FILE-A view of a damaged building at Camp Mystic, the site of where multiple girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
KERRVILLE, Texas - Camp Mystic, a popular Christian summer camp where 25 young girls and two staffers were killed in the deadly Central Texas flooding, will reopen next summer.
The camp announced their plans to implement the new Texas safety protocols ahead of reopening in a letter Monday.
Camp Mystic to reopen in 2026
The latest:
The camp's letter begins by promising a memorial to the 27 people who died while staying at the property on the Fourth of July weekend.
They then say they will reopen with the new "Heaven's 27 Safety Act" in place. The legislation passed during the second Texas Special Session of the legislature, and requires stricter practices for summer camps, as well as restrictions on flood plain construction.
Camp Mystic confirms 27 campers, counselors die in Guadalupe River flooding
Officials with Camp Mystic have confirmed 27 campers and counselors died in the flooding on the Guadalupe River this past weekend.
It's specified in the letter that one of their properties, Camp Mystic Guadalupe River, is too damaged to reopen alongside the other facilities. They say their ongoing plans to restore that site will comply with new regulations, and ensure that campers will not return to cabins that had flood water inside them.
Read the full letter below:
New Texas summer camp regulation
Dig deeper:
House Bill 1, which has been deemed "Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act," requires an online list of licensed youth camps, an emergency plan for different scenarios that staff are trained on.
Senate Bill 1 prohibits the licensing of youth camps that have cabins in floodplains.
Senate Bill 3 requires outdoor warning sirens in areas prone to flooding.
One bill that did not pass during the special session would have set licensing requirements for emergency management coordinators.
These are to be made available to parents, weather radios in each cabin, instillation of emergency ladders, a warning system to alert all campers and staff, and a safety orientation for all campers.
Parents of Camp Mystic flood victims fight for camp safety reform
The parents of the Camp Mystic flood victims testified Wednesday morning on camp safety reform in the state.
Parents of the campers who were lost supported the legislation throughout the process. Several family members were presented with pens used to sign the bills when they became law.
The other side:
But a petition circulating online suggested state lawmakers moved too fast and urged the governor to veto the bills.
The organizers claim the new laws will create an excessive financial burden on the owners of youth camps across Texas.
Deadly Texas flooding
The backstory:
In the early hours on July 4, four months worth of rain fell in Central Texas, in an area referred to as "flash flood alley."
The Guadalupe River soon swelled far past its banks, sending a nearly 30-foot wall of water rushing down the floodplains while residents and campers slept.
FEMA removed parts of Camp Mystic from 100-year flood map after camp appeals, AP report
FEMA removed dozens of Camp Mystic buildings from its 100-year floodplain map for Kerr County, the AP reports.
Summer camps, including Camp Mystic, had cabins built in and near known flood plains. Many people were killed in the floods, and long-lasting efforts to recover missing people enlisted the help of thousands of first responders and volunteers from across the nation.
In the aftermath, questions were raised about warning sirens, emergency preparedness plans, and response times in the towns and camps affected by the disaster. These concerns prompted the new Texas regulations.
The Source: Information in this report came from Camp Mystic and previous FOX Texas Digital reporting.