Bodie State Historic Park

[Roy_Lynne]

This is on our bucket list for next years adventure Just wondering where to stay. We don't mind dry camping or even boondocking for a couple days.


Thanks in advance.

[mrw8i]

profdant139 wrote:
Gosh, I sure hope there is some snow by March -- this winter got off to a good start and then the rain stopped, just like last year. Last year, you probably could have driven to Bodie in March with a 4X4.

Working on that today. Hopefully the next 3 months have heavy precipitation. Today's weather is delaying this weekend's camping trip by one day.

[mrw8i]

We stayed in Mammoth - Glass Creek campground. Rode our RZRs to Mammoth and back in one day (70 miles one way, because we had to stay off street legal roads). Had about 2.5 hours at Bodie.

So you should be able to stay anywhere between Mammoth and Bridgeport and be within 1 - 2 hours by car to Bodie. The road in from 395 is dirt for about 8 miles, but it's a state highway and not rough (at least not based on what rough is to me).

[profdant139]

Gosh, I sure hope there is some snow by March -- this winter got off to a good start and then the rain stopped, just like last year. Last year, you probably could have driven to Bodie in March with a 4X4.

[vermilye]

Roy&Lynne wrote:
YEah, I meant time of year. We should be driving thru in March ish

I doubt that the road into the park will be open that early, but the place is open if you can get to it. A quote from their common questions page: "Bodie IS open during the winter, but it requires some form of snow transportation (4 wheel-drives won’t cut it!). The elevation above 8000 feet, so the snow gets pretty deep."

[Roy_Lynne]

YEah, I meant time of year. We should be driving thru in March ish

[tuna_fisher]

There is a nice campground at Lundy Lake we like. Right at the bottom of the hill. I think if you go right it goes to Hawthorne, NV, turn left about 5 miles up the road, lot's of Aspen trees. Not much pressure.

http://www.totalescape.com/destin/lakes/lundy.html#.VKDAW2cA

[vermilye]

frmAloha wrote:
I believe that the closest RV park to Bodie is Willow Springs. It is just 5 miles south of Bridgeport.

Agree. I stayed there when visiting Bodie in 2011. By the way, I was there on May 8th, and because the parking lot & some of the road was closed due to snow (it is at 8375'), had to walk in a mile & one half. A later visit on June 4th had everything open...

Some photos of the Ghost Town here. By the way, a good place for dinner near Willow Springs is the Virginia Creek Settlement. Great service & food!

[profdant139]

Roy, when you say "timing," do you mean time of day or time of year? The snow usually melts by May -- some years earlier, sometimes later.

[Lauren]

8a to 6p in the summer and about 10a to 3p now. Rough road going in so take it easy but, trust me, well worth it.

[Roy_Lynne]

Thanks all, I'm going to check them all out. I'm a little concerned about timing. What is the earliest time we could get into Bodie with our toad (Honda Civic)

[tdsxt51]

A few miles down the road from the turnoff on 395 for Bodie, is a small private campground on a small creek. I don't live in the area any more, but for years and years we went to this campground. They have a restaurant that's even open sometimes, a small store, and lots of trout in that stream. We could usually catch a limit without leaving our campsite. If I remember right, this stream comes from Viginia Lakes. Down the road a ways is Twin Lakes campground. A really beautiful place with all the amenities, but LOTS of people. There's really quite a few campgrounds in this area clear down to Topaz Lake at the CA/NV state line. Any of these campgrounds are great places to take day trips from; I believe Lake Tahoe is only maybe an hour and a half at the most. Enjoy the beautiful Eastern Sierras. My grandparents had a place on the Walker River, so I spent my childhood summers up there...

[jolooote]

I can't find what kind of rig setup you have, so, be advised that the park is about 14 miles down a very bumpy dirt/gravel road.

[rexlion]

You could boondock for free at Sagehen Meadow, around to the south of Mono Lake. You'd probably be all alone there, like I was.

[frmAloha]

I believe that the closest RV park to Bodie is Willow Springs. It is just 5 miles south of Bridgeport.