jclover213

Hi

Can anyone tell me the best ghost town/other things to see to visit along US-395 between Lone Pine (going through Death Valley from Vegas) and Lake Tahoe?
Also, is there anything worthwhile to see in Death valley?

Many thanks

JerryFF

For ghost towns, do not miss Bodie. It is a state park and totally uncommercialized.

http://www.bodie.com/

Nearby Mono Lake is also very interesting and unique.

cblaisd

Do not miss the Manzanar Historical Site. The National Park Service has done an incredible job of restoring the place and there is a first-rate interactive museum about this chapter in American history.

mlshanks

While passing through Bishop, CA stop in at Mahogany Smoked Meats for the tastiest jerky, ham, bacon, and other smoked meats & cheeses.

mlshanks

A warning about Bodie...

It is 13 miles off 395, with the final 3 miles over poor dirt road. It's elevation is 8375 feet, and can see unpredictable weather that can make the road in impassible in late fall, winter, and early spring. Vehicles with good ground clearance are advised....and since there is neither towing nor gasoline handy, make sure your vehicle is in good condition and fuel up w/ plenty of reserve.

SoCal

I've driven to Bodie several times with regular vehicles. The last time I drove to Bodie, the road was paved almost until the end, and then it was a good graded road. We had a standard sedan, which we had rented. No problems. Always a good idea to phone the park about road conditions and/or ask locally (e.g., in Lee Vining or Bridgeport). While always advisable to have a full tank going there, you're not so far from gas stations that you need to have reserves. State normally posts signs on 395 advising when the road is blocked by snow. Bodie State Park is a town in a state of "arrested decay", that is, not restored, but not allowed to decay further (in general). There are signs posted where it's unsafe to walk (e.g, in the mine area above the town).

The Laws Railroad Museum, which includes displays on the area's history and not just related to railroads, east of Bishop, is worth a visit. Saw some neat antique cars and wagons when I was there in January. Mono Lake also worth a stop. The Mono Lake Committee has a small museum in Lee Vining.

Is there anything "worthwhile" to see in Death Valley?? Uh, yeah, lots. Will it appeal to you? Dunno. Have you looked at the park's Web site http://www.nps.gov/deva/?

azepine00

Definitely Mono Lake (entrance on 120 east a few miles away from 395) especially if you can do it close to sunset or sunrise - stunning views.
Hot springs near Mammoth - I haven't checked them out yet.
Ancient Bristlecone pine forest - the oldest living things on this planet (that's about one hour off 395 at 10000+ ft elevation)
Mammoth and surrounding areas - quite a few nice restaurants there
Devils Postpile national monument - very interesting rock formations
June Lake Loop in the fall to see stunningly bright colors
East entrance to Yosemite, alpine meadows nearby

SP0

We are planning a drive San Fran - Yosemite - Death Valley - Las Vegas in July and I found this interesting old thread. Bodie looks very interesting and we might combine it with seeing Lake Mono.

Before I plan to go there, I thought I should check just in case anything has changed in 7 years ... is Bodie still worth the detour?

Thanks for any advice.

azepine00

It was very crowded when we went last year but it was a holiday weekend.

RichardInSF

I recall there is a huge campground at Bodie and it was filled with a zillion campers and trailers the last time I went. It's a really nice park but there is absolutely no sense of being alone in a ghost town.

In general, it's impossible to find a truly isolated gold/silver rush building ruin (let alone a town) without doing a lot of off-pavement driving in a properly equipped 4WD. The ghost town of Rhyolite, between Death Valley and Beatty, Nevada, seems less crowded to me than Bodie and is another place that is worth a visit.