A wooden building with a sign that reads 'YOUNG COMMONS', surrounded by trees with a small separated structure in the background.
A young boy holding a bunch of leaves in front of his face while sitting on a man's shoulders outdoors during daytime, with other children visible in the background.

Christian camping is what we do.

The programming and activities of our youth camps are designed to encourage the growth and development of the whole person, including spiritual, physical, mental, and social well-being. First and foremost, Durley Youth Camps are a place for worship, prayer, Bible study, and reflection on our relationship with God.

Youth camp days are also filled with fun outdoor activities, games, and team-building experiences led by supportive and caring adults. Campers try new things, learn new skills, make new friends, discover new talents, and experience tired and sore muscles they didn't know they had.

Children paddling a canoe on a lake during daytime with trees in the background.

Our Mission

Our Mission

To build the body of Christ through camping ministries, conferences and events in a beautiful outdoor setting where children, youth and adults experience the transforming love of Jesus.

Learn more
Logo for Durley Camp Frostbite 2026 featuring a mountain with a snow-capped peak, a cross on top of a mountain, and event text in orange and white.

It’s that time of the year.

Frostbite 2026 is just around the corner.

Sign Up Today!
A wooden building labeled 'Young Commons' with a gravel parking lot and surrounded by tall trees with green and orange leaves under a blue sky.
A dock on a calm lake with a small boat moored, surrounded by trees with green and autumnal foliage under a blue sky.
Backyard view of a house with wooden siding, large trees with autumn leaves, and a gravel path leading away from the house.
A wooden building labeled 'Young Commons' with a porch, hanging flower baskets, red modern chairs, and nearby trees with autumn foliage.
Small playhouse with a green door and four windows, elevated on wooden stilts, surrounded by tall trees with green and yellow leaves in a wooded area.
Children's playground with a wooden play structure, slide, tire swing, climbing wall, and shaded with trees in a park.
A backyard with trees showing green and orange leaves, a wooden house with a covered porch, and a black lawn chair on the porch. There is a red plastic child’s chair turned upside down next to the lawn chair, and a hanging flower pot. In the backgrou
A park shelter with a brown metal roof and wooden walls, surrounded by tall trees with green and autumn-colored leaves, a playground slide inside, and a trashcan nearby.
An outdoor basketball hoop with a weathered backboard and net, set against trees and small cabin-like structures in the background on a grassy area.
A wooden building with a sign that reads "Young Commons" on the front, surrounded by trees with green and orange leaves, with four red seats and some benches on a porch, and a gravel area in front.
An outdoor scene with a wooden cross and a bell on a stand in a paved courtyard, surrounded by trees and wooden barrels with flowers, with a large building in the background.
Canoes stacked on a cart under a tree near a lake surrounded by trees with autumn foliage.
An outdoor basketball court with a hoop, wooden building, ramps, steps, and trees with fall foliage.
Exterior of a wooden building named Young Commons with colorful outdoor chairs, potted plants, hanging flower basket, and nearby trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Wooden sculpture of a bearded man standing outdoors among green trees
A wooden sculpture of a person with long hair and beard standing in a park, surrounded by green trees and small buildings in the background.
Group of boys kneeling and praying on the floor in front of a stage with musicians playing instruments.

Our culture desperately needs places like

Durley Camp.

In a world that's busy and constantly distracted, often by things that don't ultimately matter, Durley is a place where the noise and business of life fade. It's a place to unplug from the world and plug into relationships, particularly with God.

When I think over significant moments in my life, Durley Camp easily comes to mind. Each year growing up, I would spend roughly two weeks at Durley between Family Camp and Youth Camp. They were always the best two weeks of the year! This place allowed me to hear about Jesus in an awesome environment from counselors and camp staff who were young themselves. That was really cool to me. And being with tons of other kids who were growing in faith and learning right along with me made it feel safe to ask questions and be vulnerable.

God changes lives at Durley Camp. It is here that God grabbed hold of me in my younger years, and I continue to be impacted each time I set foot on these grounds. I'm so grateful that now my kids are experiencing the life-giving ministry of Durley as we create our own moments and spiritual milestones as a family.

