Back in the beginning of November, we had some crazy 70-degree weather that I knew was going to be the last nice day of the year so Andrew and I met up with our friend Roman in Lake Ann, Michigan to go car camping.

If you don’t already follow Roman, go check out his work on Instagram or his website. He’s a super talented photographer that lives in the Cadillac area and is supposed to be starting his own YouTube channel soon! He is one of the most knowledgable people I know - especially when it comes to Michigan, camping, maps, or really anything outdoors.

We actually filmed a video and I created a separate blog post about how we found the campsite you see here with links to more info and resources on how we find free camping in National Forests & public land in Michigan that you can watch down below!

But this trip was pretty simple, and that’s just the way I like it! We found our spot nestled in some pine trees in the Pere Marquette State Forest and set up camp. 

Roman even brought out the wood-burning stove that he usually uses to keep warm in his winter hot tent, but also works great for cooking! He cooked up some cheesy potatoes with goat cheese, caramelized onions, potatoes, asparagus tips, homemade maple syrup from Roman’s farm, fresh garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, and parsley.

We sat around the campfire and enjoyed a super rare night that felt like summer, in the middle of November. We did take a few astro photos, but we mostly just chilled and caught up with Roman.

But honestly, that’s exactly what I needed after a crazy busy fall season. As much as it may look like I have it all together, I don’t. My anxiety has been insane lately. Being busy and having to push back personal projects always does that to me, but these little camping trips are the perfect way to reset my mind and leave me feeling refreshed. I already can’t wait to get back out there - next time hopefully for some winter camping!

Check out Roman’s work on Instagram

Check out Roman's website

Romans Wood Burning Stove