Texas’ Camp Mystic Set To Reopen For Summer 2026
on Sep 24, 2025
Camp Mystic Ravaged By Catastrophic Floods
Camp Mystic is a century-old Christian girls’ summer camp located in Hunt, an unincorporated community in Kerr County, Texas.
At least 27 campers and counselors were confirmed dead following the tragic flash flooding in the region in July, which saw up to 10 to 12 inches of torrential rains in an incredibly short amount of time.
The Guadalupe River surged dramatically, rising approximately 22 to 29 feet in under two hours, sweeping away cabins, roads, and everything in its path.
Camp Mystic’s youngest campers were tragically housed in low‑lying cabins located less than 500 feet from the Guadalupe River and were among the first to be overwhelmed when the flash flood struck.
RELATED: Video Footage Shows Girls Worshiping God While Evacuating Flooded “Camp Mystic”
Camp Mystic Plans To Reopen Next Summer
In an email sent Monday (September 22) to families of former campers, the owners and operators of Camp Mystic announced plans to create a memorial honoring those who lost their lives in the July 4 flooding.
According to the email, the camp’s Lake Cypress location will reopen, while the Guadalupe River site, which sustained the most severe damage, will remain closed.
“We are not only rebuilding cabins and trails, but also a place where laughter, friendship and spiritual growth will continue to flourish,” the email said, according to CBS Austin. “As we work to finalize plans, we will do so in a way that’s mindful of those we have lost.”
The camp’s owner, 70-year-old Dick Eastland, lost his life in the flood while trying to save campers.
The Eastland family said it is “working to implement new safety protocols” upon the campers arrival next summer.
“You mean the world to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back inside the green gates,” the email said.
Families React To The News Of Camp Mystic’s Reopening
Loved ones of those who died in the flooding have reportedly expressed frustration and disappointment over the camp’s decision to reopen.
Missy Peck, the mother of Eloise Peck, a camper who passed in the tragic flooding, shared that the families of deceased campers and counselors “were not consulted about and did not approve the memorial Camp Mystic emailed us about.”
Peck’s family added that all resources should be used to find Cile Steward, the 8-year-old camper who still remains missing.
Cile’s mom, Cici Steward, said that Camp Mystic “failed our daughters.”
“Recovery teams are still out there, scouring the river, risking and sacrificing so much to find her so we can finally lay her to rest. For their efforts, we are eternally grateful,” she said. “Camp Mystic, however, has only added to our grief.”
“For my family, these months have felt like an eternity. For the camp, it seems like nothing more than a brief pause before business as usual. Camp Mystic is pressing ahead with reopening, even if it means inviting girls to swim in the same river that may potentially still hold my daughter’s body.”
Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those affected by the horrific Texas floods.
