Curious about nudism in Midwest US

Hi all,

I (23m) have recently found myself to be very curious of the nudist lifestyle. I never really thought I would be someone who was attracted to that lifestyle, but as of late I have been thinking about it from time to time and really changed my perspective on it. Not that I had a negative perspective, I was pretty indifferent, just never saw it as something I would do until recently.

I think it’s partly because of the summer heat in the Midwest (I’m in Ohio). These past few summers have been very hot, and especially this last week was incredibly hot (every day has been 90+ degrees and humid). I can’t quite remember when I had the thought, but one day, probably when I was on a run with no shirt on, I just thought the heat would probably feel great if I didn’t have to wear any clothes at all.

Of course there are some other factors as to why I want to explore nudism. I’ve always been a thick thigh guy which has caused me to be pretty insecure of my body all my life, until recently when I started trying to just be accepting of how my body is without only thinking about what I consider to be my flaws. I’ve also always felt a strong connection with nature. When I was in high school I would often drive to a near metro park and just hike out of the main area so I could be alone in nature and read my book or sometimes just sit out there and think. From reading about other people’s endeavors, I feel like nudism could help me with body positivity and also enhance my connection to nature.

So now my interest has been piqued and I’m curious if there are any good places I could explore nudism safely in the Midwest. I’ve heard of cedar trails, which is probably the closest to me, but wanted to get some advice before I tried to go there, or anywhere else for that matter. If I went, I would only go for a few hours one day and I would be by myself (I’m not ready to share this with anyone close to me yet). Would it be weird if I, a solo male, went by myself? I don’t want anyone to think I have the wrong intention and I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, I’m honestly just interested in the lifestyle and want to explore it for myself.

Is there somewhere else nearby I should check out instead?

What are some other basic tips for someone interested in beginning to explore nudism safely?