Latimer Reservation

Home
United States
Spencer, TN
Latimer Reservation

Call Directions Website Contact the hotel

Escape to Latimer Reservation! Enjoy rustic charm & 1,550 acres of pristine wilderness on the Cumberland Plateau.

Ideal for Scouts, churches, schools, corporate groups, & businesses. Our outdoor chapel is perfect for unforgettable weddings.

10/26/2026

Another great fall weekend at Latimer Scout Reservation! 🍂⛺

Crisp autumn weather, wonderful fellowship, and unforgettable memories made by our Scouts, leaders, and commissioners. Here’s a look back at the action on the mountain:

🎉 2nd Annual Commissioner Retreat: Productive planning and goal setting for 2027 unit service wrapped up with an incredible feast—huge thanks to Ms. Jacki for cooking up a fabulous steak dinner featuring ribeyes, stuffed portobello mushrooms, brussels sprouts, and baked sweet potatoes!

Commissioners also enjoyed kayaking on the lake, target practice with chalk ball at the range, a beautiful night around the campfire by the lake, and a Saturday mini-Sasquatch hunt. Congratulations to Ms. Cheri Straughn for finding the most mini Squatches and winning a prize from the Trading Post!

🧗‍♂️ Unit Adventures & Campouts:
• Troop 186 (Alabama) camped in Tent City and headed out for epic rappelling at Savage Gulf.

• Troop 911 (Mt. Juliet) and Troop 1108 (Murfreesboro) took on Latimer’s 75-foot natural cliff face for climbing and rappelling.

• Troop 86 brought a big crew out to camp at Turkey Pond.

• A special shout-out to Pack 861, our loyal Scouters, for spending time up at the Observatory and hanging out at Squatchy’s all weekend!

🍦 Squatchy’s Outpost:
The outpost was buzzing all weekend long with ice cream, t-shirts, and fun. Don’t forget to check out the brand-new mini Squatchy rocking an awesome necklace, courtesy of Ranger Mark!

📸 Check out the photos below and tag your unit! What was your favorite moment from the weekend?

10/18/2026

Another top-tier fall weekend in the books at Latimer Reservation! 🍂

We wrapped up our Fall Wilderness First Aid course, and the weather couldn't have been better for hands-on backcountry scenario training. A huge thank-you to Bob Forde, his wife Janet, and their daughter Katie for leading such an outstanding, practical course. The mountain kitchen didn't disappoint either—the crew stayed fueled with hearty homemade chili, warm fluffy baked potatoes, fresh cornbread, and the camp debut of the new Squatchy cookies!

Up at the Observatory campsite, Pack 253 made the mountain their home for the weekend. There is nothing better than seeing camp full of energetic Cub Scouts discovering the outdoors and making memories around the campfire.

Down at Squatchy’s Outpost, trading post operations were in full swing. We still have a limited run of our exclusive Fall Latimer patches in stock, but they are going fast. Once this batch clears out, they won't return until next fall. Be sure to book a weekend for your unit—or bring the whole family up to hike and camp—before they're gone!

To put the perfect finish on Saturday: right after Tennessee took down Alabama, the mountain sky turned into a massive, glowing orange sunset over the plateau. Even nature knows what colors to wear.

GB🍊and we’ll see you on the trail! 🏕️

10/13/2026

🍂 Weekend Update from Latimer Reservation! 🍂

Our groups had to dodge some much-needed hurricane rain this past weekend, but thankfully a perfect dry window opened up right in the middle of the day for everyone to get out and have some fun!

🛶 Cedar Lane Church of Christ joined us for their annual youth retreat. Thank you for being such a great group and choosing to come back to Latimer this fall! They had a fantastic time with a campfire program, lots of fellowship, kayaking on the lake, and great meals in the dining hall—including a massive taco bar for Saturday dinner! 🌮

⛺ Troop 522 from Clarksville spent their fall break with us, braving the wet weather down in Tent City. They cooked up some excellent camp food, hiked the trails, and enjoyed some fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. 🍪 A special thanks to Scoutmaster William Palmieri for his great leadership and dedication to the troop!

🍁 Fall is officially in the air here at camp. The leaves are changing beautifully, and we loved seeing so many visitors stopping by Squatchy’s Outpost.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made it a memorable weekend!

10/05/2026

Fall is officially in the air at Latimer Reservation, and what a fantastic week it has been on the mountain! 🍁⛺

Last week, we were honored to welcome back former Middle Tennessee Council Scout Executive Joe Long. He spent some time casting a line on his namesake, Joe Long Lake, and had incredible success—landing plenty of fish, including a beautiful 6-pound bass! 🎣

Over the weekend, Mother Nature delivered the best camping weather of the season so far. With crisp, overcast skies and the fall colors just beginning to turn across the plateau, Pack 591 and Troop 641 had the run of the entire property.
They took full advantage of the weekend with plenty of hiking, outdoor camp cooking, and kayaking on the lake. Things got competitive around the campfire with a youth vs. adults pumpkin carving showdown, and the results were incredible! 🎃

Before packing up, they swung by Squatchy’s Outpost to grab a few camp favorites and pick up our brand-new Fall Latimer collectible patch.
Check out the photos below to see the highlights! 📸👇

09/27/2026

What an incredible weekend on the mountain at Latimer Reservation!

We were thrilled to host our most loyal Pack 861 from Gordonsville, who spent the weekend camping up at the Observatory—the weather couldn’t have been more perfect for outdoor adventure.

The views this weekend did not disappoint. I managed to catch the moon setting quietly over the chapel, followed by a stunning sunrise spilling across Scotts Gulf.

