Personal items of campers lie outside a cabin at Camp Mystic near the Guadalupe River, July 7, 2025, in Hunt, Texas, following a flash flood that hit the area. (AP Photo)
Camp Mystic plans to welcome campers again next summer, near the site where 27 girls and counselors lost their lives in a tragic flood last July.
Tragedy in Flash Flood Alley
On July 4, fast-moving floodwaters from the Guadalupe River swept through the camp. The camp sits in a low area known as “flash flood alley,” where sudden floods are common. The disaster killed at least 136 people across Texas and destroyed homes, cars, and more.
At Camp Mystic, 27 girls and counselors drowned when floodwaters rushed through the site. The tragedy shook the community deeply and led to calls for stronger safety rules.
New Safety Rules in Place
In an email sent Monday to families of those affected, Camp Mystic said it will follow new safety laws created after the tragedy. The laws require camps to avoid building cabins in flood-prone areas and to create detailed emergency plans. They also require staff training and the installation of warning systems to alert everyone quickly during emergencies.
The camp said it will work closely with engineers and experts to meet these new safety standards.
Memorial to Honour Lost Lives
The camp also announced plans to build a memorial to remember the girls and counselors who died. “In the memorial’s design, we will strive to capture the beauty, kindness and grace they all shared,” the camp wrote. “We will focus on the joy they carried and will always inspire in us all.”
Families Push for Change
Families of the victims pushed lawmakers to pass the new safety bills. One law provides $240 million from Texas’s rainy day fund to help with disaster relief, warning sirens, and better weather forecasting.
One parent spoke out about the loss: “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. Please pass this bill, protect our kids and do not let their deaths be in vain.”
Reopening Plans
The camp’s sister site, Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, which opened in 2020, will reopen next summer. However, the original Camp Mystic Guadalupe, which is nearly 100 years old, suffered too much damage to open next year.
Camp leaders said they are committed to making the camp safe for all future visitors.
