32 Abandoned Cities That Are Slowly Being Reclaimed by Nature

24. Bodie, California, USA: A Gold Rush Ghost Frozen in Dust

Step back into the Wild West at Bodie State Historic Park, a gold-mining boomtown frozen in a state of "arrested decay." Abandoned after the gold ran out, Bodie’s wooden buildings – from saloons to the schoolhouse – still stand, interiors filled with dusty relics as if residents just walked away. Located in the high desert, nature's reclamation here is a slow, sun-baked affair, with sagebrush creeping in and wind whistling through weathered timbers. It’s an authentic, eerie glimpse into a rugged chapter of American history.