Bodie State Historic Park is a California gold-mining ghost town. Gold was discovered in 1875 and people flocked there, with almost 10,000 people there in the late 1800s. Quite a few buildings have been preserved although most are gone. Most are closed but you can go inside several of them.

Stamp Mill Tour - There is a 50 minute walk through one of the most intact Stamp Mills in California. You will learn how gold was extracted from quartz and turned into bullion bars. You will see the machine shop, electrical room, and the mighty stamps. Photos 14 through 17 are of the stamp mill. This tour is very interesting.

Getting there: From U.S. 395 seven miles south of Bridgeport, take State Route 270. Go east 10 miles to the end of the pavement and continue 3 miles on a dirt road to Bodie. This road is rough, but you don't need a high clearance vehicle. It is often closed due to snow during the winter. In the summer it is quite hot with little shade.