• Bodie State Historic Park - Bodie, California

      by
      Peter Thody
      Published on 10-03-2011 12:11 AM
      2 Comments Comments
      ghost town
      Photo by Peter Thody
      In its heyday, this gold mining town boasted 65 saloons and was described by one clergyman as 'a sea of sin, lashed by the tempests of lust and passion.' Bodie was abandoned when the gold ran out in 1882. Today it's managed as a historic park in a state of suspended decay, with soft furnishings being allowed to rot away but buildings prevented from actually toppling over. There's a cemetery on the hillside opposite. Many of the headstones have been lost to grave robbers and vandals but a few do remain.

      If you go:
      It's open all year round but in winter only accessible by ski or snowmobile. The road is unpaved and deeply rutted the rest of the year!

      Links:




      Bodie Road
      Bodie, CA 93517 USA

      Mailing address:
      P.O. Box 515
      Bridgeport, California 93517 USA

      Phone Numbers:

      Bodie State Historic Park
      +1 (760) 647-6445

      Comments 2 Comments
      1. Mark Sedenquist's Avatar
        Mark Sedenquist - 10-03-2011, 07:48 AM
        The road in has a bit of unrelenting washboard, but the end result is worth the bouncing.
      1. Eris's Avatar
        Eris - 10-03-2011, 11:34 AM
        Been to Bodie a couple of times in a rental car. The paved road is about 10 miles and the last 3 miles unpaved. On both occasions found the unpaved road well maintained (just look up Bodie and unpaved road in images online) and it will show what it is like. Would have used my own car just the same.

        Been along some unpaved roads nearly as long up to ranch houses.

        Bottom line it is a personal decision.