MOHNTON, Pa. - Hidden in woods among the hilly, green farmland of southern Berks County is a place that hundreds of people think of as a sanctuary.
It's a place where they rid themselves of everyday pressures, a place where clothes are shed as easily as stress and anxiety.
PSHS Inc., formerly known as the Penn Sylvan Health Society, is one of the nation's oldest nudist camps.
The secluded camp covers 130 acres in Brecknock Township not far from Maple Grove Raceway.
A wooden sign along Camp Road provides the only hint that the camp exists. But nudists from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other states find their way there - about 300 each weekend during the summer.
A member named Rick visits often. "When that gate opens, I feel like something just fell off my shoulders," the 55-year-old from Lititz said.
The camp is at once a microcosm of the outside world and a way to escape it.
While they speak openly about their lifestyle, most members are cautious about giving a reporter their full names or going into detail about their jobs. They don't want coworkers or customers to know about their clothes-free ways.
People new to Berks County might be surprised that a nudist camp exists in a strongly religious, conservative area.
Robin, 48, lives at the camp part of the year and runs the office. She says organizers realize the outside community is conservative and are careful about how and where they advertise.
Brecknock Township Supervisor Richard K. Burkhart lives about two miles away and knows several people who live at the camp.
"They're regular people," he said. "They just don't wear clothes."
PSHS looks pretty much like any other campground. There are a few cabins to rent, a playground, tennis and volleyball courts, and buildings where campers can sit or order something to eat. Other features are indoor and outdoor pools, an indoor hot tub, and a small motel.
Some members come on weekends and stay in campers or recreational vehicles. Others own mobile homes there.
Members are naked most of the time, but they put clothing on when they feel like it.
They stress that nudism is not about sex.
"If you're completely naked, you're not provocative," Tom said. "You're just naked."