About us
Meet others in Nashville, middle Tennessee, and beyond, interested in backpacking. At regular monthly meetings in the Brentwood REI Community Room, we discuss trails, equipment, tents, hammocks, packs, stoves, cameras and photography, clothing, weather, wildlife, first aid, food, recipes, etc., and find fellow hikers to go backpacking with. Our backpacking trips are multi-day events that require a great deal of work by hike organizers. PLEASE RSVP WITH INTEGRITY; if you can't do that, this might not be the Meetup group for you.
Most of our trips are open to all members on a first-come basis. However, there will be events that are attendance-selective based on difficulty, experience required, past participation in related or similar events, etc. This will be at the discretion of the specific event organizer.
Upcoming events
9
- $8.00
Beginner's Overnight: Virgin Falls Martha's Pretty Point, August 22-23, 2026
Virgin Falls Trailhead Parking, 2080 Scotts Gulf Rd, Sparta, TN, USPlease read the entire description before RSVP'ing.
Saturday: We will meet at 11:00 AM central time at the Scotts Gulf Wilderness (also known as Virgin Falls State Natural Area). We will then hike down the Virgin Falls Trail, then turn right just past the Cable Crossing campsite and head up to Martha's Pretty Point. This hike is suitable for all skill levels. Please bring a map and familiarize yourself with the trail beforehand. From Martha's, those who want to can explore the area. It's about a 3 mile round trip hike to Big Laurel Falls, and about a 5 mile round trip to Virgin Falls. (NOTE: The hike down to the falls is quite strenuous, and optional).
Route Info (Gaia)Sunday: We will complete the loop, hiking the Upland trail approximately 2.5 miles back out to the trailhead.
Route Info (Gaia)I have reserved several sites at Martha's Pretty Point. I am holding some spots for beginners who have taken (or are enrolled in) one of my Intro to Backpacking Classes, but haven't had their free trip yet. If this applies to you, the trip is included in your class fee. It will be $8 per person for everyone else. I accept Venmo, Paypal, or CashApp. Please contact me as soon as you RSVP , or you will remain on the waitlist.
Super Important Info:
- Whether you are a free or paid attendee, send me a text message to 931-267-9378 to a) confirm your attendance and b) make payment (where applicable). If you do not contact me within 24 hours of RSVP, you will return to the waitlist.
- Just because the list is full doesn't automatically mean the trip is full. Go ahead and contact me when you RSVP, even if you're on the waitlist. You might be pleasantly surprised.
- Payment info:
Venmo - @BackpackerWill
Paypal - @aretebackpacking
CashApp - $BackpackerWillRefunds - Up until 7 days before the trip, if you cancel AND someone takes your spot and pays, I will refund your fee. Within 7 days of the trip, there will be no refunds.
Weather - We will go rain or shine, unless there are dangerous storms in the forecast. It could be quite cold, so please let me know if you have any concerns or questions about your gear, or if you need anything.
Water - There is a stream near camp, but it's seasonal. The most reliable source is about 0.5 miles from camp, so you may have to carry water a short distance. Please have a filter, or some other way to purify your water.
Food Storage - There are no bears at Virgin Falls, so special food storage is not required. I do recommend some basic means to protect your food from rodents, etc.
This will be a pup- and kid-friendly trip. Feel free to bring your well-behaved doggos and kids. If you have any questions about this hike, please let me know. My phone number is 931-267-9378. Please RSVP with integrity....canceling at the last minute keeps someone else from attending.
14 attendees 
LeConte Lodge September 2026
Rainbow Falls Parking, Rainbow Falls Trailhead Parking, Cherokee Orchard Road, Gatlinburg, tn, USBrief Trip Description ($429/person):
Tuesday and Wednesday nights in the LeConte Lodge. Breakfast is served at 8:00am ET and dinner is served at 6:00pm. Sack Lunches are available for $14, or bring your own food for lunch on Wednesday.September 1st (Tuesday):
Meet at the Rainbow Falls trailhead at 11 am CST (12pm EST) and climb up to the lodge via the Rainbow Falls Trail. Dinner is at 6pm, and we can try to catch sunset from Clifftop afterward. Sunset should be at approximately 8pm this time of year.September 2nd (Wednesday):
Weather permitting, we could try to see sunrise from Myrtle Point. Sunrise should be shortly after 7am. It will take about 20 minutes to walk over there.After breakfast, we can go on a day hike. We can decide where to as a group, or we can split up. Charlies Bunion is about a 14 mile round trip. Or we could go north to Brushy Mountain along the Trillium Gap Trail.
The llamas will probably be climbing up the Trillium Gap trail on this day, so we might see them on the way there, or at the lodge.
We can catch sunset from Clifftop again today.
September 3rd (Thursday):
We'll have a second chance to catch the sunrise today. After breakfast we will pack our things and hike back down the mountain via the Bullhead Trail.Youtube video of the shelter and lodge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJLAmsylSD0
Please send the money via Venmo to @Joshua-Caron-6. I cannot give any refunds unless someone takes your spot on the trip.
I will message you thru the Meetup app if you are moved from the waitlist to the attending list.
There are only 4 spots available, including myself.
Please text me at 615-631-8957 if you are interested in learning more.4 attendees
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