Address: CA-270 Bridgeport, Ca. 93517
Bodie State Historic Park is a genuinely eerie, and historically preserved California gold-mining ghost town. Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that had a population of 10,000. Small amounts of gold were discovered in the hills north of Mono Lake. It’s located 13 miles east of Highway 395 on Bodie Road Hwy 270. The drive is a very unique, challenging, and memorable experience. We hit the end of a paved road and it was off-road (gravel and sand) for at least 3 miles one way. We drove slowly and safely along the rough dirt road. We were lucky that we had rented an SUV with a road adaptive feature that helped us maneuver through it.
The entrance fee per adult person is $8, and $5 for children ages 4-17, and children ages 3 and under are free. We were also given a brochure that shows the history of Bodie and each individual buildings. The mining carts and burned houses reminded us of a scene from Indiana Jones and Old Western movies. We walked through the area and saw all the original old houses, vehicles, tools, artifacts, and furniture with different states of decay. The one that is visible in the middle of the town is the Gold Mill building with original machinery that processed gold extraction. There was also a gift shop where we purchased our souvenirs. Public restrooms are available near the parking area. The site has 2 locations for parking and is made up of gravel and sand. Everyone was wearing masks and social distancing due to Covid-19. Reminder to bring lots of water and sunscreen. Just a reminder that your car will be very dirty and dusty.
Tips: Try to drive or rent an SUV since you will be driving slowly on an unpaved road with a combination of sand and rocks. There was a lot of dust created by other cars passing through on both ways.
Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Bodie State Historic Park after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.