Three-Generation Camp Mystic Will Stay Closed This Summer After Deadly Floods

Camp Mystic — a century-old girls’ summer camp in Texas run by the Eastland family for three generations — will remain closed for the 2026 season as the family abandons its current effort to secure a new license. The decision follows months of hearings, lawsuits and a criminal inquiry after catastrophic flooding last year that killed 28 people at the campsite.

Camp Mystic directors and staff Mary Liz Eastland, her husband Edward Eastland, Britt Eastland and Tweety Eastland stand for the judge’s entrance at a hearing about a temporary restraining order at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on March 4. - Jay Janner/Pool/Reuters

Decision To Pause Operations

In a statement, surviving Eastland family members said they would "step back" while families continue to grieve and investigations proceed. "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 family said, announcing that they would not press their application for a license at this time.

A broken heart sign is displayed near Camp Mystic July 8, 2025, after a flash flood swept through the area in Hunt, Texas. - Eli Hartman/AP/File

The Flood And Its Aftermath

The July disaster devastated the Guadalupe River campsite and claimed 28 lives at the camp: 25 campers, two counselors and the camp’s director, Dick Eastland, according to reporting tied to the case. The countywide emergency was even larger — Kerr County recorded 119 flood-related deaths.

Camp Mystic owner Tweety Eastland listens at a hearing about a temporary restraining order at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on March 4. - Jay Janner/Pool/Reuters

“Just the incomprehensible devastation that this place of pure joy and laughter and innocence has been the focus of this horrible tragedy,” said Claudia Sullivan, a longtime camper and former program director.

Legal, Regulatory And Community Pressure

Following the flood, the Eastlands faced civil lawsuits alleging inadequate evacuation planning and failures to communicate warnings. A criminal investigation by the Texas Rangers remains open. The family also encountered a judge’s order — sought by the family of Cile Steward, who is presumed dead but never found — barring changes to the Guadalupe campsite while evidence is being preserved.

Camp Mystic Director Edward Eastland testifies at a hearing about a temporary restraining order regarding the camp at the Travis County Courthouse, in Austin, Texas, on March 4. - Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman/Pool/AP

During a recent hearing, Edward Eastland, a camp director, acknowledged he had slept through a flood warning that was sent to his phone. Mary Liz Eastland, who ran the camp infirmary, later said she had not reported the deaths to state regulators as required and agreed with a lawyer for the Steward family that she had "abandoned" Cile.

The Eastland family speaks to legislators during a hearing on Camp Mystic at the Texas State Capitol on Tuesday, in Austin, Texas. - Brandon Bell/Getty Images

History And Community Role

Camp Mystic traces its roots to the 1920s and was run by Agnes ("Ag") and William Stacy beginning in the 1930s. The Eastland family took over in later decades and turned the camp into an institution for well-connected Texas families. Over the years, Mystic became a rite of passage for many; alumnae include daughters of governors and public figures such as Laura Welch (later Laura Bush), who served as a counselor decades ago.

A Camp Mystic sign is seen near the entrance to the establishment along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, on Saturday, July 5, 2025, after a flash flood swept through the area. - Julio Cortez/AP

The camp has long been an economic force in Kerr County. A 2012 report estimated the region’s summer camps generated some $30 million in economic activity, underscoring how Mystic’s suspension ripples beyond the family.

Previous Family Disputes

This is not the first time family and legal disputes threatened the camp’s future. In 2007, Dick Eastland was sued by his brother Stacy over rent and profit-sharing arrangements among descendants of Ag and Pop. After years of litigation, a 2013 settlement paid $7.2 million to family members and affirmed Dick and his children as camp leaders.

What Was Planned For 2026

The Eastlands had proposed a scaled-down program on higher, unaffected ground at their Cypress Creek campus, and said more than 800 girls had signed up for a reduced summer experience. Plans for a 100th-anniversary reunion were also curtailed after the tragedy; a much-smaller gathering replaced the planned centennial event.

Reactions And Uncertainty

Reactions to the family’s pause were mixed. Some longtime campers and supporters expressed relief that operations would be paused while investigations and legal processes continued. Families of victims, including the parents of one child among those lost, said the withdrawal resulted from mounting pressure and that regulators were poised to deny the license.

"Such immense loss and raw grief cannot co-exist with business-as-usual," said Jill and Patrick Marsh, whose daughter Sarah was among the victims.

Next Steps

The Eastland family said they will listen to calls for change and review next steps while litigation and the criminal probe proceed. The long-term fate of Camp Mystic — and whether it will ever reopen under family leadership or another operator — remains unresolved as the community continues to seek answers and accountability.

Reporting contributions acknowledged by CNN in the original coverage.