Take a Private Tour with the Bodie Foundation

Bodie Foundation’s private tours, led by experienced tour guides, offer an in-depth look at the growth of the mining town of Bodie and examine the lives of the people who called this high-altitude town home. Reservations are now being taken for the 2026 season. Tours are conducted Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May 15 – Oct. 15, weather permitting. Reservations need to be made no later than one week in advance. Please note, dogs are not allowed in buildings, including the stamp mill. For more information, contact chris@bodiefoundation.org.

The Bodie Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, and public enjoyment of Bodie State Historic Park, Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and Grover Hot Springs State Park. Within these parks we strive to provide a consistent stream of funding to the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to provide for the stabilization of structures, conservation of artifacts, ongoing maintenance program, interpretation, and protection of natural resources. Our private tours are one part of our fundraising activities.

Private Town Tour of Bodie:

This two-hour walking tour reveals the history of this remarkable town and its residents. We can design a tour to fit your interests, and you have the option of including a tour of the stamp mill. We also offer a two-hour and 20-minute tour that allows your group a 20-minute break after the history walk portion before going to the stamp mill for a trip to the year 1905. One to five people – $250 minimum. Each additional person – $50/ per person.

Living at the Lake Tour: (Meets north of Lee Vining.)

A two-hour walking tour at the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve near Lee Vining. Join a guide with Friends of Mono Lake Reserve to reveal the history of the those who lived in the Mono Basin in the early days. You will discover how Native people and others made a home next to this unique lake. We’ll also talk about farms and ranches that sprang up in the Mono Basin to feed surrounding communities and mining camps in the late 1800s. One to five people – $250 minimum. Each additional person – $50/ per person.

Bodie Twilight Tours:(5 p.m. to 7 p.m., June through September.)

Enjoy the beautiful evening light in this two-hour walking tour that allows your group to spend an hour in the park after closing with a guide. We delve deeper into the history and stories of the people of Bodie and the second hour of the tour includes a tour of select sites at the cemetery or a visit to the stamp mill. One to five people – $300 minimum. Each additional person – $60/ per person.
Bus Companies: ask about our 1-hour tours for your group. ($25 per person)

Mines, Mills, Rails and Ruins Tour: (Three-Hour Driving Tour)

We travel through the Bodie Mining District which is normally off-limits without a guide. Learn how fortunes rose and crashed swiftly in Bodie’s boom years and hear about the surprising people who continued to live and work in the mining district after the boom. Participants must have a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle for this tour. Please note, there is no access to mines on this tour. $100 per person. Minimum charge $400. This tour is limited to 15 people. To start the reservation process for your private tour: contact Chris Spiller via email, chris@bodiefoundation.org.