Camp Mystic
Camp Mystic is a private, nondenominational Christian summer camp for girls in Kerr County, Texas.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Camp Mystic is a private, nondenominational Christian girls' summer camp in unincorporated Kerr County, Texas. Its roughly 725-acre property lies about six miles southwest of Hunt, near the meeting point of the South Fork Guadalupe River and Cypress Creek. The camp traditionally serves girls from approximately eight through seventeen and combines residential outdoor activities with Christian worship, team competition, crafts, social events, and structured camp traditions. The camp began in 1926 as Stewart's Camp for Girls, founded by E. J. Stewart and initially organized around one eight-week summer session. A major early disruption came in July 1932, when a flash flood destroyed several cabins, although no deaths were reported. The Stacy family acquired the camp in 1937 and retained ownership across subsequent generations. During the 1930s and early 1940s, the property also hosted a Red Cross aquatic school. Although explicitly Christian, the camp attracted some Jewish Texas families during a period when Jewish summer-camp options in the region were limited. Camp Mystic suspended its ordinary summer program from 1943 through 1945 during the Second World War, when the grounds were used as a rest and relaxation site for soldiers. After the war, the camp returned to civilian operations and expanded to two summer sessions. Inez and Frank Harrison joined the organization in 1948 and served as directors until their retirement in 1987. The program later added a third session in 1983. By the 2010s, the camp had expanded beyond its original Guadalupe River setting to a Cypress Lake site with additional cabins, a dining hall, chapel, and archery range. Its program has included archery, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, lacrosse, riflery, cheerleading, cooking, journalism, and personal-care activities. Campers traditionally receive individual activity schedules and compete in two teams known as the Kiowa and Tonkawa tribes. The camp has also emphasized limited technology use, letter writing, Sunday worship, chapel services, communal meals, and social ties with nearby boys' camps, including Camp Stewart and Camp Rio Vista. Flooding has repeatedly affected the property, including incidents in 1932, 1978, and 1984. The most consequential event occurred during the July 4, 2025, Central Texas floods. Camp Mystic was hosting 557 campers during its second session when the Guadalupe River rose approximately 26 feet in about 45 minutes. Twenty-eight people associated with the camp died, including 25 campers, two counselors, and director Dick Eastland, who died while attempting to rescue campers. The disaster heavily damaged the Guadalupe-area infrastructure and triggered extensive public scrutiny concerning warnings, evacuation procedures, emergency planning, staff training, flood-zone risk, and the camp's lack of American Camp Association accreditation. After the flood, the camp announced plans to reopen the comparatively undamaged Cypress Lake campus for summer 2026 and said it would install a flood-warning system. Families of deceased campers and counselors filed multiple negligence lawsuits. In March 2026, a judge halted renovations at the Guadalupe Camp while investigations continued but permitted the Cypress Lake campus to reopen. The camp later announced that it would not operate during summer 2026 after legislative hearings questioned its preparedness. In June 2026, Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, reporting broad ranges for its assets and liabilities. Its long-term operating status remains uncertain.
History
Camp Mystic was established in 1926 by E. J. Stewart as Stewart's Camp for Girls. The original operation offered one eight-week session each summer. Its location beside the Guadalupe River provided access to water-based recreation but also exposed the camp to recurring flood risk. A flash flood in July 1932 swept away several cabins without causing reported fatalities. The property was purchased by the Stacy family in 1937, beginning a period of family ownership that continued into the twenty-first century. During the 1930s and early 1940s, the camp hosted a Red Cross aquatic school in addition to its regular program. Its Christian identity did not prevent participation by Jewish families, some of whom had few comparable summer-camp choices in the region. From 1943 to 1945, ordinary camp activities were suspended during World War II and the grounds were used as a military rest and relaxation site. After the war, the camp resumed summer operations with two sessions rather than one. Agnes "Ag" Stacy brought Inez and Frank Harrison to the camp in December 1948. They directed Camp Mystic until retiring in 1987 and became important figures in its institutional continuity. The program expanded again in 1983 when a third session was added. Historical pricing records show that a session cost $635 in 1996, while a 30-day session cost $4,300 in 2011. These figures describe historical tuition only and are not current financial information. Flooding remained a recurring operational issue. The camp was affected by the Guadalupe River in 1978 and again in 1984. In the 1978 incident, staff reportedly moved more than 100 campers to higher ground during the night. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, a family dispute complicated camp leadership. By 2025, Dick and Tweety Eastland were identified as owners. During the 2010s, Camp Mystic added a Cypress Lake site, including new cabins, a dining hall, a chapel, and an archery range. By the late 2010s, the camp generally offered two 30-day sessions and a shorter 13-day session. Its activities ranged from archery, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, lacrosse, and riflery to cooking, journalism, cheerleading, and personal-care classes. Campers were assigned schedules after choosing activities, divided between the Kiowa and Tonkawa teams, and encouraged to communicate with family through letters rather than personal electronics. Sunday worship and chapel services formed part of the regular rhythm, while dances and skit programs connected the camp with nearby boys' camps. The camp's history changed profoundly during the July 4, 2025, floods. At the start of the second session, 557 campers were present. A flood watch had been issued during the night, but the Guadalupe River rose extraordinarily quickly, gaining approximately 26 feet in around 45 minutes. Campers sheltered in cabins, a recreation hall, and higher ground before rescue and reunification efforts moved survivors to an elementary school in Ingram. Twenty-eight people died, including 25 girls aged eight to ten, two counselors, and director Dick Eastland. The property suffered severe physical damage, especially at the Guadalupe site. The disaster led to lawsuits, government scrutiny, and debate over emergency plans and evacuation decisions. Critics questioned the timing of evacuations, staff preparation, the camp's flood-zone exposure, and its nonaccreditation by the American Camp Association. Camp Mystic initially planned a partial reopening at Cypress Lake for 2026 and announced a new warning system. Litigation continued, and a March 2026 order preserved the Cypress Lake reopening option while stopping work at the Guadalupe Camp. After legislative hearings raised further concerns, the camp said it would not reopen for summer 2026. In June 2026, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, leaving its future uncertain.
