Travelogue

Bodie Ghost TownWe had been to Bodie State Historical Park once before, but this time we would approach it the way the old prospectors did - over a mountain on a rough backcountry road past abandoned mines, and even a genuine cattle drive, but I’ll get to that later.

Rather than taking 395 south to the the paved 270 into Bodie, we headed north and turned onto Masonic Road. From here, we spent the next 32 miles driving up and down the rolling Bodie Hills, past old ghost towns and abandoned mines, with sweeping views of the Sierra and the Sweetwater Mountains all along the way. It was breathtaking.

Like ski runs,4WD roads are graded in terms of difficulty - Green for Easy, Blue for Intermediate, and Black for “no thank you.” This was a Green and the 4Runner handled it like a champ.

Abandoned mine along the road to BodieWe stopped several times along the way to wander amongst the old mining sites, many of which still had quite a few structures and equipment to poke around. It was really fascinating to imagine what a bustling place this must have been during the heyday of the Gold Rush. For now, we pretty much had the road entirely to ourselves, well almost.

Probably about 5 miles or so outside of Bodie, we saw a huge cloud of dust and dirt ahead. Not sure what to expect, we pulled as far as we could to the side of the road. As the noisy cloud approached, we started to hear the lowing of cows. Apparently, we had gotten ourselves into a traffic jam with a genuine cattle herd being prodded along by a genuine cowboy. I am not sure who was more confused - us or the cattle. They practically came up to our windshield to observe what I guess they thought were the oddities along this road. They certainly did outnumber us.

Traffic jam on the road to BodieOnce they had passed, we cleaned our windshield of dust and continued on our way. Before long, the many surviving structures of the old town of Bodie lay before us. What an awesome way to arrive.

For anyone traveling on 395, I highly recommend a side trip to Bodie State Historical Park. I believe it is the best preserved ghost town in all of California, if not the entire West.

The town rose to prominence when mining along the western slope of the Sierras declined, and prospectors moved to the eastern side to search for gold. Sure enough, in 1859, W.S. Bodey and his buddy E. S. “Black” Taylor stumbled upon gold in the hills north of Mono Lake, amounting to millions of dollars in gold and silver. Unfortunately, Bodey froze to death in a blizzard while returning with supplies and never got to enjoy his new-found wealth. The town, with a slight spelling change, is named for him.

Things slowed down for a bit in the 1860s, but then in the mid-1870s a rich strike was made by the Standard Mining Company in the Bodie Hills. Word spread, sparking a rush of people to Bodie. By 1879 the town had a population of about 10,000 people and more than 2,000 buildings, primarily general stores, dance halls, and saloons to keep the miners supplied and entertained. Bodie soon developed a reputation for wildness and lawlessness.

Lolo loose in BodieHowever, by 1881, the mines were depleted and miners and business people left Bodie to follow the next strike. By 1886, the town’s population had fallen to 1,500 people. In the 1890s, the use of electricity as a source of cheap power made mining here profitable again and temporarily boosted it. However, a fire in 1932 destroyed 90% of the town.

Bodie faded into a ghost town in the 1940s. Fortunately, in 1962, the town was designated a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park and its buildings are preserved in a state of “arrested decay.” The interiors of the buildings are maintained as they were left, still furnished and stocked with goods.

It’s a very poignant experience wandering the deserted streets, peeking in windows, and imagining the lives of those that once lived, played, worked, and died here not all that long ago.

Description

Bodie General StoreBodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town. The town rose to prominence when mining along the western slope of the Sierras declined, and prospectors moved to the eastern side to search for gold. A huge strike in Virginia City, the Comstock Lode, brought a wild rush to the high desert country along the eastern Sierras.

In 1859, W.S. Bodey and E. S. “Black” Taylor stumbled upon gold in the hills north of Mono Lake, amounting to millions of dollars in gold and silver. Unfortunately, Bodey froze to death in a blizzard while returning with supplies and never got to enjoy his new-found wealth. The town, with a slight spelling change, is named for him.

Things slowed down for a bit in the 1860s, but then in the mid-1870s a rich strike was made by the Standard Mining Company in the Bodie Hills. Word spread, sparking a rush of people to Bodie. By 1879 the town had a population of about 10,000 people and more than 2,000 buildings, primarily general stores, dance halls, and saloons to keep the miners supplied and entertained. Bodie soon developed a reputation for wildness and lawlessness.

Filler 'er upHundreds of Chinese workers also flocked to Bodie and profited from the boom by providing for the needs of the miners with wood, charcoal, vegetables, laundries, and more. The Chinese created a town within a town so that they could maintain their own customs and traditions.

However, by 1881, the mines were depleted and miners and business people left Bodie to follow the next strike. By 1886, the town’s population had fallen to 1,500 people. In the 1890s, the use of electricity as a source of cheap power made mining here profitable again and temporarily boosted it. However, a fire in 1932 destroyed 90% of the town.

Bodie faded into a ghost town in the 1940s. Fortunately, in 1962, the town was designated a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park. Today visitors can walk the streets of this deserted town, which has been preserved in a state of “arrested decay.” The interiors of the buildings are maintained as they were left, still furnished and stocked with goods.

To get there, take U.S. Hwy. 395 to State Hwy. 270 and drive 10 miles east until the paved road ends, then continue for 3 miles of an unpaved dirt road.