Bodie hours change for fall

With the end of the summer vacation season, Bodie State Park will be shortening its hours to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The California park preserves more than 100 buildings in a state of "arrested decay," and allows visitors to imagine what life was like during the mining booms of the 19th Century.

A free daily history talk is offered at 10:15 a.m. in front of the Methodist Church. For information about other activities, check at the museum, which is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Daily tours of the Standard Consolidated Stamp Mill are noon to 2 p.m. The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children. The Standard Mill was one of the most profitable mills that crushed Bodie's gold and silver.

Proceeds from the tours benefit the Friends of Bodie. A self-guided tour booklet is available for $2. Park admission is $5 per person. Children 6-16 are $3 and children age 5 and younger are free. Dogs are permitted in the park, but must be on a leash.

To reach the park, take Highway 395 seven miles south of Bridgeport and turn onto Highway 270. The park is 13 miles from the highway, including 3 miles of rough dirt road.

There are no gas stations, campsites or food at the park, and when temperatures drop below freezing, no water either.