Survival Classes Near Me: Where to Learn Real-World Skills That Stick

Where to Find the Best Survival Classes Near You

We host classes in the Kentucky region, and our team also offers mobile training options for organizations and groups. Can’t travel? Our online school brings survival skills straight to you. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to pick a survival school that’s actually worth the money and time, the answer comes down to three key elements: instructors, curriculum, and real-world reviews. A good survival school doesn’t just teach how to get by, it teaches how to thrive under pressure, work through adversity, and make smart decisions in wild or unpredictable environments. That’s exactly what we focus on at Nature Reliance School.

Instructor Experience

The backbone of any great school is its instructors. You wouldn’t want someone teaching you to survive in the wild if the only survival scenario they’ve faced is watching reality shows. At Nature Reliance School, our team isn't made up of theorists, we’re seasoned professionals with real experience. Craig Caudill, the founder and lead instructor, has decades of experience training military units, law enforcement agencies, search and rescue teams, and civilians alike. He’s also a best-selling author and a contributor to Field & Stream and Backwoods Survival Guide. Craig has been featured as a subject matter expert on national platforms including CNN, Fox News, NewsNation, and America’s Most Wanted, Naked and Afraid (as a consultant) where he’s shared insights on survival, tracking, and risk assessment and analysis.

What sets us apart is our cadre of instructors, each a subject matter expert in their own right. We don’t bring in guest speakers who lecture and leave, we train side-by-side with our students in the field. Our instructors include combatives experts, navigation specialists, and plant and wildlife experts, master naturalists, and wildlife biologists, ensuring that every course is taught with both depth and breadth of knowledge.

Curriculum Depth

Not all survival courses are created equal. Some offer a fun weekend outdoors and send you home with a certificate. At Nature Reliance School, we’re not in the business of entertainment, we’re here to educate, prepare, and empower. Our curriculum doesn’t just teach you how to build a fire or make a shelter. It teaches you how to assess risk, work in a team, use critical thinking, and understand how your environment impacts your decisions.

We offer courses that grow with you. From basic survival and navigation to advanced tracking and SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) courses, each class builds on the one before. And we don’t stop at in-person training. Our online school includes full-length, high-definition video instruction so you can revisit lessons or train remotely when time or distance is a barrier.

One of the most underrated parts of our curriculum is our emphasis on mindset. Gear can fail. Nature doesn’t play favorites. Your ability to think, adapt, and keep calm under pressure is the real gear that keeps you alive, and we build that mindset through every exercise we teach.

What Students Say

Don’t just take our word for it. Students consistently tell us that our classes have changed how they view the world, not just the outdoors. One review reads,

“I came to learn survival skills. I left with confidence, clarity, and a connection to others who value preparedness.”

That kind of feedback isn’t uncommon.

We’ve trained thousands of students from all walks of life, including veterans, teachers, corporate executives, and entire families. Our classes are challenging but accessible. You won’t be thrown into the woods and abandoned, we coach, we demonstrate, and we give you space to succeed through effort, not fear.

Join a Class Today

Want to experience it yourself? [Check our upcoming class calendar here]. It’s the perfect starting point for anyone new to survival or looking to revisit essential skills with a fresh perspective.

If you’re more experienced, consider leveling up with our Scout Tracker or Wilderness Navigation classes. We also host custom group trainings for professionals, families, and organizations.

Train Anytime, Anywhere

If you can’t make it to a class right away, start with our [Foundations of Survival online course] or jump into our NRS Online Membership for the best online training, anywhere! It covers everything from fire and shelter to mindset and mission planning. You’ll get the same practical, no-nonsense approach we use in the field, all delivered through high-quality video you can access on your schedule.