Only: Camps, Nature, and History in Tennessee

Only: Music and Nature Programs

In Only, Tennessee, the Vix Camps are held at Wooten Woods Retreat. The grounds cover nearly 150 acres and border the Duck River. The venue and its location by the river give the destination a specific thematic focus. If you’re considering Only for a camp, you can weigh the program options by focus and duration: music instruction, nature topics, and jam sessions offer different ways to shape a stay.

Compare Camps by Focus and Duration

The Music/Nature Camp is a six-day program for musicians of all instruments, styles, and skill levels. It combines music instruction with nature instruction. If you’d like to bring both topics together in one format, this program offers a clear framework. Animal Tracking has a different focus: alongside Victor Wooten, the program introduces the basics of tracking and explores tracks and other signs found in Wooten Woods. While Music/Nature combines two areas of instruction, Animal Tracking centers on tracking.

The Jam Camp lasts two days and includes several jam sessions. You decide how much you’d like to participate; you can choose more or fewer sessions. Compared with the six-day Music/Nature Camp, it has a shorter time frame. The program focus also differs: jam sessions take center stage here, while Music/Nature combines music instruction with nature instruction.

For travel to the venue, the Vix Camps offer a paid shuttle to and from Nashville International Airport (BNA) for most camps. Whether the shuttle is available for a specific program varies. So check the current program information if you’re planning to use this service.

The Inside:Outside Retreat is a summer camp for saxophonists aged 17 to over 70 and is held at the Victor Wooten’s Center for Music and Nature in Only. It was held for the eighth time in 2026; the dates listed for that year have now passed. If you’re planning a trip for a later date, check the latest program information.

Historical Sites Near Only

The Lee and Gould Furnace is located near Only. Built in 1833, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The furnace is privately owned, but it can be seen from I-40 at the Bucksnort exit on TN Highway 230. It is also along the route of Benge’s Trail of Tears. A group of 1,200 Cherokee passed nearby in 1838. A small remnant of the Lee and Gould Furnace remains today.

For a stay that includes local history as well as music and nature, the furnace offers a distinct point of interest: its construction date and register listing complement the Trail of Tears route and the historical events of 1838. The camps and the furnace appeal to different interests and can be considered as separate focuses for a trip to Only.

Discover more destinations: Centerville.

Go to the main travel overview: Hickman County.