We arrived at Bodie State Park late afternoon after driving all the way from Las Vegas through Death Valley. Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, it was easy to find from our drive up from Mono Lake. Highway 395 towards Bridgeport has some great views over the lake too. Don’t forget to stop off at one of the viewpoints. Cruising the rather empty road, we were at the Bodie State Park entrance.
At the entrance you follow the new smooth tarmac road onto a dirt road. Once we had arrived and parked up, we realised how cold it was compared to Death Valley! However that didn’t stop us from climbing out the car to explore. With our coats on, water in one hand and camera in the other we headed off into the historic abandoned mining town.
History of Bodie State Park
This abandoned mining location was once a thriving lively little town, home to 2,712 residents and mining workers based on the census. Established in 1876, the town was constructed mostly all from wood and iron. The population grew after the discovery of gold underground, but sharply declined after the 1900s when the mine closed.
Unfortunately Bodie State Park has been officially abandoned since 1962, caused when the mining factory was shut down. All workers lost their jobs, resulting in needing to move away to find new work elsewhere. Families followed, leaving behind their homes and having to split up the community.
Bodie State Park is registered as a California Historical Landmark
This gold rush ghost town should be on your list to visit as it’s a true wonder that it still exists, preserved for 200,000 yearly visitors. Officially stated, there were 170 buildings on record however now only 110 still standing that you can explore. Since 2012, Bodie State Park is administered by the Bodie Foundation.
Housing
One house we explored straight away was one that is open to the public to walk inside and see for yourselves how it looked to live there. Walking into the front living room you first see a fireplace followed by a seating area and table. The original wallpaper can still be seen inside and the floors, mostly worn away, still show some of the patterned tiles. From the living room it splits into a 2 persons bedroom area on the left and the dining room on the right. Back to the dining room, a simple table with 4 chairs are positioned in the center with an old painting on the wall. Lastly is the kitchen and another bedroom, with pink belongings showing it was for a girl. Based on the style of the kitchen you can see that belongings are from the 1850s.
Stores
Many shops were left as they were, leaving behind machinery, materials and storage. Looking through windows of many stores left untouched since it was abandoned was quite unreal. Passing through the main street there are stores such as a clothes store, post office, mechanical car workshop, a store with communication and radio machinery, police station with a jail and a fire station. The Methodist Church still stands here as well, whereas the Roman Catholic Church burnt down in the 1900s. Unfortunately there are not many buildings you can enter, leaving you to peek through the windows.

Abandoned books and globe in the school

A mining tool toy at the school
The local saloon had glass bottles left on the counter tops and bar stools covered in dust. We have seen photos of the beer bottles standing on the bar, how they were left. However we realised that due to multiple earthquakes in the area this had caused the bottles to fall.
The museum located here is actually within the old Miners Union Hall building, where workers would socialise for parties, dances, concerts and school recitals. Hundreds of items such as photos, artwork, workers tools, artefacts and memorabilia can be seen here.

Inside one of the stores.

