Even guys who are wary of roughing it may find themselves taking a liking to gay camping.
While some all-male campgrounds bring you closer to nature than others, they all encourage socialization, with activities and attitudes that make it very easy to mix and mingle. And because they’re catering to a market (mostly gay men) that’s stereotypically known to have high standards, most of them have dependably nice washrooms. While some places are quite rustic, many have pools, clubhouses where dances are held and other amenities. Cabin rentals are often available, ranging from very basic at some campgrounds to hotel room–like at others.
This Wander+Lust round-up of all-male campgrounds in the United States and Canada focuses on campgrounds for gay and bi men that are all or partly clothing-optional. Yes, these are places where you can run around in the woods buck naked. Although there are many mixed LGBTQ2S+ campgrounds around North America, some permitting nudity, our 11 picks all cater specifically to those who identify as men.
That doesn’t mean that everyone will be naked all the time, or that exposed flesh automatically means that everything is sexual. Flirty doesn’t always mean naughty, and naughty doesn’t always mean nightly orgies. Some campgrounds are more discreet than others. Most have rules about where you can skinny your dip. For example, you often must have a towel, at least, between your butt and your seat. Most campgrounds have rules about sex—usually you’re not supposed to do it in communal areas (unless it’s, say, a designated play area) or where you can be seen by others. Likewise, photo-taking is often prohibited except at your own campsite.
Most campgrounds have a theme each weekend of their camping season, and that theme will guide you in knowing what to expect. Something called “Friends and Family Weekend,” for example, where kids and other relatives, including women, can come, is going to be a tamer one. Leather, denim and fetish weekends—and any weekend where the suggested dress code is underwear or less—are likely to be racier experiences. Though there are lots of bear-themed weekends, you’re going to find bears at gay campgrounds pretty much every weekend.
Most gay campgrounds require memberships that you can buy online when you make a reservation or on arrival; memberships usually last for the season, so the per-use cost goes down if you become a regular.
All these places allow alcohol, but even if they host dances, many do not sell it. Liquor laws vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. It’s smart to read through all policies, including the availability of food, before you arrive with nothing in your trunk but a tent and a Speedo.
From west to east, here are the best places for gay camping au naturel.
Harrison Mills, British Columbia
(East of Vancouver)
Shadow Falls (17575 Morris Valley Rd., Harrison Mills). Though this campground has fewer special events and amenities than other spots on this list (ack—paid showers!), it’s hard to beat British Columbia for natural splendor. This place offers rustic beauty, with a huge green space for socializing and sunbathing. The forested 40-acre property has a creek running through it, and it’s only a 20-minute drive from Harrison Hot Springs, a well-known spa retreat since the 1800s. Who needs a pool? Older crowd. Shadow Falls is about 110 kilometres east of Vancouver.
Queen Valley, Arizona
(East of Phoenix)
Copper Cactus Ranch Men’s Retreat (4516 N. Elephant Butte Rd., Queen Valley). We love the cowboy motif at this all-male retreat, where you can sleep in ranch-house dorms as well as tents and trailers. The mission is touchy-feely: “Men need a safe place to enjoy bonding and camaraderie without fear of ridicule, no matter what a man’s sexual orientation is.” And they host expressive events like drum circles and artisan weekends. But the retreat, which is open year-round in 2024 except for the month of August, shows off its wilder side with bear, uniform, military and masquerade weekends. There’s a pool, too. Copper Cactus is about 95 kilometres east of Phoenix.
Navasota, Texas
(Northwest of Houston)
Grizzly Pines (16930 Whippoorwill Rd., Navasota). Not as bear-ish as the name suggests, this campground attracts sexy adult men across a range of ages. Clothing-optional across the entire property, their special events are a mix of racy (two puppy weekends, a fetish week) and less charged (drag, white elephant gift exchanges, lū‘au). The streets have names like Feltch Curve and Copafeel Switch. There are various cabins for rent, including some overlooking the pool, if you want to keep track of all the aquatic action, as well as tent and trailer camping. Grizzly Pines is about 100 kilometres northwest of Houston.
Morgantown, Indiana
(South of Indianapolis)
Camp Buckwood (8670 Spearsville Rd., Morgantown). The party mostly happens in and around the two heated pools at this friendly, well-maintained campground (they state on their website they’re trans-friendly, the only one on this list to do so). They’ve got a bear weekend, of course, but also a Hoosier Daddy weekend, a Hanky Code weekend and a fetish weekend. Campers are a good range of ages. You can kayak on the 2.5-acre lake on the property. Camp Buckwood is about 65 kilometres south of Indianapolis.
