The Ultimate Bodie State Historic Park Guide (Ghost Town)
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If you’ve ever wanted to know what life was like during the height of the California gold rush in the mid to late 1800s, there are few destinations more suitable of an example than the state’s most infamous ghost town, Bodie State Historic Park.
Regarded as the “Disneyland” of California ghost towns, Bodie contains dozens of historical structures, including the town’s former hotel, church, schoolhouse, saloon, as well as various homes, all preserved in a state of arrested decay (meaning they do nothing to improve the buildings, but just enough to prevent them from deteriorating).
Initially founded in 1849, a year after John Marshall’s first discovery of gold in California and just a couple years after the disastrous events of the infamous Donner Party saga, Bodie is steeped in history and thus, more than worthy of a visit.
If you’ve never been there, you’re likely wondering how to visit this spectacular place and see it for yourself. In this guide, I’ll cover all pertinent topics such as best time to visit, what you can expect, parking, fees and more. Let’s get into it!
Bodie - A Brief Historical Rundown
Bodie was named for Waterman S. Bodey, the man who made the initial discovery of gold in what is now known as the Bodie Hills, just north of Mono Lake. Those hills later revealed a monumental amount of gold and silver deposits, meaning the boom was now in full swing.
Word began to spread and soon, people flocked to Bodie by the thousands, transitioning it from a few structures with a couple dozen miners into a bustling municipality with over 8,000 people. At its peak, there were many saloons, gambling halls, banks, a jail, hotels, schoolhouse, hundreds of homes, brothels and more.
After its peak in 1881 and mining started diminishing due to operations becoming increasingly expensive, folks began abandoning Bodie, moving on to the next. By the early 1930’s, there was interest in getting the town running again by utilizing electrical power to operate the stamp mill and a cyanide process to work the mill tailings.
In a twist of fate, however, a fire started by a two year old playing with matches destroyed roughly ninety percent of Bodie. This incident, compounded with the 1942 presidential order ceasing all mining of gold and silver, resulted in Bodie losing its township and all hopes of a revival were dashed.
After years of negotiations between the state of California and owners of the Standard Oil company, Bodie was sold in 1962 and transformed into a state park, preserving this historically significant destination for generations to come.
Getting to Bodie, Parking, Hotel and Dining
Bodie is simple to get to as it’s located between Bridgeport and Lee Vining, two small California mountain towns. From Bridgeport, it’s seven miles south on Highway 395 to State Route 270 (left) and another 13 miles to the park itself. From Lee Vining, it’s roughly 18 miles north on Highway 395 to the turnoff (right).
The first ten miles of State Route 270 (also known as the, “road to Bodie”) is paved, with the final three miles converting to a dirt road. The is passable for most, some may just need to take it slow. There are no huge boulders or potholes to negotiate, but there are a few semi-rough washboarded areas.
As you can see, Bridgeport is much closer to Bodie than Lee Vining is, making it an obvious basecamp for visitors. However, I highly encourage you to at least visit Lee Vining after exploring the park, as it’s an incredible place to visit in its own right.
There are no major airports close to the park. The closest would be Reno International to the north and various Los Angeles-area airports to the south. The closest of which is 163-miles away. That said, bringing your own vehicle is paramount.
Parking
Parking at Bodie is relatively easy to come by. They have one, rather large gravel lot, capable of hosting quite a few vehicles. Parking is included with your entrance fee (which we’ll discuss in detail below).
Shortly after driving into the park, you’ll notice a small lot on your left. That one is for park employees. Continue straight for another thirty feet or so and you’ll come to the day-use parking lot on your right.
Accommodations
In short, there are none. Not inside of the park, anyway. In the aforementioned nearby towns of Lee Vining and Bridgeport you’ll find quite a few options. In Bridgeport, accommodations include the historic Bridgeport Inn, Virginia Creek Settlement (closest to the park) and a few Airbnb rentals.
In Lee Vining, you’ll find Lake View Lodge, El Mono Hotel, and Yosemite Gateway Hotel, along with numerous campgrounds along Tioga Pass (which are also close to the east entrance of Yosemite National Park, by the way).
Dining
Unfortunately, there aren’t dining options in the park either. Water fountains can be found in the parking lot, adjacent to the restrooms. As with accommodations, both Lee Vining and Bridgeport offer plenty of local eateries. I would advise bringing your own food with you, as you’ll easily spend half a day exploring the park.
In Bridgeport, I recommend one of my personal favorites, Virginia Creek Settlement, which is the closest eatery to the park at less than a mile from the Route 270 turn-off. Another favorite of mine, Burger Barn, is located in Bridgeport, proper.
Alternatively, Lee Vining also has a few restaurants of note. My go-to, Whoa Nelly Deli, is located at the southern end of town, just after the Tioga Pass turn-off. They offer a variety of hot sandwiches, along with burgers, seafood, and more.
Bodie State Park Fees and Hours
Park hours vary according to time of year. They are:
Summer Hours
9:00am - 6:00pm (March - September)
Winter Hours
9:00am - 4:00pm (October - February)
Although the park is open in winter, State Route 270 (the road leading to Bodie) is closed to vehicles due to heavy snowpack and the road isn’t plowed at all during winter. This means you can only access Bodie is by snow-shoeing or snowmobile.
Bodie sits at 8,375 feet in elevation (at the visitor center) and has unpredictable weather patterns, including the summer months, where afternoon thunderstorms occur regularly. Sub-zero temperatures and blistering white-out conditions occur in winter, as well.
