When Thousands of Nudists and Hippies Convene Near Two Religious Summer Camps for Girls, You Might Expect This Result

The vanguard of a group of 10,000 nudists, hippies and other free spirits has begun to arrive for the annual "Rainbow Family" gathering near Salt Lake City, prompting two Mormon Church-owned girls' summer camps to leave the area.

Attendees at the 2013 Rainbow Family gathering. (Image source: screengrab via YouTube)

The gathering has been largely peaceful in years past, reported the Associated Press, though a handful of drug arrests and public disturbances are to be expected.

In this June 17, 2014 photo, members of the Rainbow Family of Living Light prepare for the upcoming annual gathering outside of Heber City, Utah. Up to 20,000 people are expected to appear for the gathering around July 4th says the members of Rainbow. Authorities are preparing for the nudity and free-spiritedness they expect to take over a corner of national forest about 40 miles east of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/The Deseret News, Hugh Carey)

Already this year, Rainbow Family attendees have crashed a wedding reception looking for food, and a 39-year-old New Hampshire woman was found dead last Sunday near the Duchesne River.

Authorities said the woman appeared to have died in her sleep, though it was unclear if drugs played a role in her death.

Image source: YouTube screen grab

Attendees have expressed a desire to limit the environmental impact of Rainbow Family.

"People have approached and asked, 'How can we be lighter on the ground; how can we minimize those impacts?'" a Forest Service official told the Associated Press.

The very loosely organized Rainbow Family has met every year since 1972, descending on a different national park each year. This is the first time the group has convened in Utah since 2003.

Residents of Wasatch County have voiced concerns about the environmental, economic and social costs of the gathering.

"The taxpayers are going to have to deal with it whether they like it or not," said Wasatch County Sheriff Tim Bonner. "No one likes it. This many people coming in. It's a strain on law enforcement. It's a real strain on law enforcement around here. We hate it. It's not fun. It's hard on the families."

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