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  4. CT News 2022, Issue 4
  5. Road trippin': SR-270 to Bodie

Road trippin': State Route 270 to Bodie SHP

Boo! There are ghosts in Eastern California, high up on a plain above Mono Lake. Bodie State Historic Park is one spectacularly scenic (and marginally spooky!) place that delights thousands of vehicle-delivered tourists every summer and a smattering of snowmobiling souls in the colder months. State Route 270, about as short as they come in the state highway system, is how CT News ventured out to Bodie in late July.

Gallery

sr270-01 (Screen grab courtesy of Google Maps)
sr270-02 CT News ventured out to one of the state’s most-remote and shortest roadways: State Route 270.
sr270-03 SR-270 is accessed via U.S. Highway 395, must of which runs along the super-scenic Eastern Sierra.
sr270-04 The whole point of SR-270, its reason for being, is that is leads to Bodie State Historic Park.
sr270-05 What is Bodie SHP? The following photo captions are descriptions copied from the Parks and Recretion website.
sr270-06 The park is northeast of Yosemite, 13 miles east of Highway 395 on Bodie Road (Hwy 270), seven miles south of Bridgeport.
sr270-07 Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town.
sr270-08 Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that once had a population of nearly 10,000 people.
sr270-09 The town is named for Waterman S. Body (William Bodey), who had discovered small amounts of gold in hills north of Mono Lake.
sr270-10 In 1875, a mine cave-in revealed pay dirt, which led to purchase of the mine by the Standard Company in 1877.
sr270-11 People flocked to Bodie and transformed it from a town of a few dozen to a boomtown.
sr270-12 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.
sr270-13 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."
sr270-14 Today this once thriving mining camp is visited by tourists, howling winds and an occasional ghost.
sr270-15 For public protection, certain unstable sections of the park are posted as prohibited areas, and are closed to entry by park visitors.
sr270-16 There is no camping at Bodie. Contact U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management offices for nearby camping information.
sr270-17 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.
sr270-18 Winter weather is often unpredictable. Sub-zero temperatures, strong winds and white-out conditions are common.
sr270-19 Many four wheel drive vehicles with chains get stuck each year in powdery snow.
sr270-20 In spring, mud can be a problem. Local towing services, when available, can be costly.
sr270-21 Dogs are permitted in the park but must be on a leash at all times. Dogs are not allowed on the stamp mill tour or in the museum.
sr270-22 In the interest of public safety and the preservation of resources, Bodie SHP is closed to drones.
sr270-23 Everything in Bodie is part of the historic scene and is fully protected. NOTHING may be collected or removed from the park.