Nude Beaches

Contra Costa Country

Las Trampas

Rating: C

Are you ready to moon the moon? Imagine walking nude on parkland in the East Bay Hills, with the trail silhouetted by a full moon and small herds of horses coming up to greet you: it's a scene that makes you feel like you're on Avatar's fictional planet Pandora, mingling with another species.

"It's absolutely surreal," says Jurek Zarzycki of Fremont. "The horses come within inches of you, so close you can feel their breath. It's like being on a moonscape with aliens. You may be a little afraid at first, but the horses are very friendly."Read more »

Hidden Pond

Rating: C

Usually dry by midsummer, but okay for dips and wading on warm days in the spring, Hidden Pond is a nearly secret gem set against some of the East Bay's most beautiful park land. "We went in late spring," recalls Jurek Zarzycki, of Fremont. "The trail was extremely scenic. There were wildflowers everywhere and the meadows we crossed looked like they were covered with lush green by a paint brush."Read more »