Camping can change your weekends.
Community can change your life.

For many women, the real challenge of camping isn’t learning how to tow, back up, or set up camp. It’s stepping into something new without knowing anyone. That’s why finding community through camping is often the moment everything clicks.

In this Girl Camper Podcast episode, Janine interviews Girl Camper Roseanne Palmer, whose journey perfectly captures what happens when courage meets connection.

Her story is a reminder that you don’t have to be fearless. You just have to be willing.

Roseanne didn’t grow up camping. She didn’t start out with a lifetime of outdoor experience or a long list of camping friends. What she did have was a quiet pull toward the outdoors—and a belief that someday she’d figure it out.

That “someday” started small.

Before she ever towed a camper, Roseanne camped in her own backyard, sleeping outside under the stars. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t Instagram-worthy. But it was a first step—and first steps matter.

Finding community through camping often starts long before the campsite.

Learning to camp is easier than learning to believe you belong.

For new campers, especially women starting later in life or starting solo, the unknown can feel overwhelming:

Community answers those questions before you even ask them.

Through the Girl Camper community and podcast, Roseanne began learning the practical skills—towing basics, RV terminology, confidence behind the wheel. But more importantly, she learned that other women were figuring it out too.

That shared experience is powerful.

Roseanne eventually bought a small camper and faced the fear many first-time campers know well: towing.

Her solution wasn’t perfection. It was practice.

Two blocks turned into a few miles.
A short drive turned into a local camping trip.
A local trip turned into something much bigger.

When she decided to attend her first Girl Camper Camporee, Roseanne drove thousands of miles from California to Colorado—despite never having traveled that far with a camper before.

She didn’t go because she felt ready.
She went because she felt supported.

That’s what finding community through camping makes possible.

One of the most meaningful parts of Roseanne’s story isn’t the distance she traveled—it’s the friendships she formed along the way.

Camping community doesn’t end when the trip is over.
It turns into lunches, shared holidays, spontaneous adventures, and people who show up when life shifts.

Roseanne didn’t just find camping buddies. She found her people.

And that’s something many women don’t realize they’re missing until they experience it.

One of the biggest misconceptions about camping groups is that you need the “right” gear to belong.

You don’t.

You can:

Community isn’t about what you bring. It’s about showing up.

If the desire is there, the rest can be learned.

Roseanne’s journey is proof that you don’t need to wait until everything is perfect.

You don’t need:

You just need one yes.

Yes to curiosity.
Yes to connection.
Yes to yourself.

And sometimes, yes to showing up scared—and doing it anyway.

Hear Roseanne’s full story on the Girl Camper Podcast, where she and Janine talk about courage, grief, friendship, and how community changes everything.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to take your first step—this might be it.

Because there is no wrong way to camp like a girl.
And there’s always room for one more chair around the campfire. 🔥

Big Thank You to Progressive Insurance for sponsoring this podcast episode!

Be sure to check out our other article on why community is so important.