One of the “best” ghost towns I’ve ever visited is Bodie. Bodie was a California Gold Rush town in the 19th century, the remnants of which you can visit today. The town is in the high desert east of the Sierra Nevada range and rests at an elevation of 8379 feet (2554 m).
The town is named for William Body who discovered gold in the hills north of Mono Lake, although he died before the town’s population exploded when a large vein of gold was discovered in 1877. By 1879 the population had grown from a handful of prospectors to a bustling 10,000 people. Like all gold mining towns, Bodie was a wild place reported to have 65 saloons, numerous brothels, and gambling halls. Over a few years more than $35 million in gold and silver were mined here, most being shipped to the San Francisco mint.
The gold petered out in a few years and the town was largely abandoned by 1915, and completely deserted in the 1940s. Fortunately some people had the foresight to preserve the 100 or buildings that remained and in 1962 the town became a State Historic Park. It is also a National Historic Site.
Today the town exists in a state of “arrested decay”, frozen in time. Buildings are preserved but not restored. Pre-CoVid the site received several hundred thousand visitors a year, although that number will certainly be reduced until the pandemic is resolved. You can stroll the streets and take in the scene, while trying to imagine what things were like when the town was alive and bustling. The buildings interiors remain furnished as they were, and you can peek in the windows of the buildings, but self-entry is not allowed.
There are about 100 structures still standing in Bodie, most of them homes but some of the better recognized ones are discussed here:
The largest most obvious building in the town is the Standard Mill, which processed ore from the Standard Mine. During the summer months guides conduct guided tours (for a fee) of the Mill, including its interior. The original Mill burned down in 1898 and it was quickly rebuilt, reopening just a few months later.
(The Standard Mill)
One of the most prominent buildings in town is the Methodist Church. It was built in 1882, one of just two churches in Bodie. The last church service was held here in 1932.
(The Methodist Church)
The old fire station is characterized by its bell-tower.
(Bodie Firehouse)
This building — formerly a hotel — is very popular with photographers because of how much it leans to one side.
(The Swazey Hotel)
If you visit:
Bodie is 75 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe. You need to drive down a dusty, bumpy and partially unpaved 13 mile road off State Highway 395 to reach the townsite. We were staying at Mammoth Lakes when we visited and it was an easy daytrip from there.
The site is open 9am-6pm in summer (May 15th – Oct 31st) and 9am-3pm in the winter (Nov 1st – May 14th). Because of its high altitude, snow is always a possibility in the winter so its best to explore the site in spring, summer or fall. There is a small admission fee, well worth it to explore these interesting ruins.
Except for rest rooms, there are no services at the site so be sure to pack in water and some food. The sun is intense at this altitude so bring sunscreen, a hat and a jacket. If you are arriving from a low altitude, move slowly as the air will seem quite thin and you’ll be struggling to breath.
Everything in Bodie is part of the historic scene and NOTHING may be collected or removed from the park. Take nothing but pictures — leave nothing but footprints.
