Wilderness
Backpacking, canoeing, camping and outdoor skills in Tennessee, and the case for wilderness in the formation of boys and men. Meriwether Academy leads men’s backpacking trips and father-son trips from Nashville; current trips are on our events page.
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Homeschool Enrichment for Teenage Boys in Middle Tennessee
Homeschooling can give a teenage boy a superb education. It also tends to leave a few specific gaps, and around Nashville most of them…
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Winter Camping in Tennessee With Your Son: How to Stay Warm and Why It Is Worth It
Tennessee winters are mild enough to camp through and cold enough to teach a boy something. What to expect, how to sleep warm, and…
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How to Teach a Boy to Build a Fire, Step by Step
Building a fire is one of the oldest skills a father can pass to a son. A step by step method, from gathering tinder…
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Outdoor Adventures Near Chattanooga for Fathers and Sons
Chattanooga sits at the edge of some of the best hiking and whitewater in the South. Three adventures for a father and son, with…
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Exploring Caves in Tennessee With Your Son: Where to Start Underground
Tennessee has thousands of caves, and a few of them are perfect for a boy’s first trip underground. Where to go, the history you…
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Day Hikes Near Nashville for Fathers and Sons: Five Trails Worth Knowing
Real woods inside Metro Nashville: five day hikes for a father and son, with verified trail lengths, park rules, and a plan for matching…
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Outdoor Programs for Teenage Boys Around Nashville: How to Tell a Good One From a Busy One
Most outdoor programs look alike on a website. The differences show up in who carries the pack, who makes the decisions, and what happens…
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The Gap Year, Done Right: What a Young Man Should Do With a Year Off
A year between high school and whatever comes next can be the making of a young man or a long vacation. Here is what…
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Climbing Mount LeConte With a Teenage Son: A Smokies Rite of Passage
Mount LeConte is the highest peak entirely within Tennessee, and the hike to its summit is one of the great father and son challenges…
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Backpacking With a Teenage Boy: Pack Weight, Mileage, and What to Let Him Carry
A teenager can carry more and walk farther than a child, and less than his father assumes. Practical numbers and rules from years of…