Oatman, Arizona: Where Gold Built a Legend in the Black Mountains

Nestled in the rugged Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona, the historic town of Oatman stands as a living testament to the golden dreams that shaped the American West. Today it is one of the best-preserved examples of an Old West mining town anywhere in the country and a highlight of any Historic Route 66 drive.

The town was named after Olive Oatman, a young woman who was captured and later rescued near present-day Oatman in the 1850s. But it was gold that truly put Oatman on the map. Between 1900 and the 1930s, over 1.8 million ounces of gold were extracted from the surrounding mountains, making it one of the richest goldfields in Arizona's history.

Today, Oatman's Main Street is a frozen moment in time. Saloons, hotels, and gift shops line the narrow road that was once part of old US Route 66. The famous Oatman Hotel, built in 1902, was where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon in 1939.

But the real stars of Oatman are the wild burros. Descendants of the pack animals abandoned by prospectors after World War II, around 150 of these friendly animals now roam freely through town, walking up to visitors in search of the hay cubes sold at local shops.

Desert Wonder Adventures visits Oatman on our Oatman Mining Village tour, departing from Laughlin, Lake Havasu City, and Kingman. Our guides bring the stories of the gold rush era to life as you walk the same streets that were once lined with miners, mule teams, and fortune seekers.

The journey to Oatman along Sitgreaves Pass on old Route 66 is itself a spectacular experience, with hairpin turns offering breathtaking views of the Black Mountains and the desert valley below.