The West Coast of the United States is dotted with hundreds of ghost towns. And Bodie Ghost Town of California is one of the most famous. The old gold mining town was first founded back in 1859 when gold was discovered in the area. But once the gold dried up, the townsfolk slowly began to desert the old town after 50 years of residence. It finally became a California Historic State Park in 1962. Instead of restoring the old decrepit buildings left in the small town, they are instead preserved. Which means everything is left in a state of suspended decay. From church buildings, homes, automobiles, mining equipment, household items and more. Visiting this historic ghost town site is like stepping back in time.
What is a Ghost Town?
A Ghost Town is a deserted, forgotten town that is left behind by its inhabitants. With the buildings and everyday articles of life left to decay in the forces of nature. There are many “ghost towns” throughout the world. Some are only a couple decades old like Chernobyl while others like Deadwood have been around for a couple hundred years. Bodie is over 150 years old and is part of the United State’s “Wild West” ghost town of the gold rush.
Where is the Ghost Town of Bodie?
The Bodie Ghost Town is located in Central California, right at the cusp of the Nevada border. It is slightly Northeast of Yosemite National Park and North of Mammoth Lakes. It’s considered part of the Basin Range of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains and great stop to add to your California Road trip itinerary.
We visited Bodie during a long weekend in Yosemite. We decided to make the drive from Yosemite to Bodie in the Summer, about an hour each way depending on road conditions. The Hwy-120 that connects the two is often closed during Winter months so make sure to check your local Cal Trans for the most updated road conditions. It is a lovely scenic drive and I highly recommend to plan for a few stops to enjoy some of the best views the Sierra Nevada has to offer.
The only way to get to Bodie is by car or recreational vehicle. But keep in mind that there is a long stretch of dirt road that you’ll need to traverse in your vehicle to get to the actual park’s site. So expect a slow and bumpy ride for about 15-20 minutes. For more details about location and lodging, visit the official Bodie Website.
The weather in this area is a lot cooler so dress warm and wear layers. It can also be windy so bring a beanie or hoodie to protect your ears. I also recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes with thick soles if you intend on exploring. The rough terrain and rubble of the ghost town can be difficult to traverse in certain areas.
What to do in Bodie Ghost Town
Explore the History of Bodie Ghost Town
The town of Bodie is not as notorious as Deadwood in South Dakota or Jerome in Arizona, but the Bodie ghost town of California is a still rich with history.
“In 1859 William (a.k.a. Waterman) S. Bodey discovered gold near what is now called Bodie Bluff. A mill was established in 1861 and the town began to grow. It started with about 20 miners and grew to an estimated 10,000 people by 1880! By then, the town of Bodie bustled with families, robbers, miners, store owners, gunfighters, prostitutes, and people from every country in the world. At one time there was reported to be 65 saloons in town. Among the saloons were numerous brothels and ‘houses of ill repute’, gambling halls and opium dens – an entertainment outlet for everyone.”
The people that once lived in Bodie California are what make up the history of this place, and boy are there some great stories that come out of the town. The California Historic State Park has a visitor’s center where you can visit and learn so much about the history of the residents that lived and died there. A gold miners tale can be quite fascinating, don’t you think?
“On a daily basis miners would emerge from the mills and head for the bars and the red light district to spend their earnings. The mixture of money, gold and alcohol would sometimes prove fatal.”
Bodie Ghost Town is a Photographers Haven
The landscape, terrain and the old ghost town structures are a photographer’s wonderland. But let’s not forget about the interiors of the run down mercantile shops, dwellings, church and the industrial mining equipment. The incredible objects from back when the town of Bodie was booming, are strewn about, providing an ambiance of utter decay. Rusted, broken and covered in decades of grime, many of the ghost town items will make perfect subjects for still-life photography.
In my early 20s, I took a Photography class at a local community college. Back before digital cameras were even a thing. (Yes, I’m old.) One of the class trips that the instructor hosted for his advanced students was a trip to a photography destination. He chose to take us to Bodie, the Ghost Town in California since it was reasonably close. That’s how I originally learned about this place and back then, we took all our photos on black and white film!
When I found out how close Yosemite was to the Bodie Ghost Town during our recent trip, I talked the husband into taking a detour there for a quick re-visit. The trip did not disappoint. So if you’re a photography enthusiast, Bodie has a treasure trove of inanimate photo subjects.
