Texas Camp Mystic Abandons Summer Reopening After Deadly Flood Backlash

Tragic Reversal Under Mounting Pressure

Camp Mystic, the Texas Christian girls camp where floodwaters killed 25 girls and two teenage counselors , abruptly halted its plans to reopen this summer after facing intense opposition from grieving families and state lawmakers. The decision, a striking reversal of the camp owners' determination to reopen, follows weeks of testimony in court hearings and legislative investigations.

Those hearings laid bare the camp's lack of detailed planning for a flood emergency, reliance on poorly trained staff, and missed chances for an evacuation that came too late as floodwaters ripped through the camp over the July 4 weekend last year. The devastating floods occurred along the Guadalupe River, claiming not only the lives of campers and counselors but also the camp's owner, Dick Eastland .

As recently as Tuesday, the Eastland family told state lawmakers they were ready to welcome back nearly 900 campers on May 30. Camp Mystic officials insisted they would made the necessary corrections and said at least 850 campers signed up to return this year. However, that comment prompted several families to leave the hearing in anger when camp director Britt Eastland suggested the community would ultimately be grateful for the reopening.

Emotional Testimony and Official Opposition

The camp's reversal came after emotionally charged legislative hearings where victims' families confronted the Eastland family directly. Edward Eastland, a camp director and one of Dick Eastland's sons, offered a tearful apology: "We tried our hardest that night. It wasn't enough to save your daughters. I'm so sorry." His wife, Mary Liz Eastland, later added, "We're so sorry. Every day. Every minute of every day, we're so sorry."

State lawmakers had grown increasingly vocal in their opposition. "The fate of those girls was set before any first drop of rain ever fell," said state Sen. Charles Perry, a Republican. Perry vowed to do whatever he can through the law to prevent the Eastland family from running the camp in the future. Republican state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst questioned whether they were truly ready to care for hundreds of children, noting that if some daycares in the state even have one death, "we take their license away … we shut them down."

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who opposed the camp's reopening while investigations were ongoing, praised the decision: "I am thankful to hear that, today, the Eastland family withdrew their application." Multiple state agencies, including the Texas Rangers and Department of State Health Services, continue investigating the tragedy.

Community Divided Over Legacy and Safety

The controversy exposed deep divisions within the Camp Mystic community. Camp Mystic has a 100-year history in the state, with generations of women from the same families going to the camp along the winding Guadalupe River in Kerr County. This generational connection explained why hundreds of families still wanted to send their daughters back despite the tragedy.

"(The) place matters. And for a lot of these girls, losing that place is deeply felt. Today, 850+ girls lost something very meaningful to them," Kevin Dalrymple, who was planning to send his 11-year-old daughter to Camp Mystic Cypress Lake this summer, told CNN following the camp's decision. However, parents of victims like Cici and Will Steward, whose 8-year-old daughter Cile remains the only victim still missing, argued: "Camp Mystic did not withdraw its application out of grace. It withdrew because the state of Texas was about to deny it."

The broader flood disaster that hit the Texas Hill Country killed at least 136 people along a several-mile stretch of the river, raising questions about how things went so terribly wrong. The tragedy has already prompted legislative changes, with new laws requiring camps to have robust emergency plans, to install emergency warning systems and to evacuate flood-prone buildings when flash flood warnings are issued.

Path Forward Remains Uncertain

"No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July's tragedy," Camp Mystic said in a statement. The camp's future remains unclear as multiple investigations continue and lawsuits from victims' families proceed through the courts.

The decision reflects a broader reckoning about child safety at overnight camps and the balance between preserving beloved traditions and ensuring adequate protection. While some families mourn the loss of a cherished institution, others see the closure as necessary accountability for failures that cost young lives. The ongoing investigations by state agencies will likely determine whether Camp Mystic can ever safely reopen and under what conditions.