Year-Round Camping
I've been camping in the backcountry all of my life. As a kid I went on adventure summer camps, exploring relatively controlled environments with groups of fellow younglings and marginally older, 'responsible' adults. Once I became an adult myself, I started camping more regularly and expanding my comfort zone. Camping in the fall? Crispy. Springtime camping? A little chilly. Winter camping? Who does that? Maybe me!
Eventually I started camping nearly year-round. I'd miss a month or two and would feel bummed out that I didn't make it all twelve months. It seemed the only way I was going to camping every month of the year was to make it a goal and stick to it. In 2016, that's what I did. Since then, I haven't missed a month yet (eight years straight as of 2024). Even though some months I camp multiple times, these only count once for that particular month. No double dipping in July so I can skip November.
Check out each year and see where I've been below. In addition to camping every month, I try to mix up where I go so things don't get stale. Sub-goals include seeing how many months of the year I can camp without a tent, via paddlecraft, and how many count as winter camping. The coldest temperature I've camped in was -19°F. Wind chills on a separate trip were below -30°F. Most trips have photo albums available to get a feel for what you're missing out there.
2024
January: Norwich Bluff, Ottawa National Forest
February: Trap Hills mining ruin, Ottawa National Forest
March: "Winter" paddling trip, Sturgeon River
April: Deer Marsh, Ottawa National Forest
May: ??
June: ??
July: ??
August: ??
September: ??
October: ??
November: ??
December: ??
2023
January: Trap Hills, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
February: Point Abbaye
March: Superior Mountain, Huron Mountains
April: Silver Mountain, Ottawa National Forest
May: Hacking Site, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
June: Scout Lake, Ottawa National Forest
July: Balcomb Lake, Ottawa National Forest
August: Superior Mountain Bluff, Huron Mountains
September: Dead River Headwaters, McCormick Wilderness Area
October: West Bear Lake, Sylvania Wilderness Area
November: Gleason Falls Bluff, Ottawa National Forest
December: Hacking Site, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
2022
January: Lake Superior Trail overlook, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
February: Hacking Site (snow hole), Ottawa National Forest
March: Firesteel Mine Bluff, Michigan DNR Land
April: Duppy Falls, Ottawa National Forest
May: Hacking Site, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
June: Skyline Lake, Ottawa National Forest
July: Gleason Falls, Ottawa National Forest
August: Lake Superior Shoreline, Keweenaw County
September: Little Castle Lake, Ottawa National Forest
October: Fuller Lake, Ottawa National Forest
November: Clifton Mine, Ottawa National Forest (with video!)
December: Penn Falls, Michigan DNR Land
2021
January: Sturgeon River Falls, Ottawa National Forest
February: Cascade Slabs, Ottawa National Forest
March: Finlander Bay, Point Abbaye Peninsula
April: Sylvania Wilderness Area, Ottawa National Forest
May: Bush Creek, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
June: Glare Lake, Ottawa National Forest
July: Garden Brook valley, Copper Harbor
August: Rock Lake, Ottawa National Forest
September: North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
October: Record Lake, Cisco Chain of Lakes, Ottawa National Forest
November: North Country Trail, Trap Hills, Ottawa National Forest
December: Big Falls, East Branch Huron River
2020
January: O Kun De Kun Falls, Ottawa National Forest
February: Silver Mountain, Ottawa National Forest
March: Cascade Falls Bluff, Ottawa National Forest
April: Jumbo Falls, Ottawa National Forest
May: Deadman's Lake, Ottawa National Forest
June: Mattie Lake, Ottawa National Forest
July: Otter River (Misery Paddle Tour recap)
August: Howe Falls, Hiawatha National Forest
September: Norwich Bluff, Ottawa National Forest
October: Hacking Site, Ottawa National Forest
November: Gleason Cliffs, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
December: Big Carp Trail, Porcupine Mountains
2019
January: Oren Krumm Shelter (coldest campout so far, -19°F)
February: Snow hole on Norwich Bluff, Ottawa National Forest
March: Lookout Mountain, Victoria Reservoir, Ottawa National Forest
April: Tokiahok Head, Huron Mountains
May: Trails End Campground, Copper Harbor
June: Trap Hills, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
July: Skyline Lake, Ottawa National Forest
August: Horseshoe Bay Wilderness, Hiawatha National Forest
September: Trap Hills, Ottawa National Forest
October: Penegor Lake, Ottawa National Forest
November: Norwich Bluff, Ottawa National Forest
December: Bald Mountain, Huron Mountains
2018
January: Loon Lake, Sylvania Wilderness Area
February: Paul's Falls on the Sante River
March: Snow Volcano on Lake Superior, Fourteen Mile Point Lighthouse
April: Luke Manger-Lynch Memorial Shelter, North Country Trail
May: Trails End Campground, Copper Harbor (during Father's Day Flood)
June: North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
July: Trails End Campground, Copper Harbor
August: Mount Houghton
September: Craig Lake State Park
October: Sturgeon River Falls, Ottawa National Forest
November: Echo Lake, Ottawa National Forest (super late-season paddle trip)
December: Escarpment Trail, Porcupine Mountains
2017
January: Middle Branch of the Ontonagon River, Ottawa National Forest
February: South Hacking Site, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
March: High Rock Bay
April: Pictured Rocks, North Country Trail
May: Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness Area, Ottawa National Forest
June: Sturgeon River Gorge, Ottawa National Forest
July: Rabbit Island
August: Mouth of the Huron River
September: Interlochen State Park
October: Trap Hills, North Country Trail, Ottawa National Forest
November: Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, Ottawa National Forest
December: Firesteel Trestles on the Bill Nichols Trail
2016
January: Point Abbaye
February: Cut-over woods near the CopperDog 150 sled dog race
March: Lake of the Clouds overlook, Porcupine Mountains
April: Black River Harbor area, Ottawa National Forest
May: Hacking Site, Ottawa National Forest
June: Southern end of Portage Lake
July: Michigan Tech Trails with the Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers
August: Sucker Lake, Ottawa National Forest
September: Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness Area, Ottawa National Forest
October: Norwich Bluff, Ottawa National Forest
November: "The Bluff" south of Ewen, Ottawa National Forest
December: Silver Mountain, Ottawa National Forest
