The Northern Virginia Lions Youth Camp

Our Mission

The mission of the Northern Virginia Lions Youth Camp, Inc. is: To provide camping facilities to any youth group accompanied by adult leaders and supervisors

The Northern Virginia Lions Youth Camp Objectives

  1. To provide a well-established, safe camping option for scouts, youth groups, and others to use within easy driving distance of Lions in Virginia.
  2. To encourage healthy, positive, low-cost activities for youth in our Virginia community.
  3. To create a camp environment that can be used for environmental education for use by youth and programs that wish to explore nature.
  4. To limit development of the camp’s land and to conserve the natural resources within our Shenandoah River watershed

The NVLYC History

The Northern Virginia Youth Summer Camp, Inc. was established in 1958 through the efforts of Herndon Lions Club member Richard Kohlway with support from the Chantilly and Oakton Lions Clubs. A farm on a mountain in Clarke County was selected as the most suitable location and was purchased for $10,000 through a loan secured by several local Lions.

From 1958 to 1972 the original loan was paid off, three cabins and the Pavilion were built, and other improvements made to the camp through the efforts of nine Lions Clubs. Over the years, four additional cabins, a dining hall, bathhouse and learning center have been built. Other improvements to the camp facilities include an amphitheater, fire pits, orienteering trail, horseshoe pits, a maintenance building, bunk beds, picnic tables, and roadways.

The Northern Virginia Lions Youth Camp is incorporated as an I.R.S. 501.3c tax exempt organization and is financially supported through contributions from regional Lions Clubs, individual Lions, and grants from the Lions of Virginia Foundation.

The NVLYC Facilities

The NVLYC facilities include a 2,000 sq ft pavilion with a fireplace and picnic tables, an amphitheater with a 216 sq ft stage, recreation fields, seven cabins, a modern handicapped accessible bathhouse, 50 seat dining facility, learning center, nature trails, and three tent camping areas. The camp is open year-round.