Texas Camp Mystic plans to reopen
The decision to reopen prompted shock and anger from some Camp Mystic parents. AFP via Getty Images
Camp Mystic, the Texas Christian summer camp where 27 campers and staff lost their lives in catastrophic July 4th flooding, has announced plans to reopen at a nearby location next summer, implementing new safety protocols under recently passed state legislation.
The camp shared the news Monday in separate emails — first to families of the victims, then to the wider camp community. In its message to grieving families, Camp Mystic said it would operate under the requirements of the newly enacted Heaven’s 27 Safety Act, legislation championed by parents of the victims during a Texas legislative special session.
Later that day, the camp emailed former campers and families, stating: “We are not only rebuilding cabins and trails, but also a place where laughter, friendship, and spiritual growth will continue to flourish. We look forward to welcoming you back inside the green gates.”
As part of the reopening, Camp Mystic will also construct a memorial honoring those who died when flash floodwaters from the Guadalupe River swept through its original Kerrville site in the early hours of July 4th. In a statement, the camp said the memorial would aim to reflect “the beauty, kindness, and grace” of the victims, focusing on the “joy they carried and will always inspire.”
The Heaven’s 27 Safety Act includes measures to prevent similar tragedies, such as banning construction of camp facilities in known flood zones and requiring detailed emergency preparedness plans. The legislation also allocates $240 million from the state’s rainy day fund to improve disaster response infrastructure, including sirens and weather alert systems.
The reopening plan applies specifically to Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, a sister site that began operating in 2020. The original 99-year-old Camp Mystic Guadalupe location remains too severely damaged to reopen at this time.
According to the announcement, camp officials are consulting with engineers and other experts to ensure compliance with the new regulations.
Despite these efforts, news of the reopening has triggered outrage and grief among some families of those who died, who say they were neither consulted nor informed in advance about the decision.
Blake Bonner, whose 9-year-old daughter Lila died in the flood, issued a statement on behalf of several affected families, saying: “The families of deceased Camp Mystic campers and counselors were not consulted about and did not approve this memorial.”
Cici Steward, whose 8-year-old daughter Cile remains missing, expressed deep frustration with the camp’s actions. “The truth is, Camp Mystic failed our daughters,” she wrote in a statement, adding that recovery teams are still actively searching the river for her daughter’s remains. “Camp Mystic, however, has only added to our grief.”
The flood struck suddenly in the early morning hours. At 1:14 a.m., the National Weather Service issued a flash-flood warning with “catastrophic” potential. Less than two hours later, fast-rising waters inundated the camp.
Survivors have recounted harrowing scenes of counselors guiding barefoot campers through windows and up rocky hillsides in the dark as floodwaters surged through cabins. Many of the 650 campers and staff were asleep when the flooding began. Among the 27 victims, several bodies were recovered downstream. Cile Steward has never been found.
As Camp Mystic prepares to move forward, it faces a difficult balance — honoring its century-long legacy while addressing the enduring pain of families who believe it should not reopen at all.
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