- 2026
Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing
[1]Camp Mystic filed for bankruptcy protection after the flood, lawsuits, and reopening controversy.
- 2025
Fatal Central Texas flood
[1]A catastrophic flood killed 28 people associated with the camp and severely damaged the property.
- 2010
Cypress Lake expansion
[1]The camp developed a second site with cabins, a dining hall, chapel, and archery facilities.
- 1983
Third annual session added
[1]The camp expanded from two summer sessions to three.
- 1978
Guadalupe River flood
[1]Staff moved more than 100 campers to higher ground during a nighttime flood response.
- 1948
Harrisons begin long directorship
[1]Inez and Frank Harrison joined the camp as directors, serving until 1987.
- 1943
Operations paused during World War II
[1]The property served as a rest and relaxation location for soldiers until 1945.
- 1937
Stacy family acquires the camp
[1]The Stacy family purchased Camp Mystic and retained ownership thereafter.
- 1932
First documented major flood
[1]A flash flood destroyed several cabins, with no reported fatalities.
- 1926
Camp founded as Stewart's Camp for Girls
[1]E. J. Stewart established the girls' summer camp in Kerr County, Texas.
Products and positioning
A traditional, faith-based Texas residential summer camp centered on outdoor recreation, structured communal living, Christian programming, and intergenerational camp traditions.
Summer camp program · 1926
Residential summer sessions
Camp Mystic's principal offering has been residential summer sessions for girls aged approximately eight to seventeen. Sessions traditionally lasted either 30 days or, for the shorter late-summer program, 13 days. Campers lived in cabins, followed individual activity schedules, participated in team competitions, attended worship services, and took part in communal meals and camp traditions.
Youth recreation
Outdoor activity program
The camp's activity portfolio has included archery, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, lacrosse, riflery, and cheerleading. The program uses the Texas Hill Country environment and camp facilities to provide supervised instruction, recreation, and team-based competition.
Faith-based programming
Christian worship and traditions
Christian programming is integrated into the camp schedule through Sunday praise and worship, waterfront services, vespers, and chapel activities. Traditions also include team identities, communal dining, dances, skits, letter writing, and exchanges with nearby boys' camps.
Controversies
2025
Fatal flood and emergency-response scrutiny
The July 2025 flood killed 28 people and led to public and legal scrutiny of warning response, evacuation timing, emergency planning, staff training, flood-zone risk, and the camp's lack of American Camp Association accreditation.
2025
Negligence litigation
Multiple families sued Camp Mystic's owners and other parties, alleging failures involving evacuation procedures, warnings, planning, and the handling of the flood emergency.
Brand decisions
2026
Court halts Guadalupe Camp renovationsOtherBackground
Plaintiffs argued that renovations could interfere with the preservation of evidence related to the flood and its aftermath.
Action taken
A judge stopped renovations at the Guadalupe Camp while investigations continued but allowed the Cypress Lake campus to reopen.
Aftermath
Camp Mystic subsequently announced that it would not reopen for the 2026 summer season.
2026
Chapter 11 bankruptcy filingOtherBackground
The filing followed the fatal flood, lawsuits, operational uncertainty, and the decision not to reopen for summer 2026.
Action taken
Camp Mystic sought protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
Aftermath
The filing reported assets between $1 million and $10 million and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million; the camp's future remains uncertain.
Estimated assets and liabilities. Assets: $1 million-$10 million; liabilities: $10 million-$50 million (June 2026 bankruptcy filing)
2025
Plan partial reopening at Cypress LakeStrategyBackground
The Cypress Lake campus sustained less damage than the Guadalupe site after the 2025 flood.
Action taken
Camp Mystic announced plans to reopen the Cypress Lake campus for summer 2026 and later announced installation of a flood-warning system.
Aftermath
The reopening plan was challenged in litigation and later abandoned after legislative scrutiny.
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