Bodie State Historic Park
State Park · Bridgeport, California
Bodie is a gold-rush ghost town in the Eastern Sierra, kept by California State Parks in what the state calls arrested decay: the buildings are stabilized but not restored, and many still hold furniture, goods and bottles behind dusty windows. It sits at about 8,400 ft elevation, reached by a highway turn-off from near Bridgeport or Lee Vining and several miles of rough, partly unpaved road. About 100 buildings remain from a town that once held thousands of people. You can walk the streets, look through windows and enter a few buildings; the Standard Mill is visited by tour when offered. There is no food or fuel on site, and the weather is cold and windy even in summer. It suits history fans, photographers and patient families with older children. Plan a half day for the trip from the highway, expect no phone signal, and bring a spare tire and layers. Confirm fees, hours, tour times and winter road access before you go.
CA-270, Bridgeport, California, 93517, United States
Bodie is generally open every day in summer, with longer daylight hours from late spring to autumn, and shorter hours in winter - confirm the exact times on the State Parks site. The museum and visitor building keep shorter hours than the town itself, and Standard Mill tours run only on set days or times. The state road from the highway is paved for most of the way, but the last few miles are rough and unpaved; in winter the road can be closed by snow, and access may be limited to skis or snowmobiles. Spring mud and summer thunderstorms can also close or slow the approach, so check conditions the morning you leave Bridgeport or Lee Vining.
Bodie State Historic Park on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos