Take a Ghost-Themed Gallivant Through the Haunting Streets of Bodie

GHOST TOWNS? They may lack in many of our modern amenities, the fancy-dancy stuff that springs up around so many of our contemporary cities, but what they do boast is the Milky Way. True, the shimmery sight is actually very, very far from every place on Earth, ghost towns included, but when you are in a remote hamlet, the sort of picturesque place that is lacking in light bulbs (but definitely not in character), you suddenly wonder how long it has been since you communed with the galaxy in such spectacular fashion. That's one reason that the nighttime events are so incredibly popular at Bodie State Historic Park, one of the planet's best-known ghost towns. The stars are magnificent — the building-beautiful treasure is, after all, located in a remote part of Mono County — but they have some competition on the ground: ghosts.

THE POPULAR GHOST WALKS... are again materializing at the destination, which famously is kept in a state of "arrested decay," meaning things haven't changed all that much since its 1800s-era heyday as a mining town ended. That also means that a few longtime residents may still be about, the sort of never-left locals who add a delightfully eerie element to Bodie, a gem that truly brims with authentic Old West character. The Bodie Foundation is behind the walks, which do have a predictable way of selling out long before summertime. Four 2023 dates are "live" right now, including two in late June and two September dates, one at the start of the month and one at the end, when the evening should have a bit of autumnal chill to it. There are three later-in-the-day tours to consider on whatever date you choose, with the Ghost Walk and Cemetery Tour both happening at 6 p.m. (so you'll need to book one or the other) and the Stamp Mill Tour, which is a separate ticket (that begins at 8).

FLOAT BY THE FOUNDATION'S SITE... as you consider how rare it is to call upon this sizable spectral city just as the stars are beginning to twinkle and the Milky Way appears. Whether you're more of an astronomy enthusiast or fond of the strange stories that weave through a lonely and lovely spot, check out the foundation now for all of your Bodie must-knows.