Hippie Hollow Park
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Hippie Hollow Park (formerly known as McGregor Park and usually simply called Hippie Hollow) is a county park in central Texas located on the shore of Lake Travis northwest Austin. It is the only clothing-optional public park in the State of Texas. Though the land is owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority, it is leased to Travis County, whose Parks Department administers the park.
Hippie Hollow got its name due to its traditional use as a nude swimming, or "skinny-dipping", spot beginning in the early 1960s. This usage continues to this day, though that status has been unsuccessfully challenged in the courts. The clothing-optional status is protected by the placement of appropriate signage at the park entrance, which duly warns visitors of possibility of encountering nude swimmers.
Sometimes erroneously labeled as a nude beach, the park actually sits on a somewhat steep slope above the lakes with limestone steps that can be quite rugged in some spots. While some observers might find that feature to be somewhat incompatible with the lack of clothing, park users have adapted quite well, preferring it to the sandy beach and salty waters that are characteristic of most nude beaches.
The park has an area of 109 acres (41 hectares) and receives approximately 350,000 visitors annually.
External link
- Official Site (http://www.co.travis.tx.us/tnr/parks/hippie_hollow.asp)