On Saturday, we took a hike just across our northern border into the new Scotts Gulf State Park. We trekked down to the confluence where the Caney Fork River meets Bee Creek to scout out Big Springs—a truly fantastic primitive camping site nestled between the river and the fresh water flowing out of Blue Springs Cave. If your troop hasn't ventured out to explore this slice of wilderness yet, put it on your calendar. Between the rugged backcountry campsites and miles of scenic trails, it’s a must-do trek.

To cap off a great weekend, I had the honor of speaking with the Scouters of Wood Badge Course MT-72. We covered all the incredible high-adventure opportunities waiting here at Latimer and brainstormed some impactful ticket project ideas. A huge thank you to Scoutmaster Mindi Bell for inviting me out to share the Latimer story.

Whether you're looking for dark skies at the Observatory, backcountry miles, or a base camp for your next patrol adventure, Latimer is ready for your unit.

See you on the trail! 🏕️🌲

09/24/2026

🌿 What a Weekend at Latimer Reservation! ⛺

We loved opening our gates this past weekend to welcome a wonderful group of first-time visitors for the Midsouth Women's Herbal Conference!

It was a weekend full of great fellowship, connection, and amazing food options—including delicious portobello mushrooms, homemade tortilla chips, and baked sweet potatoes. 🍄🍠

A huge shoutout goes to Christian and Troop 640 for stopping by! Christian worked hard to complete the shelving in our program shed for NYLT equipment as part of his Wood Badge ticket for Course MT-71. Thank you for making such a lasting impact on our camp!

From community gatherings to incredible service projects, it was truly a fantastic weekend all around. We can't wait for the next one! ✨

09/17/2026

🍂 The fall lineup has officially landed! 🍂

They always say that ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE NOT LOST... but if you're out exploring the backcountry at Latimer, we might have to disagree! 👣🌲

Gear up for your next trek and check out this brand new tee—part of our fresh fall collection available NOW at Squatchy's Outpost.

🏕️ Drop by the trading post and grab yours before they wander off!

09/14/2026

🏕️ What a Crazy, Busy Weekend at Latimer Reservation! 🏃‍♂️💍

We had non-stop action across the property this past weekend, and we couldn't be more thrilled with how everything turned out. Here’s a look back at what kept us hopping:

Caney Fork Ultra Run: On Saturday morning at 6:00 AM, HardWin Adventures kicked off their gruelling 50-miler trail run down the Bee Creek Trail, over the Caney Fork River, and back, followed by the 25k at 8:00 AM! Despite plenty of rain during the day, all the runners pushed through and finished strong. A huge thank you to Hardwin Adventures for choosing Latimer Reservation to host this fantastic event!

A Wedding at Trinity Chapel: On Sunday, we had the honor of celebrating an Eagle Scout and his fiancée tying the knot at our Trinity Chapel. Congratulations, Lucas and Bethany! We hope you had a truly wonderful wedding day—it was an absolute beauty for it.

Troop 434 Camping & Kayaking: Troop 434 joined us up in tent city, cooking up some fantastic dinners on Saturday night and getting out on Lake Joe Long for kayaking. Special shoutout to SPL Mason, who underwent a crash course in leadership via bathhouse cleaning and left the place s**c and span!

Looking ahead, we are all geared up and ready for next weekend as we welcome the Midsouth Women's Herbal Conference!

🍂 Fall is just around the corner!
Fall officially begins next week, so don't forget to lock in your camping reservations for the season. We still have a few weekends available in October & November, so come on up, enjoy the crisp air, and earn your official Fall Latimer Patch!

(Check out our gorgeous new Fall patch attached below along with a few pictures from this past weekend!) ⬇️

08/09/2026

This weekend, Latimer Reservation had the absolute honor of hosting the Boxwell Old Timers group for their 9th annual gathering! 🌲🥩

This incredible group of lifelong friends staffed together at Boxwell Reservation throughout most of the 1960s. Every year, they get together to catch up, tell stories, enjoy the outdoors, and—most importantly—eat incredible food!

On this weekend’s menu: a massive seafood boil, custom homemade pizzas, cooked-to-order filet mignon, and hearty camp breakfasts to start each day. We had a blast hosting them, and here are a few of the crew gathered right outside the dining hall.

Do you have a group that loves the outdoors, great meals, and a quiet, beautiful setting to unwind? We’d love to host you! Latimer welcomes all types of gatherings—women’s and men’s groups, youth and church retreats, 4-H clubs, corporate retreats, or any group looking for a top-tier place to stay and eat well.

📩 Send us a message today or check out everything we offer at latimerbsa.org!

07/23/2026

🌲 Outpost Night is HERE at NYLT! 🌲

The excitement is real! Our patrols are packed, geared up, and waiting for their turn to step out into the wilderness for their overnight outpost adventure. This is where all their outdoor leadership, teamwork, and planning get put to the test under the stars. ⛺✨

(Shoutout to the patrol that was already out blazing the trail before I could snap these pics! 📸💨)

We also had a great day here at Latimer Reservation—we got a special visit from Michael Moore and Vance Lackey stopping by to check in on the team and see all the great leadership learning in action! 🤝

And back at base camp... our hardworking staff is about to eat WELL tonight! 🤤

Swipe through to check out the staff dinner prep in action:
🔥 Smoked ribs & smoked chicken
🪵 Brisket baked beans
🥔 Creamy potato salad
🧀 Cheesy mac & cheese
🍰 Cheesecake for dessert!

A huge night for the participants on the trail, a great day of visits, and a well-deserved feast for the staff making it all happen. Wish our patrols good luck as they take on the night! 🌌

Address

334 Plantation Road
Spencer, TN
38585

Telephone

+16293335568

Website

https://www.latimerbsa.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Latimer Reservation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.