Camp Mystic plans partial reopening in 2026 after devastating floods

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Camp Mystic, the Christian girls’ camp where 25 young campers and two counselors died during the July 4 flooding, will reopen one of its campsites in 2026, according to an email shared with families.

Camp Mystic officials said in the email sent Monday that they would follow all new laws and regulations as it welcomed campers back at its Cypress Lake site and as they look to rebuild the Guadalupe River site. The Cypress Lake site is less than a mile south and uphill from the Guadalupe River site. They also assured parents that campers would never return to cabins that were flooded in July and said plans are in the works to build a memorial for the “Heaven’s 27” campers and counselors who died during the flooding.

“We are not only rebuilding cabins and trails, but also a place where laughter, friendship and spiritual growth will continue to flourish,” the email read. “As we work to finalize plans, we will do so in a way that is mindful of those we have lost.”

Matthew Childress, the father of Chloe Childress, one of the two counselors who died at Camp Mystic, said in a text message to The Texas Tribune that the families of deceased campers and counselors were "not consulted about and did not approve" the proposed memorial. Childress said that attention should be centered on recovering 8-year-old Cile Steward, who is the only child still missing after the flood.

"At this time, we believe that all resources should be focused on reuniting Cile Steward with her family, as the last unrecovered camper lost in the waters of the Guadalupe River at Camp Mystic," Childress said.

The family-owned Camp Mystic has been a generational tradition for thousands of young girls across Texas, but quickly became a focal point of the tragic floods, which killed more than 130 people and decimated parts of the Hill Country. Its camp director, Dick Eastland, also died during the flooding, and the email was signed by his wife, Tweety, and other Eastland family members.

The scope of the flood’s devastation, as well as accusations of unpreparedness pointed at camp, county and city officials, prompted legislators to pass new laws mandating stricter camp safety guardrails. The families of the Heaven’s 27 who lost their lives at Camp Mystic championed the new regulations at the Texas Capitol throughout two special legislative sessions. Those additional requirements include more training for camp staff and restrictions on building cabins in certain areas of a floodplain.

Another bill that would have overhauled disaster emergency response systems failed to pass after legislators could not agree on a final version of the bill.

Camp Mystic had over half of its buildings in a 100-year floodplain, and is one of 13 different camps that were built in flood zones. The camp also had appeals approved by federal regulators to remove some of its buildings from 100-year flood maps tracking hazardous areas.

A camp spokesperson referred questions about the reopening to the email sent to families. The email said the camp would release more details on their 2026 plans to welcome campers back in the coming weeks.

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