Kyle Krober
Kingsway Christian Church

  • Our mission is to see lives transformed for Christ. At our youth camps, we track first-time spiritual commitments, baptisms and those who report feeling a call to ministry.

  • Our rich history of Christian camping dates back to 1875, when holiness camps drew crowds of thousands, arriving by train or horse and buggy. They brought their own food, cooked their meals outdoors, and slept in tents.

  • This beautiful, wooded, rural setting was made even more special in 1968 when the 775-acre Governor Bond Lake was built, turning Durley into prime lakefront property and an ideal destination for youth camps and adult retreats.

  • Youth camps are intentionally unplugged from social media so campers can focus on interacting with new friends and building healthy relationships, face-to-face.

  • Durley Camp has been affiliated with the Free Methodist denomination since 1893. We welcome outside groups, provided their activities on the grounds are respectful of our beliefs and policies.

Plan Your Next Visit!

A small wooden house with a front porch and steps, surrounded by bare trees, with a wreath hanging on the door.

Lodging Rentals

A decorated banquet hall with round tables covered in white tablecloths and set with plates, glasses, and red napkins. The hall has multiple windows, ceiling fans, and a cross on the wall above the windows, indicating it might be a religious venue. The tables are arranged for a social or celebratory event.

Event Space

Ready to see us soon? Schedule your visit today!

