Bridgeport, CA Summary

The tiny town of Bridgeport, which has a population of only 500, lies in the High Sierras at an elevation of 6,473 feet. Located near the Nevada border, off US- 395 and only 20 miles northeast of Yosemite National Park, this isolated area is best visited as a day trip from Yosemite National Park.

The main attraction here is the nearby Bodie Ghost Town and State Historic Park, at an elevation of 8,200 feet, along Hwy 270.

Snow may close the highway in winter and early spring, but the park remains open to those willing to enter on foot.

At the height of the gold rush, in the late 1800s, Bodie had a population of 10,000. Booze and bullets flowed freely until a series of fires destroyed almost everything. State park status was granted in 1962 to preserve the town. Abandoned mine shafts, the mining village of Rattlesnake Gulch, a jail, an old mill, and the Miners Union Hall—now a museum—are easy to find with the help of a self-guided tour brochure, which is available at the park.

No food, drink, or lodging is available in Bridgeport, and the nearest picnic ground is half a mile away. There is a limited bus service and nearby Yosemite is serviced by trains.