A visit to the ghost town of Bodie is a fascinating step back in time.  Residents left the town and it’s contents in place, so a visit to Bodie is to see it almost exactly as it was over 50 years ago when the last inhabitants left. Because a portion of the town remains intact, artifacts remain on shelves, and furniture inside buildings, it is easy to imagine life in Bodie.  Buildings available for viewing include the schoolhouse, carriage house, morgue, laundry, hotel, saloon, church, sawmill, jail, laundry, bank, and various homes.

In 1877, it was a prosperous gold mine in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains that attracted as many as 10,000 people to this town named after William Bodey, the man who discovered gold in nearby hills.  Bodie has since been established as a California State Historic Park.  A park brochure explains the history of Bodie Historical Park, including its inhabitants and activities over time.

There is an entrance fee to visit Bodie.  A small Museum with a few shelves of souvenirs, and a video describing Bodie are set up in Bodie buildings for visitors.

From Highway 395, between the towns of Bridgeport and Lee Vining, the Bodie road is 13 miles, the last few miles of which are dirt.  Be aware that there are very few services in Bodie.  There are flush restrooms and a drinking fountain  at the parking lot, but nothing else.  Pack your own food, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, warm layer, and anything else you need for a walk in the middle of the high desert.