take off over the grassland to find it." Guide-led visitors have little trouble making the trek, though. It's fairly level, according to Murphy, with significant slopes only at the beginning and the end, up a steep rise and then down to the dell where the lake's nestled.

The site is around 70 feet long by 40 feet wide, surrounded by an estimated 14 acres of secluded hillside studded with a grove of majestic oak and bay trees that offer welcome summer shade. According to Murphy, the water reaches six or seven feet at its deepest point. "It's pretty cold, so you can't swim that much," he says. He advises those who make the trip with BAN to bring good walking shoes, ground cover, and flip-flops. Pack a lunch.

The nearby trail is a favorite among hikers, but so far at the lake it's just naturist groups once or twice a year.

Lack of directions and need to go with BAN, long walk from the parking lot, some (avoidable) poison oak on the trail, may be windy in early spring.

LAS TRAMPAS

Bordered by such communities as Danville, Alamo, Castro Valley, and San Ramon, the East Bay Regional Park District's (EBRPD) Las Trampas Regional Wilderness sprawls over 3,798 acres. EBRPD has a strict anti-nudity regulation in place, so it's one of the last places you'd expect to see nudists. The truth: is unless you're a night owl, you won't "see" them. But that doesn't mean they're not there.

For several years, the Bay Area Naturists have been leading one of America's only naked "Full Moon Hikes," as the organization calls them, along some remote trails in Las Trampas. "It's amazing," says Dave Smith, of San Leandro. "It's at night, so we're usually the only ones on the path. But it isn't easy. Some parts of the journey are pretty mountain-goatish. We climb 1,200 feet during our three or four mile walk."

Still, a number of nude hikers volunteered to participate in such a trek last summer and five went on such a venture the year before. "Most of the time we walked on moderate slopes sometimes covered with dead and very slippery grass," reported Jurek Zarzycki in one of BAN's newsletters. "Sometimes the trail was overgrown with manzanita bushes. The smells of sage and other herbs and grasses were strong and delightful."

Another time, the path was so slippery that the hikers crawled along it on all fours, while grasping for bushes hidden by the darkening sky. "We walked slowly and chatted a lot," remembered Zarzycki. "Despite our slow tempo and frequent stops, we made it to the ridge just as the Sun was touching the horizon."

Night fell, but, surprisingly, it stayed warm. "Usually cold and strong winds make everyone dress and leave quickly," said Zarzycki. "We hung around for quite some time, soaking up the magnificent hues of the western sky and the growing band of purple hues in the east, with a silvery moon hanging over us."

By now, it was completely dark, but only one visitor had brought a flashlight. "We laughed at her for this, but her flashlight helped me a lot," admitted Zarzycki. "I think everyone in our group fell down on their butt at least once" in the most slippery spots. But they helped each other and continued down the ridge.

A few minutes later, they came across a band of horses. In the moonlight, the animals looked silent, majestic, proud and awe inspiring, according to Zarzycki. "We stopped to admire them and they slowly walked up to us, ready for some treat or at least some petting, which they all got," he said.

At 10:30 p.m., the group arrived back at their starting point and most of the hikers headed for the showers, a pool, and a hot tub at the Sequoians Naturist Club in Castro Valley.

Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, where nudity is prohibited.

Contact BAN at http://www.bayareanaturists.org for details on how to join a walk. Participants usually meet at and return to the Sequoians Naturist Club, in Castro Valley. To get there, take Highway 580 east to the Crow Canyon Road exit. Or follow 580 west to the first Castro Valley offramp. Take Crow Canyon Road toward San Ramon .75 mile to Cull Canyon Road. Then follow Cull Canyon Road around 6.5 miles to the end of the paved road. Take the dirt road, on the right, until the "Y" in the road and keep left. Shortly thereafter, you'll see the Sequoians sign. Proceed ahead for about another .75 mile to the Sequoians front gate.

Scrubby, sometimes slippery, three-to-four-mile-long trail, with moderate to steep slopes.

Expect five to ten participants.

Must go as part of a guided group and pay fee ($15 per couple, $10 for singles); visibility limited so bring a flashlight; use of bug repellent advised; some of the trail is steep and slippery; walk only held once or twice a year.