Bodie Ghost Town in the Sierras off Hwy 395 Worth the 13 Mile Detour
Headed to the Sierras? Down a dusty, bumpy, slow 13 mile long road off of State Highway 395 you'll find Bodie...
...an original mining town from the late 1800's. What's left today stands in a state of "arrested decay" and is maintained by the California State Parks System, who took over the town in 1962 to make it a State Historic Park. In 1859 William (a.k.a. Waterman) S. Bodey discovered gold near what is now called Bodie Bluff. A mill was established in 1861 and the town began to grow. It started with about 20 miners and grew to an estimated 10,000 people by 1880! By then, the town of Bodie bustled with families, robbers, miners, store owners, gunfighters, prostitutes and people from every country in the world. At one time there was reported to be 65 saloons in town. Among the saloons were numerous brothels and 'houses of ill repute', gambling halls and opium dens - an entertainment outlet for everyone...
Read the rest of story and view a video on the Bodie.com website.
Also check out our stories on Highway 395, and on getting there from the Bay Area using the scenic route Highway 4. Headed over the Tioga Pass? Well... stop to gas up and eat at Woah Nellie Deli.
