Camp Mystic area floods force Girl Scouts evacuation
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas evacuated Camp La Jita west of San Antonio on Tuesday amid flash flooding risk in Texas Hill Country—the same region as the Camp Mystic tragedy. All campers and staff were safe. Officials acted before the Sabinal River reached flood stage as heavy rain continued across Central Texas.
Key Takeaways
- Camp La Jita near Utopia was evacuated Tuesday after leaders tracked National Weather Service alerts and local road closures.
- Two Utopia ISD buses moved campers to the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center in San Antonio to reunite with families.
- A National Weather Service flash flood emergency hit Boerne, about 55 miles southeast of Camp Mystic, on Wednesday.
- Gov. Greg Abbott said some areas could see more than 30 inches of rain, topping last year’s deadly July totals, with no flood deaths reported as of Wednesday afternoon.
The precautionary exit underscores how quickly water can rise in Flash Flood Alley—and why camps now treat forecasts as life-or-death decisions. For more storm and safety coverage in our Future Tech & AI Wonders section, follow developing alerts as rain continues.
What happened at the Girl Scouts camp?
According to KXAN, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas said flooding risk forced the evacuation of Camp La Jita, about an hour and a half west of San Antonio along the Sabinal River in Utopia. Leaders said every camper and staff member remained safe throughout.
“As we closely monitored weather forecasts, National Weather Service updates and conditions at Camp La Jita throughout Tuesday, we recognized that while the Sabinal River had not yet reached flood stage, conditions had the potential to change rapidly,” Lisa Garcia, director of property at GSSWT, said in a press release cited by KXAN. “Rather than wait until conditions worsened, we made the decision to evacuate out of an abundance of caution.”
Tabitha Bomer, outdoor experience manager for GSSWT, said early-morning rain closed roads south of camp and a catastrophic flooding forecast left a narrow afternoon window of lighter rain. She said even if girls were safe on site, she worried parents could face danger driving in to pick them up. Utopia ISD buses then took the group to San Antonio for family reunions.
Why does the Camp Mystic connection matter?
ABC News reported a flash flood emergency in the same Texas Hill Country belt where more than 100 people died in July 2025 floods, including 25 girls at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River. On Wednesday, the National Weather Service warned residents in Boerne—about 55 miles southeast of Camp Mystic—to seek higher ground immediately.
Forecasters said heavy rain in the region could last into Wednesday evening, with a flood watch through Thursday and a level 3 of 4 flash-flood risk the next day. The Texas Water Resources Institute describes the corridor from Dallas to San Antonio as Flash Flood Alley, where steep terrain, shallow soils, and intense rainfall can send rivers and creeks surging within hours.
How is Texas responding to the flood threat?
Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that Texas is prepared for potentially record floods as storms batter Central Texas. In a briefing covered by CBS Austin, he warned some areas may receive more than 30 inches of rain—well above the 20.29 inches recorded during last year’s Fourth of July disaster.
Abbott issued a disaster declaration covering 59 counties on Tuesday and said more counties can be added. He reported more than 75 rescues and no deaths as of Wednesday afternoon, stressing that saving lives remains the priority. Officials have urged drivers to avoid flooded roads and check conditions before traveling.
Camp La Jita’s early exit, set against last year’s Camp Mystic losses and fresh flash-flood emergencies, shows how Hill Country camps and families are treating every forecast as a race against rising water.