More Pictures From Bodie, CA

A view of Bodie from inside the shell of an old car.

Bodie's version of a junkyard.

Be careful where you step around town: there's broken glass and other miscellaneous junk everywhere. You might think, "who trashed this historic landmark?". Well, the residents of Bodie did, decades ago. Those bottle fragments and other junk are, in a sense, historical trash (and taking home a souvenir is a crime).

This conveniently placed hole probably provided a lookout for folks inside an outhouse.

Bodie stays open all year, even though at 8375 feet, it's isolated by snow during the winter months. If you're experienced at cross-country skiing, or own a snowmobile, you can still visit, for a truly unique experience.

The town's filling station, installed long before you could pay at the pump.

These gas pumps are now dry, so you'd better hope you filled up before you left the main highway.

One old building in Bodie is now home to a small museum. Here you can see pictures of the people who used to live here, and gain an appreciation for the rough life they endured. You can also pick up a tee-shirt or bottle of water, but that's about all they offer for sale.

The view down Green Street, looking toward the center of town.

The Standard Stamp Mill is off limits to casual tourists, but if you're really interested, you can sign up for a guided tour. Park rangers may lead visitors through the old mill 2-3 times a day. Check at the guard booth or the museum for more info. (The land around the stamp mill is also very dangerous, and therefore, off limits.)

Another old piece of machinery.

Bodie was named after Waterman S. Body, a.k.a. William Bodey. The town decided to officially change the spelling of its name to Bodie, to ensure folks pronounced it properly. Body didn't live to see his namesake town boom. He froze to death during the town's first winter, while returning with supplies.

By the way, most of the Bodie facts you've read here (and much more) can be found on the official Bodie SHP site, or in the helpful guidebook available at the guard station.

Leaving Bodie - CA Hwy. 270

Chances are, you weren't looking behind you, as you made your way to Bodie. If that's the case, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see the Sierra Nevada views awaiting you on the drive back to the 21st century.

Hard to believe the next leg of our journey will take us over these mountains, isn't it?

Rte. 270 doesn't actually begin until you're back on pavement, three miles from Bodie.

You can't see the Sierra Nevada mountains from "downtown" Bodie, but if you head up Green Street, past most of the abandoned homes, you can see a few snow-capped peaks.

Mono Lake Overlook

Click on the panorama to view larger

Enjoy this panoramic shot of Mono Lake, taken from a pull-off along US 395.

US 395 provides a much more scenic alternative for the return trip to Los Angeles. The route passes through the Owens Valley, in between the Sierra Nevadas and White Mountains. You'll drive past Death Valley, the Alabama Mountains, and the Bristlecone Pine Forest (home to the oldest living trees on earth) if you choose this route. Because of time limitations, I had to select a faster route (from Yosemite, Hwy. 41 south to Hwy. 99, then I-5 into Los Angeles), but I hope to someday soon return to this area, to make the trip down US 395.

Once back in Lee Vining, our route takes us back up through Tioga Pass, into Yosemite again.

If you feel the need to lose a few bucks, or a few hundred, in a casino, this is the closest you're going to get to Nevada on this trip. Consider taking 395 North to Lake Tahoe and Reno, or heading east from Bridgeport, to Hawthorne, NV.

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