Imagine driving into an old Wild West town where donkeys roam the streets, stop traffic whenever they please, and seem to outnumber the people who actually live there!
Sounds pretty wild, right?
Well, this quirky little Arizona town is the real deal, complete with dusty streets, wooden storefronts, old-fashioned saloons, and a gold mining history that dates back more than 100 years.
But the real stars of the show are the wild burros that wander through town like they own the place!
Throw in cowboy gunfights, a historic hotel covered in dollar bills, and one of the most exciting stretches of an old American highway, and you’ve got one seriously unusual road trip stop.
So, where exactly is this donkey-filled town, and what makes it worth visiting?
Where Is It?
Tucked away in the Black Mountains of northwestern Arizona, Oatman is a tiny Wild West town along historic Route 66 where burros roam the streets like they own the place!
It’s less than 50 minutes from Bullhead City, around an hour from Kingman, and less than 2.5 hours from Las Vegas.
If you’re coming from Phoenix, you’re looking at a 4- to 4.5-hour road trip.
Getting there is part of the adventure, especially if you take the winding stretch of Route 66 through Sitgreaves Pass, where hairpin turns and sweeping desert views make the drive anything but boring!
About
If you’ve ever wanted to visit an old Wild West town where wild burros wander down the main street and wooden storefronts look straight out of a cowboy movie, Oatman, Arizona, needs to be on your bucket list.
This quirky little town is famous for its free-roaming burros, and here’s the funny part: Oatman has fewer than 100 residents (as of writing), so the burros can sometimes outnumber the people living here!
Located along historic Route 66, Oatman started as a gold mining settlement in the early 1900s and quickly became one of Arizona’s busiest mining communities.
Gold was discovered in the surrounding Black Mountains, leading to a major gold strike in 1915 that helped turn Oatman into a booming mining town almost overnight.
Within just a year of the gold rush, the area became home to thousands of residents, more than 3,500, specifically!
But like so many mining towns in the American West, Oatman’s glory days didn’t last forever.
Mining declined during the 1940s, and over the years, as mines closed, jobs disappeared, and a new route bypassed the town entirely, most residents packed up and left, turning the once-busy mining community into a near ghost town.
Fortunately, Oatman’s location along Route 66 kept it on the map, and today it’s one of the more underrated stops on any Arizona road trip.
And the famous burros that it’s most known for?
They’re said to be descendants of the donkeys that miners brought to the area during its peak days, used to haul supplies, water, and ore through the mountains.
When mining operations shut down, some of the animals were released and left behind, and it is said that their descendants have been roaming the mountains ever since.
Today, the burros are Oatman’s biggest celebrities, and they certainly know how to steal the spotlight.
They’re so comfortable around people that you might find yourself waiting for a burro to move before you can cross the road!
Just remember that these are still wild animals, even if they act like they run the town, so keep a respectful distance, avoid touching them, and follow local guidance about feeding.
Beyond its four-legged residents, Oatman is known for its wonderfully old-fashioned appearance.
Unlike larger Arizona tourist towns, Oatman is tiny, so you won’t find sprawling shopping malls, fancy resorts, or rows of chain restaurants here.
Instead, expect weathered storefronts, dusty streets, historic sites, an old-fashioned saloon, and plenty of local souvenirs.
One of the town’s best-known landmarks is the Oatman Hotel, a historic building dating back to 1902 that’s famous for its dollar-bill-covered walls and its connection to Hollywood legends Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
According to local lore, the couple spent their honeymoon here after marrying in Kingman in 1939, although the story has become part of Oatman’s colorful collection of legends.
Now that you know the town’s history a little bit more, you might be wondering: what should I expect when visiting?
First, don’t expect a large town.
Oatman is incredibly small, and though you can walk along its main street for a far shorter time, most people like to spend up to three hours exploring.
Parking is limited along the narrow main street, so you may need to use one of the parking areas on the edge of town.
You’ll also want to come prepared for the desert heat.
Summer temperatures in this part of Arizona regularly climb to 107°F, and although Oatman sits at roughly 2,710 feet above sea level, it can still get seriously hot.
Bring water, wear comfortable shoes, and don’t forget sunscreen.
Oatman isn’t a polished, picture-perfect tourist attraction.
Some buildings may be weathered, the streets can be dusty, and there isn’t exactly a surplus of modern, luxurious establishments around, but that’s exactly what makes it so much fun!
Where else can you wander through a century-old gold mining town, surrounded by historic Route 66 buildings, while a gang of wild burros casually takes over the street?
Things To Do
Now for the fun part!
Oatman might be tiny, but there’s plenty to keep you entertained, from hanging out with its famous four-legged residents to watching Wild West gunfights, exploring eclectic shops, and checking out some seriously cool Route 66 landmarks.
Of course, the first thing you’ll want to do is spend some time with Oatman’s famous burros!
These adorable long-eared troublemakers wander along Main Street, hang around storefronts, and occasionally stick their heads into places they probably shouldn’t.
Some are incredibly curious and will wander over to investigate what you’re doing, especially if they think you’ve got something tasty.
And yes, they really do cause traffic jams!
Once you’ve had your fill of burro encounters, stick around for one of Oatman’s famous Wild West gunfight shows.
Several times a day, the Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters put on entertaining performances right in the middle of Main Street, complete with cowboy costumes, mock arguments, theatrical gunfire, and plenty of hilarious one-liners.
Don’t expect a serious history lesson here.
These shows are all about having fun, with exaggerated characters, silly storylines, and plenty of audience interaction.
The shows are free to watch, but donations are appreciated.
After all that cowboy action, head inside the famous Oatman Hotel, where you’ll find one of the strangest decorating choices you’ll ever see!
The saloon walls are covered in thousands of dollar bills left behind by travelers over the years.
We’re talking walls, ceilings, beams, and pretty much anywhere someone could attach a banknote.
It’s worth stepping inside just to look around and see how many bills you can spot, though of course you can grab a meal too if you’re hungry.
The building no longer operates as a traditional overnight hotel, but its saloon, museum, and ice cream shop are some of Oatman’s most popular stops.
Once you’ve finished exploring the hotel, take some time to wander through the souvenir shops lining Main Street.
Shopping in Oatman is a little different from your typical tourist retail scene, with stores packed full of Route 66 memorabilia, crafts, turquoise jewelry, and more.
And don’t rush through the shops too quickly!
Some have antiques, leather goods, and collections of genuine Native American jewelry inside that are worth checking out, especially if you want to bring home something unique.
As you wander between the shops, you’ll also find plenty of opportunities to snap some fantastic photos.
Oatman’s wooden storefronts, old-fashioned signs, weathered buildings, and surrounding mountains make it a photogenic little town.
One of the best photo spots is right along Main Street, where you can capture the old buildings with the Black Mountains rising behind them.
Keep your camera ready for the occasional burro photobomb, too!
For another quick dose of Wild West history, keep an eye out for Oatman’s old jail.
This tiny historic-style lockup is one of the town’s oldest buildings and a reminder of the days when it needed somewhere to hold outlaws and troublemakers.
It’s a far cry from a modern police station, and that’s exactly what makes it interesting.
Most people spend around two to three hours exploring Oatman, which gives you enough time to meet the burros, browse the shops, and catch a gunfight show if the timing works out.
Just remember to bring water, wear comfortable shoes, and arrive earlier in the day if you want to beat the biggest crowds and the afternoon desert heat!
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