Black's Beach

• Black's Beach annual surf event video

The Quick Tip

One of the best nude beaches in the world, Black’s is a mile and a half long of white sand, clear water and lively crowds. You’ll find nude joggers, volleyball players, surfers, boogies boarders, walkers and sun seekers enjoying the scene and scenery. You’ve got to hike down a 300’ cliff to get there (and back up at the end of your day) but that doesn’t stop thousands of people enjoying this great nude beach. See you there.

Blacks Beach – Full Report

If you’ve dreamed about visiting a nude beach in California, you’ve probably dreamed about Blacks. It’s miles of sun, sand and naked people – with a much younger and livelier crowd than San Onofre, 45 minutes north, in Orange County. You’ll park in from a dirt lot by the Torrey Pines Glider Port where you can take lessons on how to parasail off the cliffs and soar above the ocean. But we know you’re here to get naked, so head on down the dirt trail to the sand.

At the bottom of the trail, all the action is to your right, In fact, if you go left just a few hundred feet you’ll see a big mound of sand which is the end of the nude section. Don’t go past that area without clothes!

So head to the right (which is north) and pick a sandy spot and start relaxing. The crowd in this area is a variety of singles and couples and generally pretty mellow. About1/3 mile north you’ll come to an area where the Blacks Beach Bares congregate. They’ve even got their own website which you can visit ( Black's Beach Bares ). It’s a fun and friendly crowd who welcome couples and normal guys. The Bares are a tight knit group so if you’re showing up solo just to gawk –they’ll quickly ask you to move on.

On Sunday’s in the summer the Bares organize a BBQ and operate a nude pot luck. Sometimes even nude surfing and boogie boarding contests. They’ve got lots of extra umbrellas and even some extra beach toys and boogie boards for enjoyment. The organizers Lloyd, Geoff and Dave are always there. Introduce yourself, and maybe even give them a few bucks for all they do to create a great nude beach experience.

There are two volleyball courts in this area. At least one court gets used every weekend afternoon, and sometimes both are in action. Most of the players are regulars, but visitors can join a team by asking.

Further up the beach the crowds thin out. If you look a quieter scene and less crowds, you’ll find your space here. There’s another volleyball court and a crowd that gathers there. At the far end of the beach, 1/2 mile north from the bottom of the trail is the gay area.

Overhead you’ll see the parasailers and hang gliders soaring above the beach. As the wind blows in from the ocean and hitsthose huge cliffs it gets pushed up, making perfect conditions to soar above the beach. We haven’t seen anyone doing it naked – but if you decide to do so – remember to send us the story and a picture and we’ll post it here.

If you've got a surfboard, or are a very good swimmer, you can go out beyond the waves and find thousands of sand dollars living in the sand about 20 feet under the surface of the water. With a mask and snorkel you get an amazing view. Even further out is a reef which attracts thousands of fish of all varieties. It's about 1/3 mile from the beach, but on a warm day, paddling naked on a surfboard is a great way to spend an hour - and you'll feel like you've had a trip to another world.

Facilities

There are no bathrooms on the beach. There are some really nasty pit toilets by the Glider Port at the top of the cliff. Most people wade into the water up to their waist, a few are less modest. There are no trash cans so plan to take out EVERYTHING you bring in. This is a beautiful beach and if you don’t want to keep it that way…don’t bother coming.

What to Bring

There’s no shade, so if it’s a hot day – you’ll need an umbrella. The sand is soft, but a beach chair makes it more comfortable. Backpack beach chairs are the best. They’re easy to carry, holds all your stuff, and are really comfortable.

Alcohol is prohibited, but an ice chest with some waters, iced tea or lemonade makes your day more enjoyable. And of course a few sandwiches, some chips, etc. If it’s a Sunday you can even bring something for the BBQ in the Blacks Beach Bares area. Nothing beats throwing your weenies on a BBQ naked on the beach.

With so much sand and gentle shallow water a Frisbee is a great things to bring. You get some exercise, have some fun, and sometimes people jump in and join your game.

Dogs aren’t allowed, so don’t bring one. The lifeguards or rangers will ask you to leave or give you a ticket. Either way, it ruins your day.

What to know

The lifeguards drive up and down the beach all day. They’re friendly and helpful if you need anything. You’ll also see them patrolling by jet ski just outside the waves, and they have an observation post on top the cliffs to help them protect the beach

Directions to Black's Beach