Check Availability
Construction has begun on the new lakeside pavilion on the beach at Durley Campground! A huge thank you to our friends Hugh Siefken and Dave Baum for all of their hardwork designing and leading the project. The octagonal pavilion, located at the for
Construction has begun on the new lakeside pavilion on the beach at Durley Campground! A huge thank you to our friends Hugh Siefken and Dave Baum for all of their hardwork designing and leading the project. The octagonal pavilion, located at the former campfire site next to the beach, is set for completion in the spring of 2026. More updates to follow, so stay tuned!
as we celebrate our 150 years, we are celebrating 150 years of your favorite memories at Durley Camp. For Jill Mohnkern, her favorite story is one she’ll never forget!
We are already so excited to see what God has in store for Durley Camp in 2026. Check out our summer 2026 camping schedule and mark your calendars! For more information on Durley Camp, our mission, rentals, and more, head over to our website. Keep an
We are already so excited to see what God has in store for Durley Camp in 2026. Check out our summer 2026 camping schedule and mark your calendars! For more information on Durley Camp, our mission, rentals, and more, head over to our website. Keep an eye out for updates on summer staff applications and the opening of camp registration.
The weather is cooling down, and the leaves are falling...meaning Frostbite is just around the corner! This year's winter retreat at Durley Camp will kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 24, 2026, and end at noon on Sunday. Grab your friends, mark yo
The weather is cooling down, and the leaves are falling...meaning Frostbite is just around the corner! This year's winter retreat at Durley Camp will kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 24, 2026, and end at noon on Sunday. Grab your friends, mark your calendar, and head on over to our website to register today! Please register by Saturday, Jan. 10, to guarantee a t-shirt. Questions? Don't be afraid to reach out! We are so excited to see you this winter!
Fall is (finally) in the air at Durley Campground! We still have a few weekends available this year so head on over to our website to sign up your family, church group, or friends for a beautiful fall retreat to Durley Camp!
Fall is (finally) in the air at Durley Campground! We still have a few weekends available this year so head on over to our website to sign up your family, church group, or friends for a beautiful fall retreat to Durley Camp!
Remembering how much fun we had at Day Camp this past summer! Don't miss out in 2026! Day Camp will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026. We hope to see you there!
Remembering how much fun we had at Day Camp this past summer! Don't miss out in 2026! Day Camp will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026. We hope to see you there!
We had a fantastic time this past weekend with students from the Kirk of the Hills Church in St. Louis during their fall middle school retreat. As part of their Seaside Fall Retreat, the group enjoyed our beautiful campground and appreciated God's wo
We had a fantastic time this past weekend with students from the Kirk of the Hills Church in St. Louis during their fall middle school retreat. As part of their Seaside Fall Retreat, the group enjoyed our beautiful campground and appreciated God's wonderful creation. They learned more about Jesus while fostering fellowship with one another. Thanks for visiting Durley Camp and come back soon! If you or your church is interested in hosting a retreat or event on our grounds, check out our website for our available weekends.
As we look back on our summer of youth camps here at Durley Camp, we are so thankful for every single family, mom, dad, church and more who decided to send their child to our campground for a week of camp this summer. We firmly believe in the value o
As we look back on our summer of youth camps here at Durley Camp, we are so thankful for every single family, mom, dad, church and more who decided to send their child to our campground for a week of camp this summer. We firmly believe in the value of Christian camping and are so grateful for all 480 of our Durley Campers this summer. Attendance was up 10% from last year and we would love to reach 500 youth next summer! Our 2026 calendar is posted and registration will open in the spring. As we look back on our summer of youth camps here at Durley Camp, we are so thankful for every single family, mom, dad, church, and more who decided to send their child to our campground for a week of camp this summer. We firmly believe in the value of Christian camping and are so grateful for all 480 of our Durley Campers this summer.
We had so much fun this summer at Durley Camp! Check out our favorite moments from all of our awesome camps, enjoying God's creation, fellowship, and fun on the scenic grounds. Our 2026 camp calendar is available, so be sure to make plans to come again next summer
We had so much fun last week with our visitors from Greenville University for their annual All College Hike! Students enjoyed time in God's beautiful creation on the grounds as well as a wonderful service in the tabernacle. Check out some of our fa
We had so much fun last week with our visitors from Greenville University for their annual All College Hike! Students enjoyed time in God's beautiful creation on the grounds as well as a wonderful service in the tabernacle. Check out some of our favorite pictures from the day! Students, staff, and faculty, we can't wait to see you next year!
Durley Campground has never looked better! We still have several open weekends for rentals this late summer, so bring your family, friends, team, or church and come on over to enjoy God's beautiful creation. Durley Campground has never looked better!
Durley Campground has never looked better! We still have several open weekends for rentals this late summer, so bring your family, friends, team, or church and come on over to enjoy God's beautiful creation. Durley Campground has never looked better! We still have several open weekends for rentals this late summer, so bring your family, friends, team, or church and come on over for a retreat, enjoying God's beautiful creation..
