A Secluded Nude Beach

Longnook Beach, One Of Cape Cod’s Naturist Destinations

Longnook Beach

The Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts has some wonderful beaches, and nude sunbathing used to be a common practice at many of them. A change in federal management has attempted to end those opportunities, but they live on at some secluded beaches, such as Longnook (or Long Nook) Beach in Truro.

Mike, who has been going to Cape Cod since 1978, offered his views of the area: “The Cape is an amazing and beautiful place and is constantly changing,” he says. “The beauty is not just the beaches but everything the Cape has to offer, so explore and you will find that you will be returning year after year.”

Longnook Beach is known for its large sand dunes and isolated, wild feel. In addition to nude sunbathing, it is popular for swimming, surfing, and boogie boarding. With seals also finding the waters attractive, Great White sharks also sometimes appear. There is no lifeguard, so use caution when in the water.

Lucky beach-goers might be able to spot passing whales.

Despite the large number of people who travel to Cape Cod during the summer, Longnoon Beach remains relatively quiet, in part because of its difficult access along a steep path down a sand dune. That access was closed in April 2024 due to erosion, but reopened in 2025 after the town redid the pathway to the beach. The town of Truro has been considering the creation of a new beach access path, but because the Federal Aviation Administration owns part of the land, the feasibility of that solution is uncertain.

Families with small children or those with mobility problems may find the steep climb down to the beach to be a challenge. Fortunately, there is a more easily accessible option in Head of the Meadow Beach, which features windswept dunes, great ocean views, and plenty of parking. The surf can be rough at times, and nudity is not allowed there, but the receding tide exposes a sand bar that children may enjoy exploring.

Commenting about Longnook Beach, one beachgoer said, “It’s a bit of a steep walk down the trail to the beach (and a bit of a schlog back up), but once at beach level, if you walk a few hundred yards, you come to the nude section, which is right up against spectacular sand cliffs. There were maybe 60 - 80 people spread out along the next 500 - 600 yards. We felt comfortable taking a fairly long unclothed walk down the beach; the water was way too cold for either of us to consider swimming.”