Honestly, if you grew up in Texas or spent any time in the Hill Country, you probably know the name Camp Mystic. It’s one of those legendary institutions. For nearly a century, it was the place where young girls went to find themselves, gain a little confidence, and spend 30 days unplugged from the world. But lately, when people search for Dick Eastland Camp Mystic, they aren't looking for summer camp memories. They’re looking for answers about the tragedy that fundamentally changed the Texas Hill Country in the summer of 2025.
It’s a heavy story. On July 4, 2025, a catastrophic flash flood tore through the Guadalupe River valley.
Richard "Dick" Eastland, the man who had essentially been the face of the camp for over 50 years, died that day. He wasn't just some executive sitting in an office; he was 78 years old and, by all accounts, was out in the rising water trying to get his campers to safety when the river surged 26 feet in under an hour.
The Man Behind the Legacy: Who Was Dick Eastland?
You can’t talk about the camp without talking about the man. Dick and his wife, Tweety Eastland, took the reins of Camp Mystic back in 1974. They were the third generation of the family to run the place, which has been in their family since 1939.
Dick was the guy who taught the younger girls how to fish. He was a constant presence on the grounds, usually seen with a smile or a word of encouragement. Former campers often describe him as a grandfather figure. There's this one story from a former camper, Lauren Garcia, who remembered how he’d take a photo of a girl with her catch and tell her to "hold it closer to the camera" so the fish looked "real big."
It’s those little things that made him a staple of the community. Beyond the camp, he was involved in everything—local school boards, Little League, and even the Upper Guadalupe River Authority (UGRA).
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A Life Defined by Service and Loss
He wasn't a stranger to hard times. Dick had survived brain cancer earlier in his life and had to deal with the devastating loss of his son, James, in 2015. Friends say these experiences only deepened his faith and his commitment to the girls at Mystic. He wasn't just running a business; he was stewardship-minded.
The July 2025 Flood: A Day of Heroism and Heartbreak
The events of July 4, 2025, sound like something out of a nightmare. There were about 750 girls at the camp when the Guadalupe River decided to break its banks. It wasn't just a slow rise; it was a wall of water.
Witnesses reported seeing Dick Eastland rushing toward the "Bubble Inn" cabin as the water began to inundate the riverside. He was trying to coordinate the evacuation. In his final moments, he was swept away by the current. While emergency responders eventually reached him and airlifted him toward a hospital in Houston, he was tragically pronounced dead before arrival.
The scale of the disaster was immense:
- 27 lives lost at Camp Mystic (including 25 campers and two counselors).
- 119 total deaths across the Hill Country region.
- 26-foot surge in the river level in less than 60 minutes.
It’s a grim reality. For a man who had spent decades advocating for better river warning systems—even serving on the UGRA board to push for better flood gauges—the irony of the event is particularly painful.
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The Controversy and the Lawsuits
You’ve probably seen the headlines about the legal fallout. It’s never simple when a tragedy like this happens. In November 2025, several families of the victims filed a lawsuit against Camp Mystic for negligence.
The core of the argument? Some parents feel the camp didn't move fast enough or that the emergency plans weren't sufficient for a river known to be "flashy." There’s also been talk about FEMA flood maps. Between 2011 and 2020, about 30 camp buildings were actually removed from the "Special Flood Hazard Area" following appeals from the camp.
Critics argue this might have led to a false sense of security. On the other hand, supporters of the Eastland family point out that just two days before the flood, state inspectors had reviewed the camp's disaster plan and found it in compliance with regulations.
Where Does Camp Mystic Stand Today?
It is now 2026, and the "Mystic family" is trying to find a way forward. It’s been a long, quiet winter in Hunt, Texas.
The original campus—the one right on the river where the tragedy occurred—remains closed. There is no set timeline for when, or if, those historic cabins will ever house campers again. However, the Eastlands have announced that Camp Mystic Cypress Lake will reopen for the summer 2026 season.
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This is the "new" campus that opened in 2020. It sits about a mile away and, crucially, is on a different body of water that wasn't affected by the July 4 flooding.
New Safety Measures for 2026
Britt Eastland, Dick’s son and one of the current directors, has been vocal about the "River Sentry" system they are installing. They’ve basically put nearly 100 sensors along the Guadalupe River.
The idea is simple: if a sensor upstream detects a sudden rise, it triggers an immediate alert downstream. It’s the kind of tech Dick Eastland had spent years hoping for. While it won't bring anyone back, the hope is that it provides the "lead time" necessary to ensure a tragedy like this never repeats.
Summary of Key Facts
- Dick Eastland: Longtime director and co-owner who died at age 78 while attempting to save campers.
- The Date: July 4, 2025.
- The Toll: 27 deaths at the camp, including 25 children.
- Current Status: The original riverside campus is closed indefinitely; Cypress Lake campus is reopening for summer 2026.
- Legal: Ongoing negligence lawsuits filed by families of the victims as of late 2025.
If you’re a parent considering sending your child back to the Hill Country, or if you’re just following the news, the landscape has changed. The "old" Camp Mystic is gone, replaced by a community that is grieving but also intensely focused on modernizing safety.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the River Sentry Data: If you live in or visit the Kerr County area, look into the local flood monitoring dashboards now managed by the UGRA.
- Review Camp Safety Protocols: For any summer camp enrollment, ask for the specific "written natural disaster response plan"—something Texas camps are required to have but not necessarily publish.
- Support Local Relief: Organizations in Hunt and Kerrville continue to provide support for families and staff affected by the 2025 floods; check local community foundations for ways to help.