Camp Director Britt Eastland, whose father was among those killed, said the decision to reopen Cypress Lake came after months of prayer, reflection and feedback.
HUNT, Texas — Camp Mystic will reopen one of its two campuses this summer, offering families a chance to return less than a year after catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River killed 27 campers and counselors.
Enrollment begins this week for Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, the newer sister campus that opened in 2020 and sits less than a mile from the original Camp Mystic site. The main campus — where 25 campers, two counselors and camp director Dick Eastland died during the July 4 flood — remains closed, with no timeline for reopening.
Camp Director Britt Eastland, whose father was among those killed, said the decision to reopen Cypress Lake came after months of prayer, reflection and feedback from parents.
“It’s been really, really hard with everything that has happened,” Eastland said. “But we are appreciative of all the prayers and support, and we’re hanging in there.”
Eastland and his wife serve as directors of the Cypress Lake campus, which was not damaged during the flooding. Everyone at that site was safe during the storm, Eastland said.
“They are completely different campuses on completely different bodies of water,” Eastland said.
As part of preparations to reopen, Camp Mystic has installed a new flood warning system designed to give campers and staff more time to evacuate in the event of rising water.
The system was developed by River Sentry, a company co-founded by Eoin Guiry following the deadly floods. The technology uses sensors to detect water levels and trigger a loud alarm when water reaches a dangerous threshold. The products are placed in an area between cabins and the river and do not rely on cellphone signals or the power grid.
“We’re going to come up with a system that works the same way a fire alarm in a hotel works — as simple as that,” Guiry said.
Four of the sensors have already been installed at Camp Mystic Cypress Lake. By the end of April, Guiry said about 100 sensors will be placed along the Guadalupe River at various camps and private properties. The systems are being paid for by local foundations and Camp Mystic.
“Every single River Sentry will communicate downstream, hey, I’ve detected water and I’m alerting, that triggers the next downstream and the next one beyond that and the next one,” Guiry said.
While Guiry and Eastland hope and pray the sensors never have to go off, they are confident in the technology if they do.
“If it does, then at least we know we gave everyone enough time to get out of there,” Guiry said.
Eastland said he understands why some parents may not be ready to send their daughters back to camp, but he believes reopening Cypress Lake can offer healing for campers and families still grieving.
“If we do it right, then girls will have an amazing experience,” Eastland said. “They’ll gain so much by being together. It can be very healing.”
Camp Mystic officials say the original campus along the river will remain closed as assessments continue. Meanwhile, two victims from the floods do remain missing, including Camp Mystic camper, Cile Steward.