Bodie State Park’s admission fees as of 2025 are:
$8.00 per adult
$5.00 per child ages 4-17
Free for ages 3 & younger
$3.00 per tour booklet
$6.00 per person (Stamp Mill tour)
While cash is accepted, they prefer payments by credit card. Additionally, change isn’t always available so if you’re paying with cash, bring exact change. If there’s no ranger at the booth, you can pay at the electronic pay station just past the booth.
Something I always recommend to first-time visitors is to purchase the self-guided tour book and the cemetery tour book as well. They’re $3 a piece, but they’re worth the extra expenditure as they provide invaluable information on the various structures and cemetery plots, respectively.
As you approach a structure, look for the number (usually staked into the ground) and match it to the corresponding number in the booklet. It’ll tell you what the structure was used for, who lived there, etc. It’s highly informative and a great way to learn about the park in depth.
Best Things to do at Bodie
There a seemingly limitless amount of things to do at Bodie. For a place that never changes, there’s somehow always something new to see. That’s why I recommend taking the time to explore the park. You won’t see everything, but it’s the best way to try.
Despite that, there are a handful of notable structures and activities offered at the park and should be a priorty during your visit, especially if it’s your first. These include:
History Talks
History talks are free, ranger or staff-guided mini tours, conducted once or twice daily, depending on time of year. They meet in front of the museum and a member of park staff will walk with you to a couple buildings, discussing the park’s history.
Methodist Church
Bodie’s Methodist church is perhaps the most recognizable, iconic structure in the park. It was built in 1882 and was one of only two churches in town. It’s the park’s sole surviving house of worship and conducted its final service in 1932, after the devastating fire that destroyed ninety percent of the town.
Bodie Museum and Visitor Center
The museum is free to enter and explore. It’s packed full of historical artifacts discovered inside the various structures and around the park. Since people traveled almost exclusively in covered wagons, they could only take what they could travel with. Consequently, folks abandoned most of their items when leaving town.
There’s also a small gift shop located inside. There, you can purchase a variety of items, including Bodie’s famous calendar, t-shirts, patches and pins, history books, random trinkets, and more. Additionally, you can purchase stamp mill tour tickets and self-guided booklets. All sales benefit the Friends of Bodie Foundation.
Stamp Mill Tour
The park’s historic stamp mill is the best preserved stamp mill in the state and only surviving ore-processing mill in Bodie. Ranger or park staff-guided tours are conducted two to three times daily throughout the season and cost $6.00 per person.
Bodie Cemetery
Bodie’s cemetery is located across the main road that leads to the parking lot and overlooks the town. In it are several dozen headstones and unmarked graves, with a few notables buried here as well. Two of which are Evelyn, known as the “Angel of Bodie” and Waterman S. Bodey, the town’s founding Father and namesake.
The Miller House
The Miller House is notable not so much for its previous occupants, but for its uniqueness in that it’s the only former home in the park where visitors can enter and explore. The bedroom and kitchen are fenced off, but you’re free to explore the living quarters and dining room.
These are just a small handful of things to do at Bodie. As stated above, the best way to get the full experience is by purchasing the self-guided tour book. You’ll gain so much knowledge from spending just a few bucks.
Best Time To Visit Bodie
Bodie is open throughout the year and is perfectly accessible throughout most of it. However, as stated above, the road to Bodie is closed to vehicles in Winter. For most people that leaves Spring, Summer and Fall.
Spring: If you get here right at the beginning of the tourist season, you’ll typically experience mild weather and lighter crowds. Weekends are busy but not to the point of being miserable.
Summer: This is the height of the tourist season and with it, brings hot days with semi-regular afternoon thunderstorms. Crowds are at their heaviest during this time so if you must come during summer, arriving on a weekday and being there early would be your best bet.
Fall: By this time, crowds begin to thin and temperatures start cooling back down. Until the end of October, weekends will still have a decent turn out with weekdays reverting to light. This is far and away my favorite and preferred time of year to go.
Winter: Crowds are non-existent. Aside from the on-site park staff, you’ll likely have the park to yourself. The museum and stamp mill are closed, but you’ll have the chance to see a side of Bodie most never do. Get your hands on a snowmobile and you’re set (if you happen to have one and would be willing to transport me out there, be sure to hit me up!).
The Bodie Curse
As previously mentioned, Bodie’s a protected site and as such, stealing and/or damaging items or structures in the park is prohibited. You’ll face fines, be trespassed, arrested or something a bit more sinister…get cursed.
The story varies wildly from person to person but they all seem to agree on one thing, bringing anything home from Bodie could bring you misfortune. Per local legend, rangers often receive packages containing stolen items such as dolls, old cans and rocks, accompanied by letters from apologetic senders.
The letters typically state that they’ve had nothing but bad luck since returning home with the stolen item. After sending the item back, however, life returns to normal. Regardless of whether you believe the curse is real or not, it’s important to respect Bodie, and everything in it, to ensure its longevity.
“Take nothing but pictures…leave nothing but footprints”.
Things to do Near Bodie
There are many other attractions and destinations both near Bodie and within a couple hours drive. In fact, most people visit Bodie as a stop on their overall road trip along the famed Highway 395. If that’s you, or you’re staying nearby, there are plenty of other wonderful sights to see.
If you’re using Lee Vining or Bridgeport as your base, you’re close to the majority of these (tap/click the link to read my guides on these destinations):
Conway Summit
Twin Lakes
Sierra Strange - Coffee and Oddities
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This post was originally published in 2021 and has been recently updated for accuracy and additions.
