Camp Mystic to Reopen in 2026 After Tragedy That Claimed 27 Lives

A year after floodwaters ripped through Texas’ historic Camp Mystic and left 27 girls and counselors dead, the camp says it will partially reopen—while also building a memorial to honor those who never made it home.

The announcement comes as families across Kerr County are still grieving the catastrophic July 4, 2024 disaster, when a nighttime flash flood turned the Guadalupe River into a deadly torrent. Cabins were swallowed within minutes. Children and staff were trapped inside. Officials later described the scene as one of the worst camp tragedies in U.S. history.

“Nothing will ever replace those beautiful lives,” camp officials said in a statement Tuesday. “But we believe this memorial will stand as a place of remembrance and reflection. We continue to pray for the families of the Heaven’s 27.”

A Controversial Rebuild

Camp Mystic—an all-girls Christian sleepaway camp founded in 1926—revealed that its sister site, Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, will reopen in 2026. But the Guadalupe River location, where the flood struck, will remain shuttered indefinitely due to extensive damage.

The reopening comes as Texas grapples with new rules under the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act, bipartisan legislation signed into law after the flood. The act mandates stricter building codes, early-warning flood systems, and relocation of housing out of known flood zones. President Donald Trump praised the law earlier this year, saying it “ensures American parents will never again have to send their kids to a camp that puts them in harm’s way.”

“Some of those cabins should never have been built where they were,” admitted Republican Rep. Gary Gates, chair of Texas’ House Land & Resource Management Committee. “The tragedy exposed gaps in how we regulate older camps that predated FEMA’s maps.”

A Community Still in Mourning

For many in Kerr County, the scars remain raw. Memorial crosses still dot the riverbanks, marking where girls were swept away. Families hold vigils every month.

Maria Torres, whose 12-year-old daughter Sofia died in the flood, told local reporters she is torn about the reopening. “I want other girls to experience the joy my daughter loved there,” she said. “But every time I see those cabins, I see the water rising again.”

Environmental experts have also warned that extreme weather events—once labeled “1,000-year floods”—are becoming more common in Texas. “This wasn’t a freak event,” said Dr. Caleb Warren, a hydrologist at the University of Texas. “Climate change means camps like Mystic must face a new reality.”

“The Heart of Camp Mystic”

Despite the grief, camp leaders insist their mission is not over. “The heart of Camp Mystic has never stopped beating,” their statement read. “We are not only rebuilding cabins and trails, but also a place where laughter, friendship, and spiritual growth will continue to flourish.”

They also pledged that children would never again sleep in cabins touched by floodwaters.

As the camp prepares to welcome girls back through its iconic green gates, the shadow of July 4 still looms. For parents, lawmakers, and survivors, the question remains: Can Camp Mystic ever truly be safe again?