The Road Less Traveled stands in solidarity with the camp world and black and indigenous people of color to affirm that black lives matter today and every day. See how RLT plans to speak up and take action.
Join us in on our 10 day Black History Education and Adventure program Tenneessee as we explore the Blue Ridge Mountains and learn about black history, antiracism, and social entrepreneurship.
The 14-year-old girl I put on the plane was not the same young woman that got off the plane when the trip was over. I could literally see the difference in her face. She looked like a person who was confident in herself, liked herself and was ready to engage with all the exciting things her future has in store.” Parent of RLT Alumna
Keep scrolling to learn more about this high school education and adventure program in Tennessee!
Visit America's most visited National Park and explore ridge after ridge of lush greenery and endless trails. Conquer severl of the parks hikes including Rainbow Falls and Alum Cave.
Engage in Black-taught learning experiences covering topics such as diversity, black history, and antiracism. We'll facilitate nightly discussions on complex issues and support each other as we become more confident to have these conversations with our communities at home.
Cover 5 miles of roaring river rapids surrounded by Cherokee National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Traverse the 8 mile trail along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport, passing Civil War sites, historic homes, and city landmarks.
Spend the day in nature with a new furry friend. Learn about these gentle creatures and the surrounding area as our expert guide leads us through charming forest trails.
Pass from the Cherokee National Forest and into Nantahala National Forest as we cross the 43 mile scenic highway complete with unspoiled views of Tennessee wilderness.
8 - 12
10 Days
$3,250
Tuition includes all activities and food while on the trip, along with a basic travel protection package. The Road Less Traveled has purchased the Group Protection plan post-departure benefits on behalf of all participants. If interested in the optional Cancel for Any Reason benefits please contact the RLT office for rates and information.
Lodging is a combination of a private home and tent camping. Bedrooms in the private home will be divided by gender and participants will sleep slumber party style – in sleeping bags, rotating available beds nightly. Showers are available; however, we shower every three to four days to conserve resources and support sustainability.
Nashville, TN (BNA)
Coming Soon
Last summer we successfully ran our Colorado Wolf Refuge program allowing students to get outside, socialize with their peers, and volunteer their time. After months of quarantine and increased exposure to technology, time in the outdoors has proven to be exactly what students needed. With an abundance of caution and well defined protocols, we were able to keep students safe, healthy, and happy. We are confident that we are able to continue offering life changing experiences in the outdoors, mitigating risk to keep students safe. We encourage you to learn more here about our policies related to COVID-19.
Arrival (Day 1):
All arrive in Nashville, TN. Depart for home base in Gatlinburg.
We begin our adventure by crossing the 43 mile scenic highway that connects Tennessee and North Carolina, taking in the sweeing mountain views and stopping for photos along the way. We'll break into small groups as we begin our Black History lessons and learn more about one another.
This 4.5 mile round trip hike will introduce us to the Tennessee wilderness. We'll see blooming rosebay rhododendro, arched rock formations, and the views of Inspiration Point until we reach Alum Cave. In the evening we will continue our group lessons and discussions on Black History and Antiracism.
We'll hop on our bikes and hit the Kingsport Greenbelt Trail as we cross over 8 miles of serene wilderness and historic landmarks.
This steady climb hike crosses boulder fields, and cascading creeks as we make our way to Rainbow Falls. Aptly named for it's distinction as the highest single-drop waterfall in the Smokies. If the weather is nice, we'll be lucky enough to see why it's given the name Rainbow Falls as the mist interacting with the filtered sunlight provides a colorful display.
We'll take a rest from adventure as we stock up on groceries and have a half way point laundry session. In the evening we'll continue our lessons and group discussions on Diversity and Social Justice.
Cover 5 miles of roaring river rapids surrounded by Cherokee National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains.
This hiking trail is short but mighty. Though the trail is only 3 miles round trip, we'll experience an elevation gain of 960 feet in the last mile. This rate of elevation is only rivaled by the Colorado Fourtneers. Our reward when we reach the peak will be stunning panoramic views.
What better way to conclude a program than hike with some fluffy new friends! Enjoy a beautiful hike through forests and mountain vistas, accompanied by a pack of llamas. In the evening we will celebrate all we have learned and accomplished together with a final banquet.
Head back to Nashville and say our final goodbyes before boarding our flights home.
Please note that, given the unprecedented nature of travel currently, this itinerary is subject to change.
The Road Less Traveled requires an up-to-date tetanus shot or booster (within the last nine years). In addition, we require an RLT Physician's Form to be signed by the partcipant's physician, affirming they are healthy to travel on an RLT trip.
We will use a combination of quarantining prior to arrival, receiving negative test results, distancing from other groups, utilizing outdoor spaces, masking when distancing and outdoor spacing isn't possible, and sanitizing regularly to create our isolated bubble. We have mitigation plans should a participant or staff present with symptoms of COVID-19, and have extensively researched testing sites and medical facilities in the areas we travel. We are in constant communiation with top experts in the field to stay educated so we're able to make the best decisions for RLT, our participants, and our staff. We have had to completely rethink our itineraries to create COVID-19-safe programming while still maintaining the integrity of the RLT experience.
Day-To-Day Calendar
If you’d like to receive an emailed copy of this program’s day-to-day calendar, please give our office a call anytime between 9am and 5pm CST at 773-342-5200, and we’ll happily send you one!
It is imperative that no one make any travel arrangements until RLT provides instructions for specific arrival and departure time windows. Those details are typically released in mid-spring.
Families are individually responsible for booking their own airfare to get their student from home to the starting destination on the first day of the trip, and from the ending destination back home on the last day of the trip.
Join us for the summer of a lifetime!
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