Have you ever wanted to run around naked outside

. . . legally? To just take off your clothes and run around free and let the breeze blow in places where it’s never blown before?

Few people realize Middle Tennessee is home to one of the oldest (and nicest) nudist resorts in the country? Rock Haven Lodge and Nudist Resort is only seven miles down Bradyville Pike from the ‘Boro. The 25-acre park has been around for 40 years, and is a member of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.

Clubhouse at Rock Haven

The owners of Rock Haven, Dennis and Susan Palmer, live on the property, as do 23 permanent others in secluded, beautiful surroundings full of trees, greenery and lots of cool things to do and see. The Palmers are very gracious hosts and spent our entire time there showing us the park, puttering around most of the time in a golf cart. Their dog, Sadie, romped around near us all the time, wanting to be petted. By the way, she wasn’t wearing clothes either!

The rustic setting was most relaxing, with Dave, the train engineer, showing off the awesome miniature train, which runs around the entire resort for 1/2 mile, for the children to ride. We looked kinda silly getting on it ourselves, but our photographer was in heaven, taking photos left and right as we choo-chooed through the park.

The resort has about 400 members, who pay a yearly fee to come and go as they please. Weekdays are sometimes slow, but weekends bring crowds from all over: Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and from Memphis to Knoxville. Rock Haven is one of two nudist resorts in Tennessee, the other being Cherokee Lodge in Crossville. Although memberships are requested at Rock Haven, you can also go in and spend the day for just $30. And students showing their college ID get in for the full day for just $5.

The park IS a nudist resort, NOT clothing optional, and Mrs. Palmer might have been a little surprised when the photographer and I shucked off our clothes and left them in the car. She said CNN came in last year to do a feature, as did WTVF Channel 5 news, and none of those reporters or cameramen dared go in the buff. Ha! Leave it to the Pulse to get the bare facts.

The park offers RV hook-ups, tent sites, full amenity cabins (for $65 – 75 a night), a clubhouse with a fireplace, TV, pool table and darts, breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekends, restrooms with showers, a beautiful pool, a hot tub, tennis court (racquets available), horseshoes, shuffleboard, petanque, table tennis, a children’s swing set, a half-mile walking trail, picnic tables, ice, and a country store.

The park also has mini-NASCAR races on Saturday nights. With a speedway and checker flags and lights, remote controlled cars zing around the track. Very cool.

What inspired me was the volleyball courts. It was not until after I offered The Pulse team as challengers in volleyball competition that I found out these folks take the sport seriously. The clubhouse is filled with trophies the resort has won playing other nude resorts around the nation. The Pulse crew need now to be more concerned whether we get our butts beat when we play Rock Haven in volleyball, not just showing our butts.

What was really nice too, was the open air snack bar, which I kept calling a sports bar. It was huge, with plenty of tables/chairs, a big TV, a bar and two very nice dart boards. Although the park does not provide alcohol, it does allow coolers and you can bring your own. They do not allow glass containers, for obvious reasons, but you can bring cans and plastic bottles.

What a way to spend the afternoon, in an open air sports bar, with your drink, kicked back, sunglasses, ball cap, and Crocs . . . and naked! And only a few feet from the pool.

In chatting with several permanent residents on the property, I met Elaine and Don, who are retired military. They have been nudists for 17 years, and have lived at Rock Haven for 10. Tanned and relaxed, they wore big smiles and are very nice folks. We also met Betty and Ricky, who have been comfortable without clothes for 10 years, and have lived at Rock Haven for 3 years. I wasn’t uncomfortable being naked with these people, I was uncomfortable because I found nudists will look you in the eye when they talk to you. Try that with clothes on!

The AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation) which includes Rock Haven and some 270 other nudist resorts around the nation, is on a campaign right now to to boost their 18 – 25 year old membership, attempting to show the younger generation you can be naked, have fun, kick back with nature, and do it all inexpensively. More and more of the younger generation seem to realize it’s OK to go without clothes, without the sexual connotations that come with it.

Many families are finding an escape in nude recreation. All over Europe and Canada, people have been going to nude parks, resorts and beaches for many years. In one place in Germany, clothing is optional throughout the town. It strikes me funny that in countries where nudism is accepted, and in the U.S. nudist resorts, teens who are nudists are less likely to have premarital sex, do drugs, talk dirty about the opposite sex, smoke, and are more respectful to their elders. Adults are less likely to steal, lie or have affairs. Rape is almost unheard of, and stress-related heart trouble is practically non-existent.

Yet, we are the “Puritan Nation,” where a recent Attorney General wanted to put clothes on statues in Washington.

I challenge everyone who reads this article, especially the ones with college IDs, to go to Rock Haven just once and try it out. After 15 minutes, you do not even realize you’re nude. Why? ‘Cause everyone else is too!

And by the way, it is not a nudist “colony.” As Don stated, “We are not ants.” So don’t say the “C” word while there, it is a resort.

Rock Haven has rules to go by, just as any park or campground:

• Everyone must register in the office upon arrival.

• Activities may not be disruptive to the tranquility of the campgrounds.

• “Quiet Time” is observed between midnight and 8 a.m. except for scheduled events.

• This is a nudist park. Everyone is expected to be nude with the exception of cold weather or sunburn. Underwear is not considered outerwear and is prohibited. No genital jewelry allowed.

• Cell phones, cameras, camcorders are prohibited.

• Physical violence, intoxication, possession and/or disbursement or use of drugs, display of firearms or sexual activities will cause immediate expulsion from grounds and/or loss of membership.

• No Littering

• Please sit on your towel at all times!

• Do not drive across the railroad tracks at any place not clearly marked as a “railroad crossing”. Vehicles driving across the track can lead to expensive damage.

Directions to Rock Haven

Turn left off of Bradyville Pike onto Gum Puckett Road. Go 1/2 mile, and turn left into Rock Haven Road. Go another 1/2 mile down this wilderness road to the gate. Honk the horn. They will acknowledge you and let you in. The park is open for visitors from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Take a camper or a tent overnight if you want. For more information, visit rockhavenlodge.com.