AUSTIN, Texas — Camp Mystic’s owners have proposed selling the riverfront property through a bankruptcy proceeding, hoping a new owner will preserve the Christian girls’ camp’s “historic mission” after 27 campers and counselors died in the catastrophic 2025 flood.
The private camp, which has operated for about a century, filed a Chapter 11 reorganization plan Sept. 25. The proposal calls for an auction of the 749 acres (3 square kilometers) it owns, along with other assets.
Set among wooded hills along the Guadalupe River, the expansive property included several single-story cabins where some of the youngest campers stayed, as well as a recreation hall near the river. A separate campus on higher ground escaped flooding.
The Eastland family had operated the camp for decades and initially planned to reopen it this summer. Those plans drew strong opposition from victims’ relatives and some Texas lawmakers, while lawsuits and legislative inquiries examined the events leading to the disaster.
Under the proposed bankruptcy plan, the owners anticipate that a prospective buyer would have the backing of families who support Camp Mystic.
The filing makes clear that a buyer would not be legally required to continue operating the property as a camp. However, it says preference would be given in selecting the highest or otherwise best offer to a purchaser willing to preserve the camp’s historic purpose.
Twenty-five campers and two counselors were killed when the Guadalupe River burst its banks before dawn on July 4, 2025. Camp owner and director Richard Eastland also died. At least 136 people were killed along a several-mile section of the river.
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Earlier this month, state police investigators requested search warrants for the camp owners’ electronic communications. Investigators said the records could contain evidence related to possible manslaughter, negligent homicide, child abandonment or other offenses.
No charges have been filed.
The proposed reorganization must be reviewed and approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher M. Lopez. Camp Mystic officials did not immediately respond Monday to an emailed request for comment.
All creditors, including families who have filed wrongful-death lawsuits against Camp Mystic, will be able to respond to the bankruptcy plan.
“The Eastlands are now attempting to determine the future of the Camp Mystic property, but the victims’ families, including my clients, will fight to protect their rights and ensure any sale is fair and transparent,” said Tim Ferguson, an attorney for the family of 8-year-old Mary Grace Baker, who died at the camp.
“The Bakers intend to continue fighting for answers, accountability and justice for their daughter,” Ferguson said.
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