Naturists in the Wisconsin are concerned about their rights after the state Department of Natural Resources decided to close a popular nude beach near Sauk City.
The DNR said ongoing problems with drug use and public sexual activity at Mazomanie Beach caused the department to indefinitely close the area Tuesday. In recent years, the DNR has tried to reduce illegal activities by only opening the beach on weekends and increasing management of the area.
But some naturists in the state question if closing Mazo Beach is an attempt to limit nude sunbathing.
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“This is inevitable that (the DNR) would have to close the whole place, because they couldn’t just say ‘Well, now naturists can’t come,’” said Nicky Hoffman, owner of The Naturist Society in Oshkosh.
Hoffman said Mazo Beach has been a well-known spot for nude sunbathing since the 1960s, and the beach often draws tourists from surrounding states. She acknowledged there have been issues with drug use and sexual activity on the beach, but said that the illegal activities weren’t coming from the naturists.
“They were people that came down for other purposes and because it was a nude area, we were blamed for the problems,” Hoffman said.
The DNR said they plan to redevelop the recreational area, potentially adding a canoe launch and more trails, as well as updating amenities like parking and bathrooms.
Peter Huebner, president of the Village of Mazomanie, said he is excited about the renovations to the beach.
“(Mazomanie) has a lot of outdoor activities that we offer within the village and also outside the village limits, so this would actually add more to it,” Huebner said.
Hoffman said she’s also in favor of the DNR’s improvement to Mazo Beach, as long as naturists can still use the popular spot along the Wisconsin River.
“Naturists pay taxes on that property just like everybody else does in the state,” Hoffman said. “I think that it would be very nice to be able to still have a portion of the beach available for nude use.”
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