The bare facts - a place for every body

It was a beautiful early summer day.

Warm, but not too hot. Sunny. The best kind of day to venture out to the pool or hit a hiking trail. Maybe socialize with the neighbors.

Zipping around Oaklake Trails in golf carts, the residents and guests certainly took advantage of the weather on June 7. Many were out and about, either sunbathing by the pools or washing their cars or RVs. They waved at each other and shouted greetings. It was just like any other small town or resort community.

Except for the fact that almost everyone was varying degrees of naked.

Oaklake Trails Naturist Resort, located between Depew and Stroud, has been open since 1992 and is a bit of a hidden gem.

“Even though we’ve been a fixture in the area for 32 years, in one day, I personally met three people who live here (in the area) and did not have a clue that we were here,” joked long-time resident Diana McCalment.

Originally from out-ofstate, she’s lived full-time at Oaklake Trails with her husband Ray since 1995 and has no plans to leave.

“I want a place where I know that if I need help, I can have it. And if there’s help I can give, I can give it,” she said. “And I don’t know if that’s utopia, but that was my definition of where I want to live the rest of my life, and I’ve got it.”

That sense of community makes Oaklake unique, along with the fact that all are welcome.

COO Nate McPherson said they’ve adopted the slogan “Where every body belongs,” and they really stick to it.

“Who you are, where you’re from, what you believe, what you look like, as long as you follow the rules, then you’re welcome,” he said. “People might have their own personal beliefs, and they may disagree with things, but it really is extremely welcoming.”

McCalment added that is what draws people to Oaklake.

“I’m convinced that it’s the fact that there’s never any judgment here. Being able to come and know that you’re going to be accepted as long as you behave appropriately, (and) that no one is going to question you unless you offer information,” she said.

She added that people feel incredibly safe. Part of that could be the extensive background check everyone must undergo before they’re allowed on the property. McPherson said a member used to bring her dates to the park because of the check.

The park has undergone many changes. Gary and Brenda Spangler are among the original eight couples who bought the property in 1991 and built it into what it is today.

“We’re the people that have seen it go from nothing to what it is now. It’s just mind-boggling,” Brenda said. She said there was nothing here - just grass.

Gary said the couples would come out every weekend on Saturday morning and work until dark, then go home, come back and do it all over again on Sunday morning. When they officially opened, the resort had power, a small in-ground pool, a slab and the bathrooms.

Oaklake Trails is now over 400 acres with 117 lots, 14 cabins, RV spots, tent camping, two pools, a hot tub, a sauna, a clubhouse, a restaurant, a chapel, pickleball and shuffleboard courts, and about 12 miles of hiking trails. That’s not to mention weekly parties on Fridays, along with special events on holiday weekends, and so much more.

The resort also has a unique ownership structure. It’s owned by 35 couples and rather than taking a dividend, the owners put all the money back into the resort, COO McPherson said.

“This is why you see all the nice things you see today,” he said. “I think it’s the real secret to why we’re successful. Also, Oaklake is diverse inside the nudist world.”

McPherson explained that other resorts can have very strict rules, such as not allowing single men or only allowing them on specific days. Oaklake doesn’t discriminate against gender on entry and has made efforts to reach out to underrepresented groups, like women and the LGBTQ community. As a result, its membership has increased 50% in the last three years, and it is about 50-50 men and women.

They also continue to grow with more lots being built and a good portion already sold.

“You come for the novelty or the allure or the bucket list item, and you end up staying because you make friends,” McPherson said.