Wild burros wandering down Main Street, gunfighters trading blanks at high noon, and weathered wooden storefronts that look frozen in time: Oatman, Arizona is not your average roadside stop. Tucked high in the Black Mountains near the California border, this former gold-mining boomtown turned living ghost town is one of the most beloved and unforgettable destinations on all of Route 66. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit.
From Gold-Rush Boomtown to Living Ghost Town
Oatman owes its existence to gold. After major strikes in the early 1900s, the town exploded into a mining powerhouse, eventually producing well over a million ounces of gold and swelling to thousands of residents, complete with banks, hotels, and a rowdy strip of saloons. (The town takes its name from Olive Oatman, a young pioneer woman whose dramatic 1850s captivity story became Western legend.)
When the gold played out in the 1920s and ’30s, the miners moved on, but Route 66 threw the town a lifeline, funneling cross-country travelers right down its main drag. Then the highway was realigned in the 1950s to take an easier path through the desert, bypassing Oatman’s twisting mountain road, and the town nearly emptied out for good. Instead of vanishing, the remaining residents leaned into tourism. Today Oatman draws an estimated half a million visitors a year, who come for its Wild West charm and its four-legged celebrities.
Meet the Wild Burros of Oatman
The undisputed stars of Oatman are its wild burros. These shaggy, free-roaming donkeys are descendants of the pack animals miners once used to haul ore, and when the mines closed, the burros were simply turned loose. Around two thousand now live in the surrounding hills, and a handful amble into town each morning to beg snacks from tourists before wandering back to the hills at dusk.
They’re friendly, photogenic, and very food-motivated, which means a few ground rules keep everyone safe. Feed them only the approved burro pellets or alfalfa cubes sold in local shops, never human food or sugar. Keep a loose grip on bags and snacks, since a curious burro will happily nose through your pockets. And give the babies, often wearing “DO NOT FEED” stickers on their foreheads, plenty of space. Treat them with respect and you’ll walk away with the photo of your trip.
Gunfights on Main Street
Oatman doubles down on its Old West reputation with daily staged gunfights. A couple of times each day, the Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters take over the middle of the street, acting out a heist or a showdown in period costume with plenty of booming blank rounds. The free performances usually happen around midday and early afternoon, draw a crowd, and often pass the hat for a local charity afterward. They’re corny in the best possible way, and a hit with kids and grown-ups alike.
More Things to Do in Oatman
There’s plenty to fill a few hours beyond the burros and the shootouts:
- The Oatman Hotel. This early-1900s adobe landmark is famous for two things: walls plastered with thousands of signed dollar bills (a tradition worth a small fortune today), and the legend that Hollywood stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their wedding night here in 1939 after marrying in nearby Kingman. Stop in for a drink, a bite, and a peek at the honeymoon room.
- Main Street shops and saloons. Old-time storefronts and wooden boardwalks are packed with Route 66 souvenirs, turquoise jewelry, handmade crafts, and fudge. Grab a buffalo burger or an ice cream at the Olive Oatman Restaurant & Saloon.
- Quirky extras. Tour a historic mine shaft, pose for a sepia-toned old-timey portrait, peek into the tiny jail, or browse the candy shops. It’s pure Americana kitsch, and that’s exactly the appeal.
The Drive: Sitgreaves Pass and Getting There
Half the fun of Oatman is getting there. Approaching from Kingman to the east, you’ll follow a gorgeous stretch of original Route 66 past the photogenic Cool Springs Station, climb to the summit at Sitgreaves Pass, and wind down through hairpin turns near the Goldroad mining ghost town. It’s one of the most thrilling drives on the entire Mother Road: narrow, steep, and stacked with switchbacks and big mountain views.
One word of caution: that same winding road makes the eastern approach a poor choice for large RVs and trailers, which are better off coming in from the gentler western (Topock/Golden Shores) side. Drive slowly, watch for oncoming traffic on the curves, and pull off at the overlooks to soak in the scenery.
Tips for Visiting Oatman
- Arrive before 11 a.m. to snag parking and beat the midday crowds.
- Bring cash, as many shops and vendors are cash-only.
- Buy burro feed from a local shop rather than offering scraps.
- Wear comfortable shoes and sun protection; the streets are dusty and shade is limited.
- Check the Oatman Chamber of Commerce for festival dates, including the famous Fourth of July sidewalk egg-frying contest.
Where Oatman Fits on Your Arizona Route 66 Road Trip
Oatman sits at the far western edge of Arizona’s Route 66, making it the perfect grand finale before you cross into California, or a dramatic first taste if you’re traveling the other direction. Either way, it pairs beautifully with the marquee stop on the opposite end of the state: Meteor Crater, near Winslow.
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Think of them as the two great bookends of an Arizona Route 66 trip. Meteor Crater delivers jaw-dropping natural wonder, a mile-wide impact site 50,000 years in the making, plus guided rim tours and a hands-on space museum, while Oatman delivers Wild West nostalgia and those famous burros. Between them lie Winslow, Flagstaff, Williams, and Seligman, each with its own slice of Mother Road magic.
Start planning at Meteor Crater, then let Route 66 carry you west, all the way to the burros of Oatman.
