Contact Info
Bridgeport, CA 93517
- Phone:
- 760-647-6445
Basics
- Location:
- 110 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe in east central California, near the Nevada border
- Type:
- State Parks
- Elevation:
- 8375 feet feet
Description
Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town. Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that once had a population of 10,000 people. The town was founded by Waterman S. Body (William Bodey), who had discovered small amounts of gold in hills north of Mono Lake. In 1877, the Standard Company struck pay dirt and a gold rush transformed Bodie from a town of 20 people to a boomtown.
Only a small part of the town survives, preserved in a state of "arrested decay." Interiors remain as they were left and stocked with goods. Today this once thriving mining camp is visited by tourists, howling winds and an occasional ghost.
Hours + Fees
Season:
Open year-round, 8am to 7pm summer / 9am to 4pm winter
Amenities
Amenities:
Modern Restrooms
Visitor Center
Picnic Area(s)
Visitor Center
Picnic Area(s)
Details
Additional Details:
Everything in Bodie is part of the historic scene and is fully protected. NOTHING may be collected or removed from the park.
There is no camping at Bodie. You must camp at least three miles from Bodie on BLM land. Fire restrictions are often in effect.
Bodie is open all year. However, because of the high elevation, it is accessible only by over-snow equipment during the winter months. Many four wheel drive vehicles get stuck each year in powdery snow that is deeper than it first appears. Spring thaws bring mud, and wheeled vehicles are not advised. Snowmobiles must stay on designated roads within the park.
Map + Directions
Basic Directions
The park is northeast of Yosemite, 13 miles east of Highway 395 on Bodie Road, seven miles south of Bridgeport. From U.S. 395 seven miles south of Bridgeport, take State Route 270. Go east 10 miles to the end of the pavement and continue 3 miles on an unsurfaced road to Bodie. The last 3 miles can at times be rough.
