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Oatman, Arizona: Living Ghost Town: Burros and Gunfights

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Address:
Route 66, Oatman, AZ
Directions:
I-40 exit 44. Follow the signs for Oatman, 23 miles. From California, its about 30 miles east of Needles. Motorhomes will have problems coming from the Kingman, Arizona side due to the switchbacks. Long wheelbase vehicles should approach Oatman via hwy 95 from I-40 at the Topock exit at the AZ/CA border.
Hours:
Daylight hours. Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Admission:
Free.
RA Rates:
Major Fun
Save to My Sights

Gunfight victim in Oatman, Arizona.

Living Ghost Town: Burros and Gunfights

Chaotic Old West street of wandering burros and free gunfights.

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Visitor Tips and News About Living Ghost Town: Burros and Gunfights

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Baby burro.

Living Ghost Town - Burros and Gunfights

Love the burros! We went on Labor Day weekend and were lucky enough to see two baby burros. They put stickers on the baby burros' foreheads that tell the tourists not to feed them. Great idea.

While we were there, we saw the typical dumb tourist trying to feed them ice cream. Really? Shop owners stopped that quick.

There are fun stores that sell typical souvenir merchandise. They also sell bags of burro food for a dollar.

[Lisa G, 09/08/2015]

Burro in a store.

Living Ghost Town - Burros and Gunfights

What great fun! One of the best Roadside America attractions that I have visited. The town has a real charm that most tourist attractions lack nowadays. Really cool to see the burros casually mingling with all the people. One word of advice: if you are coming from Kingman, the road is treacherous! It's a winding road at the edge of a cliff with very narrow lanes.

[Joel, 07/19/2014]

Burros of Oatman.

Living Ghost Town - Burros and Gunfights

After bumping over the pass on a really dodgy road from the east side, coming on a traffic jam and a gob of tourists was very surreal. Donkeys were all over the place and not bothered by the cars at all. Have the ice cream.

[tenkism, 05/22/2014]

Burro of Oatman.

Save The Oatman Burros

Please do not feed carrots to the burros. The sugar in carrots causes the burros all kinds of health problems, and the wonderful town of Oatman and its people have been threatened with losing their burros and having them relocated. I have attached a picture that shows the fatty tumors on the neck of one of the burros. Please help to keep the burros in Oatman!

[Jessica K, 07/11/2012]

Oatman's burros have become fat from all the treats -- and not just carrots -- fed to them by visitors. The town has launched a campaign to discourage tourists from feeding the burros, much like Yellowstone has for years discouraged visitors from feeding bears.


Nearby Offbeat Places

Dollar Bill BarDollar Bill Bar, Oatman, AZ - < 1 mi.
1920s Route 66 Gas Station1920s Route 66 Gas Station, Cool Spring, AZ - 4 mi.
Finger RockFinger Rock, Bullhead City, AZ - 12 mi.
In the region:
Andy Devine Room, Kingman, AZ - 21 mi.

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