This is really out in the middle of nowhere. It's on hwy 395 right before Bridgeport California…read more Look for the sign and turn off. There's No cell service, only 10 miles of paved road the 3 miles of gravel road. It's windy up there and we were there on June 27th and it was low to mid 60's. My phone was having issues working up there and we couldn't figure out why. My phone was telling me it was hot. So I just turned it off. Not sure what that was about. But Bodie is definitely a cool place to visit. I couldn't imagine living somewhere like that. I told Mark that's where you would move if you were really mad at your kids. Because to live in a place like that would be punishment. It's a harsh environment. No trees, no birds, no grass. I didn't even see a lizard. People just up and left. They left piano's, beds, stoves, clothes, photos. The casinos, bars, gyms. Look like the people just vanished on day. Curtains dangle and weathered in windows. You can look through the windows but you cannot enter the buildings. It's $8.00 for adults and I think $5 for kids to take stamp mill tour it's another $6 dollars that you pay for in the museum inside the park. Check out Mark Clay McGowan on YouTube for a video of our journey.

We saw the sign that said Ghost Town 10 miles, but that it could take 30 minutes to get there. We…read morethought what the heck. Soooo glad we did! The drive is partially paved, and mostly unpaved down a dirt road. There were a couple of cow gates to crossover, a few smaller rocks in the road. We traversed it in a Toyota Camry and were fine. A truck or SUV is ideal, but a sedan was completely workable. You are driving way out in the middle over nowhere then come of the hill and there is a rather large ghost town. We were COMPLETELY surprised at how large it was. Being a State Park there is a nominal entrance fee. See sign of posted prices in pictures! The park is very educational, historical, cool things to see! It is a great way to be outdoors walking and getting exercise without calling it exercise! There are both restrooms at the parking lot and then outhouses down near the hotel for use. There was a water fountain (we brought our own) I only saw that it was working if needed. This park is preserved as is for people to see. There are things on the ground to step over which are natural terrain like rocks and stuff and then there are items like chains to step over to prevent injury. An individual with serious mobility issues would have a hard time unless they utilized a wheelchair or mobility device of some sort. The paths that you walk on are dusty, plan on being dirty, it is a ghost town in nature!! There was a museum to enjoy. In the museum there was the option to purchase tickets to see the mill for $6 per person. We also saw a sign on the church that there would be a talk shortly. There was an indoor area to sit on benches and watch a movie about the history of Bodie. It was neat seeing some of the items inside the buildings like original wall paper, toys, toddler potty chairs, vintage furniture, old tools, wagons... If you are looking for a great way to enjoy a drive, exercise, family time, history, and see the largest preserved ghost town then this is for you! Would we return: ABSOLUTELY.. I was sad I didn't know about this before and didn't have more time to explore and do the Mill tour!! We only spent about an hour there. I'd love to plan appropriately and spend the better part of a day here. What is there to eat, drink and snack on?? NOT A THING OTHER THAN A WATER FOUNTAIN.. PACK ACCORDINGLY AND DONT FORGET AND HAND SANITIZER!!!

What a great experience at Devil's Postpile NP. Easy 1/2 mile hike with some climbing, steep…read moreportions of trail. What an incredible experience. Steep climb to top but worth it. Ample parking in dirt lots. Cool info signage about the area. Seeing this phenomenon was amazing. Two miles further to Rainbow Falls. Devil's Postpile is closed 10/6-10/11, major road work repairs.

Construction on Thursdays = Major Delays. Not recommended for families with babies or toddlers…read more We arrived at the Village at 8:30 a.m. to catch the 8:45 shuttle to Devils Postpile, only to be told the first shuttle was delayed until 10:05. Since we were already committed, we drove to Main Lodge instead, where we found a huge line from everyone waiting on the delayed shuttles. At every step, we asked staff for updates, but no one warned us how bad the delays would be. We were told the shuttle ride would take about 20 minutes, but it ended up taking over an hour because of stop-and-go traffic from construction. The return trip was even worse. We boarded the shuttle at 1:30 p.m. and didn't get back to Main Lodge until after 3:00 p.m. The shuttle was hot, overcrowded, made multiple stops, and even returned to Devils Postpile before heading back. Staff seemed just as uninformed as visitors, and no one could provide accurate wait times or expectations. Our timeline: * Arrived at the Village: 8:30 a.m. * First shuttle departed: 10:05 a.m. * Reached Devils Postpile: Just after 11:00 a.m. * Boarded return shuttle: 1:30 p.m. * Returned to Main Lodge: Just after 3:00 p.m. The ticket agent refunded our shuttle tickets and admitted they didn't realize how severe the delays were because multiple agencies are involved. If you're traveling with young children, especially babies or toddlers, I'd avoid visiting on Thursdays during construction. It turned what should have been a simple outing into an exhausting, all-day ordeal.

