I was notified this week that the upper gate to Bodie off of Highway 270 will open July 1. This is a week later than we were expecting, but there are still visitor services issues that need to be addressed.
1. There are no functioning public restrooms. As you can see in the photos above, the water table is extremely high as melting snow flows into the Bodie bowl. This means that many of the septic tanks are full of water, and when pumped, will likely just fill back up.
2. Communications: Phones and Wifi are down, and while park staff have satellite phones for emergencies, we are in a digital age, and no park services function without internet.
The lower gate on Highway 270 is currently still closed, as the State Park road crew is working diligently to fix the last 3 miles of dirt road into Bodie after significant damage this winter. It's looking great, but they still have work to do to make it safe for summer visitation.
Please be respectful of gate closures and give staff the time needed to get Bodie State Historic Park up and running, safely.
On the plus side, Bodie's buildings are looking largely unaffected by the winter - an amazing illustration of the strength that lies within their simplicity. Bodie has withstood the test of time, and will continue to do so, as long as the folks tasked with their survival remain diligent. Again, a big thank you to the few maintenance staff that worked, and survived, in Bodie during this remarkable winter.
And a reminder - YOU are part of Bodie's survival. Without our supporters, we cannot provide the needed funds to keep buildings standing through the heaviest of winter snowfall and the harshest of summers. Thank you for everything YOU do for Bodie.
Cheers,
Jessica Schneider
Executive Director, Bodie Foundation