Bodie Ghost Town

Bodie State Historic Park is a National Historic Landmark situated in the high desert of California near Bridgeport, serving as an exceptionally intact and authentic gold-mining ghost town. Originally founded in 1859 on the indigenous homelands of the Kootzaduka’a people, the community experienced a massive boom-and-bust cycle driven by industrial-scale quartz mining that peaked in the 1870s and 1880s with a population reaching roughly 8,000 residents. Following subsequent mine closures and devastating fires in 1892 and 1932, the remote town was formally acquired by California State Parks in 1962 and established as a state historic park maintained under a unique preservation policy of "arrested decay." Today, tourists from around the world visit the protected site to view its surviving vernacular buildings and furnishings, though visitors must navigate strict regulations prohibiting the collection of artifacts, camping, and drone usage, while preparing for challenging high-elevation winter conditions and limited seasonal access.