Sweet spot off the 108 Sonora Pass. A few shaded picnic tables and vault toilet…read more Refreshing scents of Christmas with the surrounding pine trees. Fairly steep (26%) climb up and to see the valley below is worthwhile. On this early October Sunday the temps were lovely and while me and the pack came up in sweaters, we ended up taking them off.

A perfect little spot to stretch your legs and take some lovely photos of the valley below! You can…read morealso snag a couple photos of Leavitt Falls (correct me if I'm wrong on the name of that) to the right! You can also walk along a couple trails that stem off from the area if you're feeling adventurous. It's always clean and there is a pit toilet just a little ways from the deck. Heading East, the entrance can be a little hard to see, but the drive into the little parking lot isn't bad. There's plenty of room for cars to park and to have enough room to turn around. I like this spot as a good place to take a break on the way up and over the pass!

Great views of both the Minaret Vista and Mammoth Mountain on the other side. No hike required;…read moreparking's right there at the lookout point. We went at sunset two days in a row as it was just down the street from our hotel. On both days the parking lot was filled to capacity and a lot of people were there. It's freezing due to the high elevation, so bring a jacket.

We came here early in the morning. Nobody was here yet so we were able to enjoy the sights in…read morepeace. There was snow on tree logs, benches, and the trash bins. It is a very nice spot to take in the views.

Plane landed in Bishop 90 mins ago and we waited for another plane to deplane and grab luggage so…read moreit will take us 3 hours to get to our Mammoth Village accommodations, not the hour that was advertised. Do yourself a favor and rent a car so you don't have to deal with MAWS.

If you are going to or from the Mammoth Airport, they are very bad at communicating with Advanced…read moreAir at Mammoth Airport. If your flight is delayed or arrives late you will be left without a pick-up as I was . There was no communication after that to resolve the issue . On my return to Los Angeles my flight was delayed, and the dispatch was unable to handle a change of pick up time. It's really only a 4 mile drive to the airport. Don't need to be there two hours early. I'm very disappointed in their service.

The scenery of Tenaya Lake is absolutely stunning from every angle, attracting photographers to…read morevisit and press shutters. However, tons of mosquitoes were assembling here, chasing and attacking you. Repellents are useless under such situation. Be careful!

One of my favorite places in Yosemite. In the summer it's all about the swimming in the beautiful…read moreshallow waters on the edge of the lake with little boulders to sit and sunbathe on. In the fall/winter we enjoyed walking on the beaches and watching the sunrise on the lake that was covered in a layer of steam.

Mammoth Mountain Scenic Gondola was one of the highlights of our Mammoth trip! We decided to get…read moreon the gondola towards the end of our adventure and turns out we made the right choice! The Gondola takes you up to McCoy where you can get off and enjoy an intermediate course or stay on and head up to the top of Mammoth Mountain! We started off thinking we were going to just enjoy the cafe up there and the views and then some of us would head back down the gondola. Turns out, my boys decided to take the chance and ride down the top of the mountain with me while my wife headed down on the gondola and met us at the bottom after getting some gifts from the gift shop. The way down is a little frightening if I am to be honest but I am a strong believer in the adage, where there is a will there is a way! My boys coming down with me was a wonderful life lesson and a truly exhilarating and exciting adventure! I highly recommend taking the gondola to the top! 5 stars for sure and 2 thumbs up!!

The views from the top are amazing (on a clear day). Whether skiing/snowboarding and heading to…read morethe top, or just here to enjoy the scenery and surroundings, it's more than worth a visit. Personally a clear day after a storm is the best! The gondola ride up is quick and enjoyable. On busy days, they will fill the cabin, so be ready for a tight squeeze. It's almost ski/boarding season!

Like Nevada Fall, Vernal is a gorgeous waterfall but it was a little small when I visited due to…read morethe lack of rain. Nevertheless, an amazing site and experience. Please come and create your own adventure.

The journey it took me to get here was crazy and I almost gave up twice, but that VIEW? All of the…read morenature and smell of the trees was breathtaking. The water was insanely cold, but felt really ~ refreshing ~ to jump in. Added years on my life and made me think about life. Great 5/6 mile hike, but expect lots of elevation and prep with the stair master! Bring your bathing suit and shoes that can get wet because it gets misty and rainy up there... I'd come back again! Parking is a bit rough, but just keep circling around because people are constantly leaving and arriving. Bathrooms are available right before the trail and halfway through the hardest part of the hike.