With summer 2025 officially behind us, we are so excited to announce next year's summer camp schedule! Save the dates, and we look forward to seeing you all next June at Durley Camp!
With summer 2025 officially behind us, we are so excited to announce next year's summer camp schedule! Save the dates, and we look forward to seeing you all next June at Durley Camp!
We were so excited to welcome back our friends from MAPS Free Methodist Church in Metro St. Louis for their Rooted in Christ Men's Retreat this past August. The weekend featured several speakers over a weekend full of teaching, prayer, communion, an
We were so excited to welcome back our friends from MAPS Free Methodist Church in Metro St. Louis for their Rooted in Christ Men's Retreat this past August. The weekend featured several speakers over a weekend full of teaching, prayer, communion, and worship, a reminder that man’s true strength lies in staying rooted in Christ, taking deep roots in His love, to live a firm and fruitful life. Interested in bringing your group to Durley Camp? Check out our website to see our available weekends!
With our 2025 summer camp season officially behind us, your friends at Durley Camp would like to wish you all a warm thank you for joining us this summer as we celebrated our campground’s rich history. We had so much fun spending time in God&
With our 2025 summer camp season officially behind us, your friends at Durley Camp would like to wish you all a warm thank you for joining us this summer as we celebrated our campground’s rich history. We had so much fun spending time in God’s beautiful creation, worshipping and enjoying fellowship with all of you. A huge thank you to all of our awesome camp pastors, staff and volunteers for their incredible commitment to serving the Lord at our campground this summer. We had so much fun spending time in God’s beautiful creation, worshipping and enjoying fellowship with all of you. A huge thank you to all of our awesome camp pastors, staff, and volunteers for their incredible commitment to serving the Lord at our campground this summer.
We had so much fun the past few days with our annual SENIOR TEEN WEEKEND!! High school students enjoyed a quick break from school to spend time with one another in God's creation here at Durley Camp. We had so much fun and can't wait to see you again
We had so much fun the past few days with our annual SENIOR TEEN WEEKEND!! High school students enjoyed a quick break from school to spend time with one another in God's creation here at Durley Camp. We had so much fun and can't wait to see you again next summer!
We are just SEVEN days away from Senior Teen Weekend, and we want to see YOU there!! Bring your friends out to Durley Camp for a weekend of fun, fellowship, and time in God's creation. Register today on our website!
We are just SEVEN days away from Senior Teen Weekend, and we want to see YOU there!! Bring your friends out to Durley Camp for a weekend of fun, fellowship, and time in God's creation. Register today on our website!
Come enjoy food, fun, friends, great worship with GU's Pursuit Team, an old-fashioned diner on Saturday, plus we are getting out of the campground and going someplace where your inner kid and your competitive side meet - where there are enough games
Come enjoy food, fun, friends, great worship with GU's Pursuit Team, an old-fashioned diner on Saturday, plus we are getting out of the campground and going someplace where your inner kid and your competitive side meet - where there are enough games to lose track of time! The weekend will begin on Friday night, August 29, with registration from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, and conclude at 1:00 pm on Sunday, August 31. Come enjoy food, fun, friends, great worship with GU's Pursuit Team, an old-fashioned dinner on Saturday, plus we are getting out of the campground and going someplace where your inner kid and your competitive side meet - where there are enough games to lose track of time! Invite your friends and register at durleycamp.org today! We are so excited to see you soon!
Take a look at our recent renovations to the Ministry Cabin! This cabin is one of the many lodging and rental options we offer at our beautiful campground. Durley Camp is an ideal host for church groups, work retreats, family reunions, and more. We s
Take a look at our recent renovations to the Ministry Cabin! This cabin is one of the many lodging and rental options we offer at our beautiful campground. Durley Camp is an ideal host for church groups, work retreats, family reunions, and more. We still have several weekends available for rentals this fall, so visit our website to learn more!
At Family Camp 2025 we celebrated the 150th anniversary of Christian camping on the grounds now known as Durley Camp, dating back to 1875. This is also the final year of our 3-year campaign to raise money for the new 64-bed youth lodge. Our goal is
At Family Camp 2025 we celebrated the 150th anniversary of Christian camping on the grounds now known as Durley Camp, dating back to 1875. This is also the final year of our 3-year campaign to raise money for the new 64-bed youth lodge. Our goal is $2.5 million. So far we’ve received about $1.5 million in gifts and pledges. Gifts have ranged from a few dollars from young children to some people who have given well over $100,000. The Durley board wanted to find a way to recognize all donors to the campaign, regardless of the size of the gift. Our solution is the giving tree. If you attended Family Camp, you saw it hanging in the hallway of Young Commons. That’s where it will stay until the new lodge is built. Then we’ll move it to the new building. There are 3 different colors of metal leaves on the tree representing 3 giving levels: gold for gifts of $10,000 or more; silver for $1,000 – 9,999; and copper for $1 – 999. So far, only the gold leaves have been engraved. That’s because we want to give everyone time to complete their pledge or add to their giving before we engrave the silver and copper leaves at the end of the campaign after Dec. 31. If you have not yet given or want to move up a level before the rest of the leaves are engraved, you have until the end of 2025. Pledge reminders will be sent out this fall to those who have a balance remaining on their pledge. Our solution is the Giving Tree. If you attended Family Camp, you saw it hanging in the hallway of Young Commons. That’s where it will stay until the new lodge is built. Then we’ll move it to the new building: the new 64-bed youth lodge. This is our way of saying THANK YOU to all who have given to help build the youth lodge, and to encourage those who have not yet given to the campaign to get on board with a gift, get their name on a leaf, and be a part of Durley Camp history.
