"Good Bye, God; I'm going to Bodie." The ghost town of Bodie’s unofficial slogan pretty much sums up what the town was like in its heyday: a boomtown “known as the most lawless, wild, and tough mining camp in the West.” Today, Bodie State Historic Park contains the few surviving buildings of this once-thriving town, preserved as they were left in a state of “arrested decay.” The buildings vary widely in state: from well-preserved taverns to a decaying house you can walk through to buildings which look like a bomb was detonated under their floorboards. You’re invited to wander through the abandoned town with nothing but fierce winds for company (and perhaps a few ghosts, too), imagining what this town was like way back when. The buildings themselves are desolate and beautiful, standing stark against the windswept landscape. One thing that struck me as funny: the jail cells were about as sturdy as every other building, but the most reinforced buildings were the bank and the liquor warehouse, with stone walls at least a foot thick! I spent four hours exploring this town, which was enough time to watch the short informational film, wander along every street, and start to feel like a creep staring into the windows of all these abandoned houses. I’d recommend budgeting more time if you want to go on the 50 minute mill tour--this costs $6 on top of the entrance fee, which is $8 per person ($5 for kids age 4-17). The park is 13 miles east of Highway 395 on State Route 270, seven miles south of Bridgeport. The last three miles of the road are unpaved, but the road is even enough for almost all cars to pass through. The park is open year-round, from 9am to 6pm in the summer or until 4pm in the winter, although they warn you that “because of the high elevation (8375 feet), it is accessible only by skis, snowshoes or snowmobiles during winter months.” So, uh, better pack your snow boots if you come late in the year (or just stick by the Mammoth Lakes area, a famous ski destination) All in all, Bodie is a cool little town featuring a fascinating slice of history. It’s not difficult to access (at least during the summer), so if you’re at all interested in the wild west, abandoned places, and/or ghost-hunting, I recommend checking it out! Know Where You Walk: This area was traditionally home to the Northern Paiute and Mono Lake Paiute people. Like this post? Why not share it?If you enjoyed this article, please leave me a comment telling me what you think! Or, if you found it useful, share it with your friends! You'll be helping me turn my passion for travel into a business, and more importantly, you'll be helping your friends out with any travel questions they might have, too. See more adventures!If you liked this post, you may also like:
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Hi, there! Call me Kris. I’m a world traveler, author and artist working to showcase the world's beauty and inspire you to find your confidence to see the world!
searchLooking for somewhere in particular? Search here:
shopsocial mediapopular postsThis website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies. Opt Out of Cookies |