Hiking Trails of Bodie, California
On the outskirts of Bodie central, there is the Bodie Ghost Town OHV Trail. It is a 31 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Bridgeport, California. It features a lake and is rated as moderate hiking. The trail is primarily used for off road driving and is best used during the warm months of Summer and Fall. It’s a dog-friendly trail and leads directly into the Historic State Park. Visit All Trails for more details.
Dirt Bike or ATV around Bodie, CA
The same Bodie Ghost Town OHV Trail can be used for Dirt Biking or off-roading in ATV or other recreational vehicles.
No vehicles of any kind are allowed on the historic park property besides state personnel.
Family Friendly Treasure Hunt & Games
The Historic State Park of Bodie Ghost Town in California is chalk full of education and fun, even with its sketchy history. If you visit with young children, there’s a variety of games and puzzles you can create to entertain the little ones. Provide them with their own Outdoor Explorer Kit to hunt and discover what the historic site has to offer. Do note that any objects found cannot be removed from the property.
Visit the Official Bodie Website for additional Puzzles and Games.
Make sure to add a stop at the Bodie Ghost Town of California when you plan your next road trip. It’s a fantastic historic state park for all ages to enjoy for a full day. Have you been before? I would love to hear about it! Comment below and let me know about your visit to Bodie Ghost Town!
You’re right! This is a photographers heaven. It looks soooo cool!! I’ve never been to a ghost town before but your pictures make me want to pack my camera stuff and go find one!
This ghost town is like no other I have been to.
I’ve been to Bodie and it is one of the most amazing places I’ve been to! It’s fascinating on so many levels. To see the slow decay of civilization by time and elements….but for me, it’s all those little pieces of the past that have stayed behind that make it a very human and real experience. And it certainly has an eerie feel to it as well. I can’t wait to go back!
Totally eerie. I was always afraid of looking into a window and seeing a face look back! Eeeeek!
This is amazing! It looks like you’re on the set of a Western movie! Love your photos btw 🙂
Thank you so much!
this is such a unique trip! and your photos are unreal!
Thank you, I’m glad you like them!
A ghost towns road trip is on my travel bucket list, so I’m definitely pinning this post for later. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome!
What a gorgeous ghost town! Your pictures make it seem ethereal. I love visiting ghost towns in California, especially when they’re gold rush-related. Although I’d never heard of Bodie before, I’m putting it on my list. Thanks for the tip!
I’m so surprised you’ve never heard of Bodie.
Your photographs are incredible! Visiting ghost towns is always so much fun and interesting. The stories behind them are always intriguing!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like the photos.
Amazing! I have a special interest in abandoned locations and Bodie has been on my list for so long. Beautiful photos!
This place is an ABANDONED HAVEN! You will love it!
Eerie but interesting. I love your photos!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like them!
This is actually a fun U.S. bucket list item for me! Your photos are absolutely stunning. Pinning for when I take my own trip. Thanks!
Thank you so much! If you have any questions about visiting it, let me know!
I want to visit a ghost town next time we are in California. We took a little trail to one on one of our trips, but it got so muddy and slippery that we had to turn back so we didn’t ruin the rental car. Next time this is on my list though!
I’ve been to handful of other ghost towns in California and this one is the BEST. All the other ones are too renovated and looks like it’s from the Knotts Berry Park.
I love it. That’s all I can say. It does seem like a window to the era of cowboys and people shooting each other on the street. Extremely westworld like and fantastic. I wonder though, how did you hear about this place? I know of some of these places but none visitable.
Thank you so much. I only knew about the place because of an old photographer teacher I had almost 20 years ago. He took us there during a photography field trip.
So I went back there last year with the hubby to show him how cool it was.
I love visiting Bodie when I’m up in that area! I was born in Bishop so I go up quite often!
That’s great! I wish I could explore it more.
Wowww your pictures are beautiful! I actually haven’t been to any ghost towns in California yet! Mmm maybe whenever I take a trip to Yosemite I can swing by! Thanks for the idea!
Thank you so much. Bodie is the ONLY ghost town worth visiting in California.
I have never been to a ghost town. Bodie looks amazing. I will be visiting California this summer (hopefully), and will have to visit. Great post!
I hope you get to visit California this Summer with all that’s going on. Let me know if you have any questions about awesome places to visit.
I have never heard of this place before but it was so nice to read this and know more about it.