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It's in tents,
it's intense.
A Catholic outdoor camp for fathers, mentors, and sons — grounded in faith, forged in the Michigan woods.
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A Catholic outdoor camp for fathers, mentors, and sons — grounded in faith, forged in the Michigan woods.
Camp Joshua is a 3-day Catholic outdoor camp held twice each year — once in the spring and once in the autumn — on 40 wild acres in Cadillac, Michigan. Founded in 2020 by Jim and Chantelle Kroll, it exists to give fathers and sons an experience they cannot find anywhere else.
Out here, away from screens and schedules, something ancient and necessary happens. Boys witness and experience work and prayer alongside men of faith and virtue. Men rediscover what it means to lead. And together — around fire, in the field, under the open sky — a bond is forged that ordinary life simply cannot manufacture.
This is not a retreat you observe. It is one you live.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."Joshua 1:9
Friday evening to Sunday morning. Every hour intentional. Every moment an opportunity.
Firecraft, woodworking, land stewardship, and the practical arts of provision — learned by doing, passed from man to boy the way knowledge was always meant to travel.
Mass, the Rosary, and time for quiet prayer woven naturally into each day. The sacraments aren't added on to the weekend — they are its heartbeat.
Stories told, lessons shared, silence held together. The campfire is where the real formation happens — where boys see what grown men look like when they are fully alive.
Forty acres of Michigan woodland — creek, field, and forest. Nature strips away the noise and makes the sacred easy to see again. God is near out here, and you feel it.
Every boy learns from the fraternity of virtuous men. Every man grows deeper in fatherhood by serving and mentoring boys. Camp Joshua makes this happen naturally.
No agenda packed to the minute. Room to breathe, to talk, to be bored and then curious — space for the kinds of conversations that only happen when you slow all the way down.
Whether your son is 7 or 17, this weekend is built for the two of you — working side by side, praying together, and discovering what your relationship can become when you step outside ordinary life.
Uncles, godfathers, grandfathers, coaches — any man with a boy in his life who needs the example of a faithful, grounded man. You don't have to be a father to show up like one.
Camp Joshua draws men who sense that boys need something more than the world is offering — and who are willing to show up and be part of the answer. If that's you, you belong here.
Space is limited on purpose. The closeness of a smaller group is part of what makes Camp Joshua work. Dates are announced by email — reach out to be added to the list.
When you're ready to register your father-son (or mentor-son) pair for the next camp weekend, use the button below. Registration is first-come, and spots go fast.
Not quite ready? Reach out through the contact form — we're happy to answer every question.
Some things have to be seen to be believed. Browse photos from past camps.
Every camp tells a story in photos — memories of mud, fire, faith, and brotherhood.
View the Full Photo AlbumQuestions about the camp, the registration process, or whether it's the right fit for your family? Jim and Chantelle are glad to connect.