Old typewriter found at the newsagents

Inside someones kitchen storage area

Inside one of the unions hall
Summary
The visit to Bodie State Park was a strange but interesting thing to visit in California. Exploring this abandoned village showed the true reality of when there is no work for people that they must go looking elsewhere to support their families. It wasn’t busy at all during our visit in September with only a small number of cars in the parking location.
This ghost town is perfect for families of all ages to explore. The main street is fairly flat and suitable for those in a wheelchair. However to really explore this abandoned city it’s most suitable by those on foot. It’s needed to walk through uneven areas and up stairs to view the houses. Furthermore bring your own food and relax at the picnic area, as there is no cafe.
Bodie State Park offers also walking tours for those wanting to explore deeper into the history of the mining town, focusing on the mining factory. This specific area cannot be explored by yourself and only open for tours. Skipping this on our short visit was fine for us but we do believe its well worth it for a better insight into the past of Bodie.
Our Tips
- Bring a warm jacket or coat – It’s a high altitude and the weather can change quite quickly
- Check the official website for up to date information
- Visit the museum touristic center first for a booklet to read during your visit and understand what each house was used for
- Please realise that Bodie State Park is preserved to how it used to be. No tarmac pavements or wheelchair access is in place.
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Have you visited this historic Bodie State Park before in California? We’d love to hear what you thought, let us know in the comments!
We visited Bodie State Park during our 2 week US road trip. Check out our full itinerary here!
20 Comments
Anisa
23rd June 2018 at 7:32 pmWhat an interesting place! I had not heard of it before but I would like to do that tour. I would like to learn more about the way of life during that time.
Amy
24th June 2018 at 5:07 amThis is really cool! I love seeing places like this and being able to see exactly how people lived at the time. It’s a real glimpse into history!
Togetherintransit
4th July 2018 at 1:42 pmCompletely agree! It’s like stepping back in time and really seeing how it was like to live there – and a true realization how things have changed fast since then!
Hannah
24th June 2018 at 7:26 pmThis reminds me of some places in British Columbia! Ghost towns are so interesting.
Togetherintransit
4th July 2018 at 1:41 pmArn’t they instersting!? I’d love to explore more but there isn’t many around where I am right now. Will definitely look out for more when I go travelling again.
Nerissa
22nd August 2018 at 8:37 pmHow amazing to see how everything was back then. I love stuff like this, seems like such a great tour!
Rachel Silverwood
22nd August 2018 at 9:04 pmThis looks so cool! the outside of the buildings look like a movie set, hard to believe people left so much behind, what an interesting day out 🙂
Togetherintransit
25th August 2018 at 4:30 pmYeah it was definitely a bit eerie to see belongings still left inside some houses!
Andy Lowry
22nd August 2018 at 10:01 pmWhoa! This is so cool! I knew there were a few abandoned towns in and around Death Valley but have never seen one so well preserved.
Candy
22nd August 2018 at 10:44 pmI love visiting places like this. I especially like going inside old homes and seeing the furniture and layout of how people used to live back then. I really want to go and check this place out now!
Togetherintransit
25th August 2018 at 4:29 pmPretty cool eh! We hope to visit more places like this in the future.
Christina
23rd August 2018 at 12:00 amI think it would be incredibly interesting to come here. I know we would thoroughly enjoy the history behind this once thriving city. My husband would enjoy learning what beers they were drinking back in the day as well. This would give someone a real good feeling of what it was like to live out west.
Togetherintransit
25th August 2018 at 4:28 pmI think your Husband has a good way of thinking!! We love these places and would definitely recommend it to you and others if you are ever close by 🙂
Gwen
23rd August 2018 at 9:21 amReally cool place!! love your photos 🙂
Lyne
23rd August 2018 at 9:33 pmI love abandoned places like this one! There are always full of history; everything seems to be stuck in time it’s like taking a peek at the past. I’d love to take that tour!
Togetherintransit
25th August 2018 at 4:27 pmThanks for commenting Lyne, it’s definitely pretty cool to explore these type of places! Keep it in mind for when you are ever in the area!
Rosemary
24th August 2018 at 5:35 amWhat a fascinating experience. Was just in Nevada recently and drove past a couple of abandoned towns. It’s kind of creepy and interesting at the same time. Really neat to read about your experience at Bodie Park. Great photography.
Togetherintransit
25th August 2018 at 4:26 pmIt definitely has the creepy effect of walking around there, I wish we had time to visit more in Nevada. Thanks for your kind words Rosemary!
Jas
24th August 2018 at 6:12 amI just came back from a California road trip last month and bummer I missed out on this! It’s so interesting to see what life was like back in the days and I agree with Hannah above that this reminds me of a ghost town I visited here in BC!
Togetherintransit
25th August 2018 at 4:25 pmSucks to miss out eh! We had to miss Yosemite during our road trip there due to weather so we hope to visit California again soon 😀