Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Road to Bodie temporarily closed

Update: As of 9:30am on Thursday, August 22, Highway 270 and Bodie State Historic Park have been reopened to the public.

Highway 270, the main road to Bodie State Historic Park, is closed temporarily due to the Spring Peak Fire. Access to Bodie was closed yesterday evening (August 19); Highway 270 and Cottonwood Canyon Road are currently closed to all traffic except fire and emergency vehicles.

The Spring Peak Fire was started by lightning on August 17 approximately 12 miles northeast of Mono Lake. Burning in brush that ignites quickly, the fire spread to within three miles of Bodie yesterday. Structure protection fire engines are stationed in Bodie, and dozer lines are being built to protect Bodie’s staff and important cultural and historical resources.

With a healthy downpour of rain yesterday afternoon and evening, the fire’s advance slowed. Thunderstorms are again predicted for today, so hopefully more rain and increased humidity will aid the firefighting efforts.