Summer Hours
9AM to 6PM
March 8th- October 31st
Winter Hours
November 1-March 7th
9AM-4PM
Bodie State Historic Park
UPDATE (May 29, 2020) - As California State Parks begins working with locals on a phased and regionally-driven approach to increase access to state park units where compliance with state and local public health ordinances can be achieved, it is important for visitors to continue to practice physical distancing and avoid congregating with people outside their immediate household. Everyone has the responsibility to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Here are some guidelines for people visiting Bodie State Historic Park:
What is open now?
The following is open at the park:
What is currently closed at this park and throughout the State Park System?
At this park:
Statewide:
Are there any new visitor guidelines?
Thank you for your patience and continued support of California State Parks as we work to limit your risk for exposure to COVID-19 in the outdoors. For more information, please visit parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.
Here are some guidelines for people visiting Bodie State Historic Park:
What is open now?
The following is open at the park:
- The park is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to active recreation with restrictions in place to encourage social distancing.
- Day-use parking is now available to the public
- Outdoor restrooms will be available.
- Historic town core accessible for outdoor self-guided tour only.
- During the summer months, Bodie State Historic Park visitation ranges from 500-1,500 people per day. Anticipate large crowds in the general parking lot and throughout the town. Please maintain physical distancing of six feet or more.
What is currently closed at this park and throughout the State Park System?
At this park:
- All historic buildings.
Statewide:
- Campground.
- High public-use indoor facilities, including museums and visitor centers.
- Special events and tours continue to be canceled until further notice.
Are there any new visitor guidelines?
- Stay Local: Stay close to home. Walk or bike into the park. Parking is very limited. Do not take road trips to parks and beaches or to neighboring states.
- Stay Active: Keep walking, jogging, hiking and biking. Watch for one-way trails.
- Stay Safer at 6 Feet: Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more. Gatherings, picnics and parties are not allowed. Visitors will be asked to leave if there are too many people at the park, beach or on trails to allow for the required physical distance.
- Stay Clean: Be prepared. Bring soap/sanitizer and pack out all trash.
- Stay Covered: The state now requires you to wear a face covering in most indoor settings and public outdoor spaces when you cannot maintain physical distancing of six feet or more from people outside of your immediate household. For details, please visit CDPH’s guidance here. Visitors should also abide by their local county health orders.
Thank you for your patience and continued support of California State Parks as we work to limit your risk for exposure to COVID-19 in the outdoors. For more information, please visit parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.
Phone Number
(760) 616-5040
Park Hours
Dogs Allowed?
Yes
Dogs allowed in park but not allowed in any historic buildings, including the Stamp Mill or in the Museum.
Driving Directions to Bodie SHP
The park is northeast of Yosemite, 13 miles east of Highway 395 on Bodie Road, seven miles south of Bridgeport.From U.S. 395 seven miles south of Bridgeport, take State Route 270. Go east 10 miles to the end of the pavement and continue 3 miles on an unsurfaced road to Bodie. The last 3 miles can at times be rough. Reduced speeds are necessary. Call the park if there are any questions about road conditions.
Online reservations are not available for this park.
Upcoming Park Events
No events scheduled at this moment.
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Exhibits and Programs
Interpretive Exhibits
Museums
Family Programs
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Exhibits and Programs
Interpretive Exhibits
Museums
Family Programs
OTHER FACILITIES & VISITOR INFORMATION
Parking
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Parking
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Advisory Notice
In the interest of public safety and the preservation of resources, Bodie SHP is closed to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as “drones,” “quad-copters” and similar. (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 4326 A)
In the interest of public safety and the preservation of resources, Bodie SHP is closed to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as “drones,” “quad-copters” and similar. (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 4326 A)
Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town. Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that once had a population of nearly 10,000 people. The town is named for Waterman S. Body (William Bodey), who had discovered small amounts of gold in hills north of Mono Lake. In 1875, a mine cave-in revealed pay dirt, which led to purchase of the mine by the Standard Company in 1877. People flocked to Bodie and transformed it from a town of a few dozen to a boomtown.
Only a small part of the town survives, preserved in a state of "arrested decay." Interiors remain as they were left and stocked with goods. Designated as a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park in 1962, the remains of Bodie are being preserved in a state of "arrested decay". Today this once thriving mining camp is visited by tourists, howling winds and an occasional ghost.
Location - Directions
The park is northeast of Yosemite, 13 miles east of Highway 395 on Bodie Road (Hwy 270), seven miles south of Bridgeport.
From U.S. 395 seven miles south of Bridgeport, take State Route 270. Go east 10 miles to the end of the pavement and continue 3 miles on a dirt road to Bodie. The last 3 miles can at times be rough. Reduced speeds are necessary. Call the park if there are any questions about road conditions.
Facilities and Activities
Bodie is a ghost town. Today it looks much the same as it did over 50 years ago when the last residents left. To preserve the ghost town atmosphere, there are no commercial facilities at Bodie, such as food or gasoline. There is a bookstore inside the museum where you may also inquire about daily tours.
Restrooms (flush toilets) are located at the parking lot and the picnic area.
Souvenirs and Collecting
Everything in Bodie is part of the historic scene and is fully protected. NOTHING may be collected or removed from the park. Metal detectors are not allowed.
Closed Areas
For public protection, certain unstable sections of the park are posted as prohibited areas, and are closed to entry by park visitors.
Camping
There is no camping at Bodie. Contact U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management offices for nearby camping information.
Winter Visits
Bodie is open all year. However, because of the high elevation (8375 feet), it is accessible only by skis, snowshoes or snowmobiles during winter months. Snowmobiles must stay on designated roads in the Bodie Hills.
Winter weather is often unpredictable. Sub-zero temperatures, strong winds and white-out conditions are common. Many four wheel drive vehicles with chains get stuck each year in powdery snow. In Spring, mud can be a problem. Local towing services, when available, can be costly.
Dogs
Dogs are permitted in the park but must be on a leash at all times. Please clean up after your pet. Dogs are not allowed on the Stamp Mill tour or in the Museum.
Drones
In the interest of public safety and the preservation of resources, Bodie SHP is closed to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as “drones,” “quad-copters” and similar. (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 4326 A)