30 Sep 25 - Trip Report: Windswept, Abandoned, but Unforgettable: A Journey Through Bodie, CA

Recently, we took a visiting family member to the Ghost Town of Bodie and were once again amazed by the town's charm and history.

Trip Report: 

Current As Of: 30 Sept 2025*

Bodie lies in the aptly named Bodie Hills, over 13 miles away from Highway 395 and 20 miles from the nearest town (Bridgeport, CA), on a windy mountain road of which the last 3 miles aren't even paved. Naturally, it is hard to fathom that this used to be a booming town and a highly desirable place to live in.

Despite the road being just partially paved, you can take most vehicles there. On our most recent visit, we drove a Honda Civic. However, if you go in spring or fall, you want to research in advance whether the road is snow-free since it does not get plowed.

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Looking across the ghost town

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Bodie, California

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Bodie's History

We don't want to drop spoilers here, but we'll say a little to give you an idea about the ghost town.

Bodie was founded after some white prospectors stuck gold in the surrounding hills in 1859. The main boom years were between 1876 and 1881, after a significant gold deposit had been found that made a large scale mining operation financially viable. 

However, unlike most ghost towns, Bodie survived into the 1940s, because the mine still operated at a smaller scale. Therefore, a lot of houses survived until the 1960s, when the property was sold by the last family owners to the State of California, which turned it into a State Historic Park.

At it's peak, Bodie consisted of about 2,000 buildings, including a fire station, countless saloons and bars, hotels, a bank, a post office, stores, jail(s), several churches and many residential houses. Fun fact: Bodie had the county's first power line for long-distance transmission over 13 miles.

Although Bodie is located within rolling hills, at an elevation of 8,375 feet (2.553 meters), it is located higher than the ski town of Mammoth Lakes in the neighboring Sierra Nevada. Adding to that, the dry climate of Bodie doesn't allow for tree growth, which results in a constant wind blowing through the ghost town. Can you imagine living through a winter here in drafty houses with even draftier windows during the late 1800s?

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An old sawmill in Bodie, CA

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What to do in Bodie

Today's ghost town of Bodie is in a state of "arrested decay", meaning the State Park maintains certain buildings in their current state, but if something collapses due to heavy winter snowfalls (like in 2023), they won't repair it anymore.

In other words, you can find 200 buildings that are in their original state from whenever they were abandoned - the charm that so many people talk about when they speak about Bodie.

Look into every window! When people left these houses behind, they usually left their furniture as well. Sometimes, you can still see kettles on the stoves, jackets on hangers and products on store shelves.

We highly recommend booking a Mill Tour through the old stamp mill which dominated the town's skyline. To do so, go to the little museum near the intersection of the town's main streets, and buy a ticket for $6 per person (prices as of 2025). Usually, tours start at 11am and 1pm, lasting about an hour. While short and not free, we thought the tour was great.

The stamp mill is still fully intact! If you've ever come across old stamp mills of former mining operations somewhere in the desert, you usually just find remnants. Parts of the mill, maybe some leftover building frames (like Skidoo in Death Valley), but never have we seen a mill that's still fully intact. In Bodie, you'd just have to hook up some water pipes, grease the bearings, and you could probably run the mill again.

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Inside an old saloon

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Looking into an old store in Bodie

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The stamp mill

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Inside the stamp mill

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Where does the road behind Bodie go?

For the adventurous visitors with a high-clearance vehicle, the road continues into Nevada. The border is just another 7 miles east of Bodie, CA. From there, you can continue down the valley and take a right turn that leads you to another ghost town: Aurora, NV. There aren't many visible remains and a few roads in Aurora are closed due to active mining claims, but the cemetery of Aurora is worth a visit.

Other than that, all roads in the Bodie Hills are worth a scenic drive - if you have 4WD and off-roading experience. There are many spots with deep sand, especially as you get closer to Mono Lake.

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Aurora, NV

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Things to know before visiting Bodie

• Park Hours during the winter season are 9am to 4pm
• The town is in its historic state, which unfortunately means that there isn't much ADA access. The bathrooms however are ADA compliant.
• The road can get snowed in and the last 3 miles are not paved. Don't drive a low-clearance sports car and keep an eye on the fall weather.
• Entry costs $8 per adult, $5 per youth (kids under 3 get free entry), add another $6 per person if you're doing a Mill Tour
• Dress warm! Bodie is located at 8,375 feet (2.553 meters). It gets cold here.
• The State Historic Park has a nice park brochure with useful information.
• Cell service in Bodie is spotty at best and many carriers have no service out there at all.
• Plan about a half day for your visit.

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