Mount Olivet, Kentucky
(Between Cincinnati and Lexington)
River Ridge Campground (1385 Harding Rd., Mt Olivet). Located on the Licking River in the rolling hills of Northern Kentucky, this bear- and leather-friendly spot insists on its website it’s “not a sex club or brothel.” In fact, like all of the campgrounds on this list, sex is prohibited in communal areas—except the designated play areas, which are not too far from the pool and hot tub. It’s all clothing-optional except along the river itself. They host bear and leather weekends, but also a Halloween party and carnival. River Ridge is about 95 kilometres south of Cincinnati, about 75 kilometres north of Lexington.
Geneva, Alabama
(Between Mobile and Tallahassee)
CampOut Alabama (163 Campground Rd., Geneva). Under new (and young-ish) ownership since 2017, this secluded, treed, peaceful property is an ideal low-key escape. The crowd is friendly and relaxed—there’s a bear weekend every month, but it’s bear-friendly all of the time. Because this is one of the more southerly campgrounds on this list, the weather allows them to stay open year round. CampOut is about 190 kilometres northwest of Tallahassee, 250 kilometres east of Mobile.
Proctor, West Virginia
(Between Columbus and Pittsburgh)
Roseland Resort and Campground (925 Nolte Ln., Proctor). You can enjoy the pool, two hot tubs, extensive hiking trails and recreational facilities at this picturesque property all year round, but it’s the themed weekends, which peak in the summer, that will make it worth the trip: Kinko de Mayo, Nude, Take It Off, Bear Meets Leather, Skin. Nudity is permitted everywhere but the restaurant; even the hiking trails are clothing-optional. Roseland is about 255 kilometres east of Columbus, about 145 kilometres southwest of Pittsburgh.
Vittoria, Ontario
(Between London and Buffalo)
The Point (906 Charlotteville Rd. 2, Vittoria). Drawing adult campers of all ages from both the U.S. and Canada, this campground strikes the perfect balance between social, relaxed and spicy. The Friday night bonfires, where you can toast your junk a safe distance from the flames, are a great way to meet new people, but you can stroll up to pretty much anyone’s site and strike up a conversation. The trails can get very, very busy at night, especially after the Saturday night dance. As well as leather and bear weekends, leave it to Canadians to host a lumberjack weekend. The Point is about 160 kilometres southwest of Toronto, 120 kilometres southwest of Buffalo.
Angelica, New York
(South of Buffalo and Rochester)
Jones Pond (9835 Old State Rd., Angelica). Founded in the 1960s as a children’s camp, this has been a sanctuary for gay and bi men since 1991 and is now run by two Canadians. At more than 100 acres, it’s a large property to explore. As well as official weekend theme parties (onesies, gaymers, bear, leather, Speedos), the campground, like several others on this list, has a tradition of seasonal campers throwing special events. It’s always worth spending time chatting up fellow campers by the clothing-optional pool to find out who’s hosting what the weekend you’re there. Jones Pond is about 115 kilometres south of Buffalo or Rochester.
New Millford, Pennsylvania
(North of Scranton)
Hillside Campgrounds (948 Creek Rd., New Milford). The home base of the Northeast Nudist Society, this is a very naked-friendly place to pitch your tent. Though each weekend has a main theme (bears, fantasy fetish, leather, Latin, flannel), there are usually several parties happening each week—and pretty much always bingo. Did we mention that bingo is a big thing at gay campgrounds? Hillside is about 65 kilometres north of Scranton.
Sainte-Marthe, Quebec
(West of Montreal)
Camping Club Resort Plein Bois (550 Chem. Saint-Henri, Sainte-Marthe). If you guessed that a campground so close to one of North America’s sexiest gay cities must be full of sexy gay campers, you’d be right. It’s not just your tenting peers you’ll be impressed by. The amenities are also impressive—they’ve got a gym, two pools and an outdoor covered spa. The party themes are what you’d expect—bear, leather, disco, Mexican fiesta—but they mostly happen in French. One caveat: the clothing-optional area comprises only around a quarter of the property. Plein Bois is about 70 kilometres west of Montreal.
