[pct-l] Dress code for hotsprings?

[Bob Bankhead]

>From personal experience - 

Yes, Dow Villa will demand proper swimming attire. While they do a nice
hiker business, they are first and foremost a tourist motel. That means
families and lots of kids.

Ida Bell Hot Springs (on the Fish Creek Trail alternate route from the PCT
north to Reds Meadow) is definitely clothing optional. We were there for 5
hours and the only folks wearing clothes were those waiting for a pool to
open or those just leaving. There are actually 4 hot pools there; two in the
meadow (both with campsites) and two more up the hill, out of site of the
meadow. There is a path up to them, but you have to find it. This alternate
route is the same length as the official PCT route and is highly recommended
over the PCT route through Tulley Hole and Lake Virginia to Reds Mdw.





-----Original Message-----

Speaking very broadly, you can expect that all swimming opportunities in
public, developed locations (swimming pools, lakes with easy automobile
access, etc.) will require top (for females) and bottom coverage.  In many
places a sports bra and underwear would probably be sufficient, though
places like Dow Villa would probably frown on that if they specifically
prohibit street clothes, and hopefully you wash out the trail grunge before
getting into a swimming pool in any case.  In many undeveloped backcountry
locations you'll find an unofficial "clothing optional" policy but you still
need to be sensitive to the standards of others who might already be there.
A few places, like Deep Creek hot springs, are well-known to be
clothing-optional so you probably won't have problems there.

Eric