Check out our recent renovations to the Whitlock Cabin! The cabin is one of our many lodging and rental options available on the scenic campground. Durley Camp is the perfect host for church groups, work retreats, family reunions and more. We still h
Check out our recent renovations to the Whitlock Cabin! The cabin is one of our many lodging and rental options available on the scenic campground. Durley Camp is the perfect host for church groups, work retreats, family reunions and more. We still have several weekends available this fall for rentals, so head over to our website to learn more!
Construction has begun on the new lakeside pavilion on the beach at Durley Campground! A huge thank you to our friends Hugh Siefken and Dave Baum for all of their hardwork designing and leading the project. The octagonal pavilion, located at the for
as we celebrate our 150 years, we are celebrating 150 years of your favorite memories at Durley Camp. For Jill Mohnkern, her favorite story is one she’ll never forget!
We are already so excited to see what God has in store for Durley Camp in 2026. Check out our summer 2026 camping schedule and mark your calendars! For more information on Durley Camp, our mission, rentals, and more, head over to our website. Keep an The weather is cooling down, and the leaves are falling...meaning Frostbite is just around the corner! This year's winter retreat at Durley Camp will kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 24, 2026, and end at noon on Sunday. Grab your friends, mark yo Fall is (finally) in the air at Durley Campground! We still have a few weekends available this year so head on over to our website to sign up your family, church group, or friends for a beautiful fall retreat to Durley Camp! Remembering how much fun we had at Day Camp this past summer! Don't miss out in 2026! Day Camp will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026. We hope to see you there! We had a fantastic time this past weekend with students from the Kirk of the Hills Church in St. Louis during their fall middle school retreat. As part of their Seaside Fall Retreat, the group enjoyed our beautiful campground and appreciated God's wo As we look back on our summer of youth camps here at Durley Camp, we are so thankful for every single family, mom, dad, church and more who decided to send their child to our campground for a week of camp this summer. We firmly believe in the value o
We had so much fun this summer at Durley Camp! Check out our favorite moments from all of our awesome camps, enjoying God's creation, fellowship, and fun on the scenic grounds. Our 2026 camp calendar is available, so be sure to make plans to come aga
We had so much fun last week with our visitors from Greenville University for their annual All College Hike! Students enjoyed time in God's beautiful creation on the grounds as well as a wonderful service in the tabernacle. Check out some of our fa Durley Campground has never looked better! We still have several open weekends for rentals this late summer, so bring your family, friends, team, or church and come on over to enjoy God's beautiful creation. Durley Campground has never looked better! With summer 2025 officially behind us, we are so excited to announce next year's summer camp schedule! Save the dates, and we look forward to seeing you all next June at Durley Camp! We were so excited to welcome back our friends from MAPS Free Methodist Church in Metro St. Louis for their Rooted in Christ Men's Retreat this past August. The weekend featured several speakers over a weekend full of teaching, prayer, communion, an With our 2025 summer camp season officially behind us, your friends at Durley Camp would like to wish you all a warm thank you for joining us this summer as we celebrated our campground’s rich history. We had so much fun spending time in God& We had so much fun the past few days with our annual SENIOR TEEN WEEKEND!! High school students enjoyed a quick break from school to spend time with one another in God's creation here at Durley Camp. We had so much fun and can't wait to see you again We are just SEVEN days away from Senior Teen Weekend, and we want to see YOU there!! Bring your friends out to Durley Camp for a weekend of fun, fellowship, and time in God's creation. Register today on our website! Come enjoy food, fun, friends, great worship with GU's Pursuit Team, an old-fashioned diner on Saturday, plus we are getting out of the campground and going someplace where your inner kid and your competitive side meet - where there are enough games Take a look at our recent renovations to the Ministry Cabin! This cabin is one of the many lodging and rental options we offer at our beautiful campground. Durley Camp is an ideal host for church groups, work retreats, family reunions, and more. We s At Family Camp 2025 we celebrated the 150th anniversary of Christian camping on the grounds now known as Durley Camp, dating back to 1875. This is also the final year of our 3-year campaign to raise money for the new 64-bed youth lodge. Our goal is Check out our recent renovations to the Whitlock Cabin! The cabin is one of our many lodging and rental options available on the scenic campground. Durley Camp is the perfect host for church groups, work retreats, family reunions and more. We still h