“Good-bye God, I’m going to Bodie.” This entry in a young girl’s journal has become legendary and says a lot about the lore of the old California mining town known as Bodie. The history of Bodie begins like a lot of western boom-towns and ends the same as well; get in, get rich, get out. Mining was the bread and butter of this high desert town and it did not disappoint. With the discovery of gold in 1859, men arrived to strike it rich and over the subsequent years nearly $34 million of gold was shipped out of Bodie.
Bodie boomed up until the early 1880’s but signs of its slow decline began to show as strikes in Montana and Arizona lured miners away. With the strike-it-rich miners gone, Bodie tried to settle into a family oriented community, building churches and schools. But the mines began to decline and the population went from its high of around 7000 to 698 in 1910.
In its heyday, Bodie boasted as many as 65 saloons, a railroad, two hotels, a telegraph and more than one newspaper. Bodie had its own version of Chinatown. They had a red-light district and their share of Wild West lore; it was said that Bodie had a man for breakfast every day. Bodie went into its final decline just before the start of World War I. In 1912 the last newspaper left the country and Bodie never recovered. By 1920 Bodie’s population had faded to about 120 people. In 1932 a fire destroyed most of the town and the last residents left in the mid 1940’s.
Today, Bodie is a state park kept in an “arrested state of decay” according to one of the signs posted at the park. The park was created in 1962 and attracts more than 200,000 visitors a year. I highly recommend visiting this town that seems literally frozen in time. It is one of the best ghost towns in America and well worth the drive.
1. How to get there:
Bodie is isolated at over 8300 feet above sea-level in the eastern Sierra mountain range. The nearest town is Bridgeport, California. Take U.S. 395 seven miles south of Bridgeport; turn on State Route 270, also known as Bodie road. From there it is about 13 miles, 10 of which are paved, the last three miles being a semi-rough gravel road. This will lead you to the parks gate and Bodie itself. Entrance fee is $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids 6-16, five and under are free. They only take cash at the gate, so remember to hit an ATM on the way out. For further information call the park at 760-647-6445.
2. What to take:
There are no services in Bodie so you’ll need to bring along your own food and drink. Make sure you get gas before you go as well. There are restrooms and a gift shop but not much else. Make sure and bring a camera as Bodie is a very photogenic town. Cell phones may or may not work in Bodie so keep that in mind. Bodie is a day trip destination as there are no camping or RV facilities on site.
3. When to go:
Summers are hot in Bodie, but unless you want to snow shoe in or ride a snowmobile up to the park, it’s the best time to go. Though the park is open year around the road out to the town is closed in the winter due to heavy snow.
4. What to do:
You can walk around Bodie at your leisure, taking your own self-guided tour. They also offer guided tours, just check in at the museum for more information. Make sure and take a hike up to the cemetery, it is well preserved and offers an incredible view of the town. Bodie is a well preserved ghost town and relic hunting is strictly forbidden. Closed toed shoes are recommended as there is a lot of debris lying around. Have fun and take your time, Bodie is worth the drive. I guarantee it is a one-of-a-kind, and a trip you will never forget.
Sources:
California department of parks and recreation
