Camp Kum-Ba-Yah (CKBY) Nature Center

The late Reverend Bev Cosby started summer camp at Camp Kum-Ba-Yah (CKBY) 71 years ago as a place where children from all walks of life could play in a protected natural space. CKBY was at the forefront of integrating the City of Lynchburg in the 1960s when our swimming pools welcomed all and it has stayed an inclusive space welcoming all children, from all parts of the city and all walks of life. Situated on 47 acres of urban forest in the heart of Lynchburg, CKBY has influenced countless lives, providing formative experiences in nature and a lifelong circle of friends that spans generations. Thousands of children have been taught to swim, fish, cook over a campfire, play in the mud, share stories and songs, and find nurture in Cosby Woods. In addition to summer camp, Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center currently offers year-round programming to children and their families, as well as to local area schools and schoolchildren.