Leaving the historic town of Bodie, we headed for the Chemung Mine which is roughly 2.5 miles from another ghost town – Masonic.
We decided to travel over the mountain range on an unmaintained dirt track rather than return to the main road. The ranger at Bodie told us that our destination would be easy to find and would take us about an hour.
Very Scenic Drive
The scenery was spectacular with sweeping landscapes, rolling hills, marshes and meadows. We pulled over several times to take in the views and breath in the fresh air.
Although this road is remote, we did see several off-roaders.
The sun was beginning to cast long shadows on the ground. Our skin was red and hot to the touch from prolonged exposure, and our feet were pulsing from overuse. We’d had a long day’s worth of exploring, but being so close we knew we had to see just a little more. So we continued with optimism and excitement.
Decision Time
On reaching the crest, the track split into three. So which one to take? There were no signs. Do we stay to the right and continue up along the mountain? Do we veer slightly left and crest another set of hills? Or do we turn left and head down towards a small canyon?
After some contemplation, we decided to go left. The road meandered through a beautiful canyon and past some ranches. But would it lead us to the ghost town of Masonic? The answer was, NO!
We eventually arrived at the town of Bridgeport. No matter! We topped up Tonto and continued along Hwy 182 (Sweetwater Raod) until we reached Masonic Road.
Another unpaved road, albeit, the first few miles were graded.
So why did we decide to go to the Chemung Mine? Because we had heard it is haunted!
First Glimpse
Driving up Masonic Road, the views of Bridgeport below are well worth a stop to capture the image.
Further along, Chemung Mine comes into view.
The battered, tattered, bullet-ridden remains that rest on the hillside look so forlorn and defeated. The creaking and groaning in the strong wind makes your hair stand on end in the escaping daylight.
Even the cold breeze sweeping through the barricaded mine openings seem to warn you to stay away.
Perhaps it was also the howling wind on this evening, that gives the place an unsettling vibe.
THE HISTORY OF CHEMUNG MINE
During the early 1900s, Stephen Kavanaugh was hired to dig for a gold vein along the ridge of the Bodie Hills. After a successful strike, a mill was built, and the mine was named Chemung after his hometown in Illinois. The ridge was named after Kavanaugh, who ended up never receiving a share in the profits.
By 1909, the area had a bunkhouse, offices and even a general store.
During the 1920s it was producing high-grade gold ore, (over $1 million) which was processed on-site before being hauled to Bodie for smelting.
Most of the mines closed in the late 1920s, Several workers held on until 1930s. But with the cost of supplies increasing, and gold prices dropping, Chemung Mine became abandoned in 1938. By the 1950s the town of Masonic was also deserted.
Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Elton Heinemeyer known as Heinie worked the tunnels hoping to strike the “big one”. Only making enough to support his needs, he finally left, and the mine once again was abandoned.
ANOTHER HAUNTED LOCATION
Legend has it that a poltergeist haunts the property. Although a peaceful soul for most of the time, it is said that on Saturday nights he tends to make himself known.
Campers and tourists are advised to stay away from the area, especially the mine shafts on the weekend.
People entering the mines on a Saturday night have disappeared, never being seen or heard of again. Or so the story goes.
No one seems to know why just Saturdays.
According to one story, miners were dissatisfied with pay and a heated argument with the owner got out of control. Tempers flared, testosterone raged, and the owner either fell or was pushed down one of the shafts to his death.
OUR TAKEAWAY ON THE CHEMUNG MINE
If you are a fan of creepy yet strikingly beautiful locations, then Chemung Mine is a must-visit destination.
We had unfortunately arrived a little late in the day to do a super thorough walkthrough of the entire property.
We did walk up the hillside and followed the direction of the collapsed mine. Our plan was to spend the night to see what kind of paranormal activity we could document.
We didn’t end up doing that, however. There wasn’t a decent place to park to be out of the way of passersby, and there were a lot of shell casings covering the ground. Call it a “gut feeling”, but we thought it wise to find somewhere else to camp, plus there were two gentlemen partaking in some questionable activity.
We would have loved to see or witness some strange phenomena, but perhaps another time.
Chemung Mine is without question a cool little spot to explore.
Venturing further along Masonic Road, we eventually found the perfect place to boondock. And, no! We never did find the ghost town of Masonic. We’ll leave that for another adventure!
Chemung Mine in a nutshell
- Abandoned mill, mines and other structures
- Address: Masonic Road, California (just outside Bridgeport – near the Nevada border)
- Unmaintained dirt road – High clearance recommended
- Elevation – 8,140 feet
- FREE
- Mines and building structures can be dangerous. Stay Out – Stay Alive
- Watch for snakes and other bities
- Leave no trace – Pack it in, Pack it out
- Take only pictures and preserve this area so others can enjoy this historical site
Explore, have fun and put another Pin In The Atlas! See you at our next location.
location map
Pleasure meeting you both.
It was wonderful to meet you as well it is nice to know there are kindred spirits out there so close by. Glad you found the website alright and we have a YouTube channel with the same name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RerrNj7a1kc. Link to one of our videos. We will definitely be stopping into the shop to have a mooch around. Til we meet again!
Myself and a few friends went up to the Chemung mine about 15 years ago. We had some ghost hunting equipment with us. There was a moment when one of our friends seemed to be pushed into the campfire while he was sleeping in a chair next to it. Luckily he was able to roll out of it fast enough and did not sustain any injuries. We camped in the small clearing on the back side of the mill. It was a really cool spot in the spruce trees.