What’s going on at Vantage Beach?
A crackdown on clothing-optional use at a longtime nudist spot near the Gorge Amphitheatre sparks community backlash and questions about public land access
For years, a remote stretch of shoreline along the Columbia River known informally as Vantage Beach—also called Serenity Beach or Frenchman Coulee—has served as a semi-tolerated site for nude recreation in central Washington state. Situated across from the town of Vantage and near the famed Gorge Amphitheatre, the beach's desert backdrop and relative seclusion have made it an appealing destination for nudists throughout the Pacific Northwest. But as of spring 2025, that era appears to be coming to a close.
In March, the Grant County Public Utility District (Grant PUD), which owns and manages the land in question, began actively enforcing a no-nudity policy at the Frenchman Coulee Recreation Area. The move followed what the agency described as recurring issues with inappropriate behavior and complaints from adjacent property owners. Enforcement escalated in early May, when a nude man was permanently trespassed from all Grant PUD recreation areas after allegedly refusing to leave the site when asked by a sheriff's deputy.
“We understand nudism is a thing,” a PUD spokesperson told Source ONE News, “but Grant PUD needs its properties to be family-friendly and welcoming.”1 In addition to posting security personnel on-site, the utility district has installed cameras and new signage clearly stating that nudity is prohibited.
The crackdown has prompted swift backlash and debate online. In a Reddit thread addressing the changes, a user claiming to be Grant PUD’s public information officer wrote, “Nudity and lewd behavior are not allowed on any Grant PUD properties, including the shoreline areas around both Wanapum and Priest Rapids dam reservoirs.”2
Historically, Vantage Beach existed in a kind of legal gray zone. While Washington State does not outlaw non-sexual public nudity per se, property owners like Grant PUD retain the right to set their own rules for recreational use. This has allowed the area to develop a quiet reputation as a clothing-optional retreat over several decades, even without official designation. Online directories like NudeBeachMap.com have long listed Vantage Beach as a nude-friendly site, noting its natural beauty, accessibility, and relatively lax enforcement provided no problems occurred.3
Comments in the Reddit thread reflect both frustration and understanding among users. “Requiring clothing such as bikini bottoms, g-strings, briefs, etc. doesn’t address the issue [of lewd behavior],” one commenter wrote. “It may actually get worse, being the regular nudists generally discourage such behavior.”4 The commenter also proposed more collaborative alternatives, such as partnering with local nudist groups to monitor the area and organize cleanups.
Grant PUD, however, appears to have made up its mind. In response to suggestions for designating an official clothing-optional zone, the public information officer wrote: “For what it’s worth, I did ask if we couldn't just designate one of our rec areas as a clothing-optional beach, but Grant PUD legal thought it best not to take on additional legal risk.”5
The decision has marked a major shift for those who have visited the beach for decades. Travel guides and nudist blogs have praised Vantage Beach for its scenic desert setting, soft sand trails, and peaceful ambiance. “On weekdays, it's a peaceful oasis, perfect for those seeking solitude,” the NudeBeachMap.com page for Vantage Beach describes. “However, on weekends, the beach livens up, attracting a diverse crowd, from local nudists to adventurous Seattleites.”
Those days may now be over. With the installation of surveillance, official enforcement, and a renewed emphasis on "family-friendly" recreation, Vantage Beach is unlikely to remain a haven for nudists moving forward. Still, some are holding out hope that respectful advocacy might bring change.
A final message from Grant PUD’s representative on Reddit suggested a path forward: “The best you could do at this point is attend... a Grant PUD commission meeting... and express your views to the commissioners. If you do, please wear clothing.”6 🪐
Source ONE News. (2025, May). Nudists trespassed from Frenchman Coulee Recreation Area as Grant PUD enforces nudism ban. Retrieved from https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/nudists-trespassed-from-frenchman-coulee-recreation-area-as-grant-pud-enforces-nudism-ban/article_b105da13-f4d8-419a-8297-54d30e43ec14.html
u/pudgy_1. (2025, March-May). Comments on "Nudity is prohibited at Vantage Beach/Serenity Beach/Frenchman Coulee and trail" [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/nudism/comments/1jj27ku/comment/mjqvur7/
Nude Beach Map. (2023, November). Vantage Beach (Wanapum Reservoir), USA. Retrieved from https://nudebeachmap.com/places/vantage-beach-wanapum-reservoir
u/NudeLlama. (2025, March-May). Comments on "Nudity is prohibited at Vantage Beach/Serenity Beach/Frenchman Coulee and trail" [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/nudism/comments/1jj27ku/comment/mm3s6m0/
u/pudgy_1. (2025, March-May). Comments on "Nudity is prohibited at Vantage Beach/Serenity Beach/Frenchman Coulee and trail" [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/nudism/comments/1jj27ku/comment/mjqtbyk/
u/pudgy_1. (2025, March-May). Comments on "Nudity is prohibited at Vantage Beach/Serenity Beach/Frenchman Coulee and trail" [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/nudism/comments/1jj27ku/comment/mm43oge/
"Travel guides and nudist blogs have praised Vantage Beach for its scenic desert setting, soft sand trails, and peaceful ambiance."
Ah, yes, the soft sand trails near Vantage. Or maybe they are soft volcanic ash. We were tent camping across the country in the summer of 1980, a few months after Mount St. Helens erupted. We had tried to the coast early so we could get through the areas with inches of volcanic ash being bulldozed off the roads and blowing right back on, but leaving relatives is never quick.
Sunset drew near with no spots in sight and then we came across a KOA with lush green grass. We got a campsite. The first surprise came while setting up the tent; the tent stakes slid effortlessly into the ground. What had looked like 1-2 inches of grass was 6 inches of grass with 5 inches of volcanic ash atop it.
We cooked dinner and began eating. As the wind began to blow, we finished quickly, to finish before the food got too gritty with ash. This was the second surprise.
Our trip was a mix of boondocking and commercial campgrounds. At the commercial campgrounds, our kids always insisted on visiting the campgrounds stores. This night was no different. While they were browsing, I addressed the clerk. Wondering about the wind (and our tent's stability), but not wanting to appear ignorant, I asked, "Does the wind here blow like this often?"
The clerk replied, "Mister, this is Vantage. We were shocked when the wind stopped blowing today!"
Sure enough, the tent dropped on us at about midnight in the continuing winds. I calmed the family and gave them refuge in the van while restoring the tent. About an hour later it dropped again, breaking one of the fittings. We spent the rest of the night in the van.
Okay, here's the nudist connection. On the nights when we were boondocking--no one else nearby--and the kids were asleep, I did spend some naked time outdoors, something very rare while my late wife was still alive.
Vantage was my closest and favourite nude beach when I passed through to Eastern Washington and when attending concerts at the Gorge, George, Washington, when I lived in Bellevue, and worked in Redmond. I was the second president of the Sun Lovers under Gray Skies (SLUGS) at slimetrail.org between 1998 and 2002, and we made many fond memories at the nude beach at Vantage. How a few bad apples in Washington state can ruin it for everyone!