Camp Mystic to partially reopen in Texas next summer, a year after deadly floods

Camp Mystic plans to reopen in Texas next summer, a year after floods killed 27 campers and counselors at the all-girls camp along the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country.

The camp said in a letter to families that the portion of the property along the river that was destroyed will not reopen next year, but the rest of the campus that was not damaged will welcome campers. Leaders said they are working with engineers and other experts to determine how to implement changes required under the new safety laws approved by lawmakers and Gov. Greg Abbott.

The letter also says the camp will build a memorial to those killed in the flooding, and that safety enhancements will be coordinated with engineers and other experts as plans are finalized. The note emphasizes that the organization is mindful of those they have lost as they work to reopen.

State lawmakers approved tougher safety rules for camps, including prohibitions on cabins in flood-prone zones and requirements to develop detailed emergency plans, train workers and install and maintain emergency warning systems. One of the new laws allocates $240 million from the state rainy day fund for disaster relief, along with money for warning sirens and improved weather forecasting. Gov. Abbott and other officials highlighted the measures as part of a broader effort to increase preparedness in the wake of a devastating stretch of flooding across the Texas Hill Country.

The floods that struck Camp Mystic occurred in July as fast-rising waters swept through a low-lying area of the camp before dawn. The Guadalupe River rose from about 14 feet (4.2 meters) to roughly 29.5 feet (9 meters) within an hour, authorities said. The camp, established in 1926, did not evacuate as the floodwaters surged, leaving many campers and staff exposed to rising water levels. It remains unclear whether the National Weather Service issued an urgent warning that triggered emergency alerts to phones in the area; a spokesperson for the camp’s operators said the information available after the disaster was inconclusive on the alert timing.

Richard “Dick” Eastland, the camp’s owner, was among those killed while trying to rescue campers, according to a family spokesperson. The tragedy prompted family members and communities to push for stronger protections for youth camps and more robust weather- and flood-related safety measures.

Michael McCown, whose 8-year-old daughter Linnie died in the floods, said in August that the protections were not in place or thought out thoroughly for his daughter and the other girls at Camp Mystic, lamenting the lasting impact on his family. “It will hurt my family forever that, for reasons I still do not know, these protections were not in place nor thought out thoroughly for my daughter and the rest of the girls here,” he said.

Cici Steward, whose 8-year-old daughter Cile remains missing, told The New York Times that she believes safety failures contributed to the tragedy. “The truth is, Camp Mystic failed our daughters,” Steward said in a statement later.

In the wake of the disaster, the camp said it would create a dedicated memorial worthy of the lives lost and the communities affected, describing it as an opportunity to honor the victims’ legacy and the resilience of their families. The organizers said they would work with engineers, safety experts and state authorities to ensure the reopening adheres to the new requirements while balancing the needs of families who continue to navigate the loss.

As Camp Mystic moves toward a phased reopening, officials and families are watching closely how the new safety standards are implemented and funded, and how the lessons from this tragedy will shape the future of youth camping in flood-prone regions. The flood episode has underscored climate-related risks and the ongoing imperative to improve early warning systems, evacuation planning, and infrastructure resilience in outdoor education settings.