Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

San Onofre's Nude Beach to be Clothed

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Photo by Jamie Cochran Photo+Design via Flickr

As of July 1st, Trail 6 at San Onofre State Beach will no longer by "clothing-optional." A few problems have caused this, one of which, is the popularity of the beach (which includes regular beaches). "It's no longer one of those remote beaches that is out of sight and out of mind, that few people go to," State Parks spokesman Roy Stearns told the OC Register, who says that "the number of people who go to San Onofre, in San Diego County, increased to about 2.5 million last year, from about 1.7 million people in 2000." But that's not the only reason.
Stearns said some rangers who work at the beach have complained recently about being exposed to a "sexually charged" environment. The state needs to be mindful or may face lawsuits, he said. Staff members also have complained about "trash such as used condoms, pornographic material and adult sex toys, which has to be cleaned up by our people," Stearns said.

83 citations for lewd behavior and 35 tickets for indecent exposure in the area have been handed out in the last five years. As to
other nude beaches run by the State Parks Department, there are no current plans to clothe them. "It doesn't mean they'll be closed down, unless there are problems that have developed that force us to focus attention on it," Stearns told the paper.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today