Camp Mystic Plans Reopening Amid Grief and a Missing Camper
Owners say memorial and safety upgrades will accompany a return to the Lake Cypress site, but families of victims question the reopening while a missing camper remains unaccounted for.
Camp Mystic, the Texas girls camp owned by the Eastland family, plans to reopen next summer at its Lake Cypress location, steering away from the Guadalupe River site that was hardest hit by the fatal July flood. In an email to families of past campers, the owners said there are plans for a memorial to honor those who died and for safety upgrades, even as one camper remains unaccounted for and a second is still missing.
The email, obtained by CBS Austin and reported by multiple outlets, said the Lake Cypress site will reopen, but that the Guadalupe River location will not. It described ongoing work to repair cabins and trails and to ensure that the camp remains a place where “laughter, friendship and spiritual growth will continue to flourish,” while noting that the plans will be finalized with sensitivity to those who were lost. The email also indicated the camp would implement new safety protocols aligned with a recently enacted state safety measure.
The reopening has drawn sharp reaction from families affected by the floods. The family of Eloise Peck, age 8, who died in the disaster, told Fox 4 that they were not consulted about the reopening and did not approve the planned memorial. Peck’s relatives urged that all resources be directed toward locating Cile Steward, another 8-year-old camper who has yet to be found. Cici Steward, Cile’s mother, told The New York Times that Camp Mystic “failed our daughters” and that recovery teams were still searching the river, risking and sacrificing so much to find her daughter so they could lay her to rest. “Camp Mystic, however, has only added to our grief,” she said. She also said the months since the flood have felt like an eternity, while the camp has proceeded with business as usual.
In a separate exchange, the Eastland family acknowledged in an email to families of the dead that they had “not been perfect at communicating,” and that the growing distance between them and some families “saddens us all.” Camp Mystic later said in a statement to HuffPost that it had “received no negative comments from any of the bereaved families regarding plans to reopen or build a memorial to the 27 campers and counselors.”
The flood that swept through the camp’s region on Independence Day left 27 people dead, and authorities have never confirmed all the circumstances surrounding the disaster. In recent weeks, camp officials have sought to describe a path forward that preserves the camp’s mission while addressing safety concerns and honoring those lost. A 10-foot cross was photographed along the Guadalupe River in front of Camp Mystic on July 18, 2025, a visual reminder of the tragedy that remains central to residents’ memories of the site.
The camp’s plan reflects an effort to balance the desire to rebuild with expectations from families still grieving. The email said that the Lake Cypress site would reopen but that cabins that had floodwaters inside them would not be used, and that more information would be provided about registering for next summer. It also signaled the introduction of safety measures intended to comply with Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act, a recently signed law that prohibits constructing cabins in designated floodplains, requires yearly emergency training and planning, and raises safety standards at campgrounds. The act was cited in the camp’s communication as guiding the new protocols.
Supporters of reopening say the camp remains a long-standing institution for girls, offering a space for community, mentorship, and faith-based programming that families value. Opponents, including several bereaved families, argue that reopening should not proceed until missing campers are found and until memorials are fully agreed upon by those most affected. Some families have also questioned whether resources should be diverted to construction and programming while search efforts continue for Cile Steward.
Camp Mystic’s leadership has emphasized that the reopening is contingent on safety improvements and on gathering input from families, though the communications to date have not satisfied all parties. The camp indicated that it would continue to share updates as plans progress and encouraged families to sign up for the next season when details are finalized.
