There’s gold in them thar hills.

Boom Town to Ghost Town

Camp Notes: As of July 1, 2023 the road to Bodie is open but, it is best too check road conditions before travel.

Hitting the road for a camping trip offers the opportunity to explore the landscape.
In addition, using the camp spot as a base, day trips can be historical.

Fall in love with Bodie, California

To say the love of Bodie was instant is an understatement. History can slap you in the face. Looking into the windows of artifacts left behind was spellbinding. Life here was bustling with so much energy, newspapers classified the town of Bodie as the true wild west. We were lucky to arrive just as the park opened. No one was there, so we had the site almost to ourselves; the sun was creating shadows, the camera was ready to capture a few memories but no ghost.

They just got up and walked away with chips still on the table.

65 saloons, 10 faro tables, 5 wholesale shops, 4 newspapers, brothels, breweries.

Bodie was known for robberies, opium dens, street brawls, daily shootouts.
Look around the landscape for hints of the Bodie and Benton Railroad, built to bring wood for all the structures on the site. Also, please stop by the museum to pick up a few books and pamphlets on Bodie's history. The museum has all the information on different homesteads and businesses. Finally, take the time to explore the grounds dotted with old cars and fragmented tools.

Bit of info about the town's namesake: Waterman S. Body's discovery turned into a gold rush; he died before seeing the town he was named after.

It took a while before two churches came to town, one catholic and the still standing methodist church both built in 1882. The catholic church was destroyed during the town fires. Two fires one in 1892 and the other in 1932 destroyed most of the town but still standing are 100 structures you can still enjoy today!

Bodie Superstitions

Bodie became a state park in 1962

Color vs sepia Tones.

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