It was 115F degrees outside on a clear June summer afternoon. The hot sun beat down on us as we drove along the dry, dusty, and mostly uninhabited desert road towards Oatman, Arizona.
My husband, Mike, and I were headed on a mini road trip, intent on seeing the famous historic Gold Mine Ghost Town, along Route 66. It took us a little over two hours to get from the Las Vegas Valley to Oatman. We had always wanted to see the tiny western community because we heard that wild burros usually roamed the streets.
Sure enough, when we arrived in Oatman, there were many burros wandering around, carousing alongside the tourists, and hanging out in front of a historic hotel that was built in 1902. The burros were also chilling near cute old touristy shops, and in front of a few restaurants that line the main street through town.
You should have seen the surprise and delight on our faces as we watched these furry cuties approach us with interest. And as we drove our truck down the center of town, the burros strolled confidently ahead of us, taking up the center of the road in their quest for tasty food.
A few locals seemed used to the wildlife; they walked past the animals unimpressed, as if it’s nothing unusual for people and burros to share a small community space together.
We’ve never seen any place like Oatman before. We were very happy we decided to check it out. Because of its unique charm, visiting this historic western town is definitely a worthwhile day trip.
A cute little shop in the charming burro-filled town of Oatman, AZ.
For more information on Oatman, you can check out the below sites:
http://www.welcometooatman.com/
http://www.oatmangoldroad.org/
Driving directions from Las Vegas to Oatman
Have you ever been to Oatman, or a place like it before? Share your stories with us in the comment section below! 🙂
Sincerely,
Kristin
Highway to Hoeftland 
I’ve read a couple of other posts on Oatman and am definitely putting this unique desert town on our list for next winter. I’m always entertained by the wild burros, especially the babe’s.
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Hi Ingrid, Winter is a GREAT idea to visit Oatman, hehe. That heat is something else! 🙂
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We have been there a couple of times. Love the “old time” feel. Did you take the hike up the hill?
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Hi Sharron, No we didn’t hike up the hill. I bet that would have been a nice view though! Is that what you guys did? I’m glad we finally got to see the town. We tried to make the trip last year, but we took the wrong turn and got lost. We ended up in Kingman instead. It’s always a lot of fun and very interesting to check out the old towns along Route 66.
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I love your blog! Its so great how you throw photos in as well and theyre all beautifully taken (: seems like a very interesting area to visit. i’d love to go.
Anna
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Thank you. It’s definitely a worthwhile place to see. 🙂
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Amazing shots and such a cute town! I wish I had known about Oatman when I visited Arizona. Next time!
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Thank you Kim! I hope you can see it someday. I was very charmed by the place.
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