For nearly a century, Texas’s Camp Mystic has been a beloved summertime hub of joy for generations of girls across the state.
Located along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, the all-girls Christian camp is famous for hosting presidents’ daughters and for its years-long waitlist.
Now, a year shy of celebrating their centennial, the institution is at the center of tragedy.
On July 4, flooding across Texas Hill Country destroyed more than half of the campgrounds that span over 700 acres, claiming the lives of at least 27 campers and counselors. Across six counties, the death toll has reached 120, with at least another 160 missing as of publication.
While the camp had passed all recent safety inspections, questions remain about whether more could have been done to protect campers and staff ahead of the tragedy.
The collection of images below offers a glimpse into the devastation at Camp Mystic, the heroic rescue efforts of the community and the legacy of the camp.
A view of Camp Mystic on July 5 (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty Images)A plush toy sits on the ground outside of a cabin at Camp Mystic on July 5 (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty Images)A Camp Mystic T-shirt was found by a search and rescue volunteer along the Guadalupe River near Ingram, Texas. “I hope I find the person to return their belongings, not to find closure,” he said. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images) A look inside the cabins at Camp Mystic on July 5. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty Images)Law enforcement and volunteers searching for missing people near Camp Mystic on July 5. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty Images)A Chinook helicopter takes off near Camp Mystic after picking up troops that aided in search and recovery efforts on July 6 in Hunt, Texas. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty Images)A search and recovery worker shines his flashlight through through murky waters near Camp Mystic, looking for remains of victims on July 6 in Hunt, Texas. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)Search and rescue workers on horseback ride next to the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic on July 7 in Hunt, Texas. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images).A wrecked canoe near Camp Mystic sits on the bank of the Guadalupe River on July 7 in Hunt, Texas. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)A life jacket was found the Guadalupe River on July 7. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu/Getty Images)Beds, furniture and personal belongings scattered outside flooded cabins at Camp Mystic on July 7. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu/Getty Images)Lisa Christina Aguillen (right) reacts after law enforcement officers recover a body near the Guadalupe River on July 6. (Desiree Rios for The Washington Post/Getty Images)A camp trunk and stuffed animal is loaded onto an ATV along the Guadalupe River on July 7 in Hunt, Texas. (Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images)Volunteers organize clothing and other belongings outside cabins at Camp Mystic on July 8. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)Community members write messages in chalk at a vigil on July 6 for missing camper Greta Toranzo, who was found dead on July 8. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Camp Mystic Legacy in Archives
A pamphlet about Camp Mystic from 1926. The camp was gearing up to celebrate its centennial in 2026. (Campmystic.com)An archival photo from a Camp Mystic brochure. (Houston Staff Photo/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)Campers in 1988 (campmystic.com)A camper fishing along the river in 1980 (campmystic.com)Camp Mystic grounds in 1986 (campmystic.com)Campers in 1990 (Campmystic.com)Campers arriving in 1990 (campmystic.com)
