Oatman, Arizona is located at the top of the Black Mountains of Mohave County, right off Route 66. Very close to the border of Arizona and California.
The drive to and from Oatman winds around mountain roads providing you with spectacular views of the desert landscape. Even though Oatman is an hour outside the Interstate 40, the beautiful scenic drive plus the experience of a living ghost town filled with wild burros makes the whole journey worthwhile!
The wild burros of Oatman were actually brought here by miners in the late 1800’s, but when they were no longer needed they were turned loose. Now they freely roam the area, coming into town for food and maybe some paparazzi shots.
Walking around Oatman feels like stepping back in time to the gun slinging days of the old west. This small town is filled with old relics of the long forgotten mining days, a saloon, a restaurant and shops to get your oatman memorabilia, but really the burros are the star attraction.
They start wandering down the hill around 11ish, because why wake up early if you don’t need to? By noon the town is filled with them, ready for some tourist affection – and I was happy to rub an ear or chin of any burro that needed it.
To get all the old western feels stay for the gun show. The Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters put on a daily wild west shootout in the middle of this one burro town.
The Gunfighters perform daily at 1:30pm and 3:30pm (the 3:30pm show may not perform during summer months due to heat).
If you ever find yourself heading down the I-40, take some time and pull off the highway to visit Oatman! This cute little western town is perfect to add to any road trip.
michelle in the wild 