World
Camp Mystic Reopening: Why the Texas Camp Where 27 Died in 2025 Floods Will Not Open This Summer
Camp Mystic officials announced Thursday afternoon that they had withdrawn their application for a 2026 summer operating license from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. Chris Van Deusen, a spokesman for the agency, confirmed to NBC News that the notification had been received.
The camp’s statement acknowledged the loss of “precious lives” and said the withdrawal was meant to show that the camp had listened.
“Respect for those voices requires that we step back now,” the statement read. “Rather than risk defending our rights under Texas law in a manner that may unintentionally effect further harm, we choose rather to withdraw our application for the 2026 camp season,” it added.
What Happened in July 2025
Twenty-five campers and two counselors died when floodwaters overtook the camp near Kerrville, Texas, over the July 4 weekend in 2025. The Guadalupe River surged to more than 37 feet in under an hour, catching the young campers and others completely off guard. Others camping along the river and in nearby areas also perished in the disaster.
One camper, Cecilia “Cile” Stewart, has never been found and remains missing. Richard Eastland, the father of one of the camp’s directors, also died in the flooding while attempting to save campers.
In the aftermath, Camp Mystic’s owners and operators faced intense scrutiny over their emergency evacuation procedures and preparedness.
The Hearing That Preceded the Decision
The day before the withdrawal announcement, the Texas legislature held a special hearing to investigate both the camp’s response to the flooding and its application to reopen. It was a deeply emotional session.
Edward Eastland, one of the camp’s directors and a member of the family that owns it, broke down in tears while offering an apology to the families of the girls who died. At the time of the hearing, the camp was still pursuing its application to reopen.
Parents of the girls who died or survived the flooding had pushed back hard against the planned reopening, asking lawmakers to deny or delay the license.
The Camp’s Message to Families
In its statement, Camp Mystic tried to strike a balance between acknowledging the grief of the families who lost children and the community of over 800 girls who had wanted to return.
“Twenty-eight precious lives were lost. We recognize that no statement and no decision can undo that loss or ease the burden carried each day by parents, siblings, loved ones, survivors, first responders and our beautiful Kerr County community,” the statement said.
“Our special bond with our Camp Mystic families does not change or end with this announcement. We love each of you,” it added.
The camp also said that moving forward with a summer season while investigations were still ongoing would be the wrong call. “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,” the statement said.
Representatives and attorneys for the camp said they would not be available for further comment following the announcement.
