I have wanted to hike the Tanque Verde Wash trails for years. Earler this month, realizing I would have some free time, I checked to see if there were any geocaches along the trails. I was very happy to see GC15JKX, accessible from the clothing-optional trail upstream of the waterfalls. (The c/o trail is the 3rd of 3 trails down to the wash. The sign at the trailhead clearly warns textiles that nude hikers may be encountered. If you do not see this sign, you are not on the correct trail. After parking, you can hike nude as soon as you are out of sight from the road, just a bit past the aforementioned sign.)

And so on a beautiful early April day, the sun bright and warm but not oppressively hot, I made my way down the trail to the wash, emerging onto a sandy beach along a broad, shallow pool. A short distance downstream, the smaller of the 2 main waterfalls stood above the deepening canyon; the view courted me with its beauty. But my goal was in the other direction, past the boulders and rock features that dared me to forge a path upstream along the cool rushing water.

I am not certain how long it took me to reach the vicinity of the geocache; I was having too much fun making my way along the wash, crossing at times from one side of the stream to the other, drinking in the beauty of the landscape around me. Along the way, I passed 3 solitary naturists enjoying the sun and a similar number of textile hikers, none bothered by the presence or sight of the others. When I did hone in on the location of the cache, I must admit it took me quite a lot of searching to actually find it, in truth making the find that much sweeter. After a brief break, I rewarded myself by continuing my hike up and down along the wash for another 3 hours or so. All in all, a great outing.

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