Help save Wildwood Naturist Resort
Texas club launches fundraiser to keep its land and community intact
Wildwood Naturist Resort, a long-standing nudist haven in Decatur, Texas, is at a crossroads. The club’s current owners have decided to retire and placed the property on the market with an asking price of $4 million. For the community of nearly 50 full-time residents and 75 weekend members, this news has raised the urgent question: what comes next?
The answer, they hope, is that Wildwood stays Wildwood. To that end, a steering committee of members has just launched a new fundraiser aimed at raising $30,000 as the first step toward a larger $1.5 million goal.
The money raised will help secure legal and organizational resources to move toward member ownership and preserve Wildwood as a naturist retreat rather than see it converted into a clothes-mandatory environment. This fate has befallen too many other nudist clubs in recent years.
Founded in the late 1990s, Wildwood has for more than two decades welcomed Texans and travelers alike to its 98 acres of woods, meadows, pools, and campgrounds. It is a place where families gather for potlucks, residents host water volleyball games, and members organize a popular annual 5K known as the Skinnydipper Sun Run. For many, Wildwood is a home.
Check out the campaign and make a donation right here.
The campaign is being organized under the banner of WW Invest 2025, with support from both the current owners and a diverse committee of members determined to carry the club into its next chapter. Their GoFundMe page explains:
“We are not only members but also live in this community, as do approximately 50 other people… With your help, we can prevent the closure or repurpose of our resort and protect this wonderful lifestyle from being lost.”
For longtime naturists, Wildwood’s situation is part of a familiar story. Clubs across the U.S. have closed or been sold off in recent years, often replaced by developments that erase decades of naturist history. What makes this fundraiser stand out is the chance for members themselves to buy and preserve their land.
Whether or not you live in Texas, supporting this effort sends a message about the importance of naturist spaces everywhere. Places like Wildwood don’t just happen — they’re built and sustained by people who believe in body freedom, community, and the value of simply being ourselves in nature.
The Wildwood community is asking for help. You can join them by contributing to their campaign here:
Every donation, no matter the size, is a step toward keeping Wildwood alive for the next generation. 🪐
I have substantial experience with entities (usually non-profit) raising funds for a specific purpose like this. Without a doubt, the most important thing the sponsoring entity can do to capture the interest (and donations!) of a broader audience is to demonstrate a very high level of commitment by the "insiders". In this case, they claim there are 50+ residents and another 75+ members who are doing their best to raise $30,000 to launch an acquisition effort that will require $1.5MM. This seems quite reasonable on its face.
But when I reviewed their progress on the donation site, only 18 people have stepped up and the average donation is under $100. If they are fully committed to raising Funds from "outsiders", who typically only commit funds to a campaign that appears to be fully supported by the "insiders", they really need to step up. They should be able to raise at least $1,000 from each resident, and perhaps $500 from each non-resident member, which would get them $87,500. When you can demonstrate that level of commitment to the "outside world" I think you will find many more people joining in the mission to preserve this precious community.
Without strong "insider buy-in", good luck trying to convince donors you are not just another bunch of dreamers that will never step up and get it done.
I wish you great success in your endeavor!
As you said, this resort is among many that are on the market or about to be. What is the national organizations role in 'saving' resorts for future generations to enjoy?