Sow your Oats {sort of}
In a town where four legs run the streets, burros walk up to your bike to make a glorious introduction. Welcome to Oatman, Arizona! A historic mining camp sits at around an elevations of 2,700 feet in the black Mountains of Mohave County, and still holds its original charm from its early days.
A historic mining town centered around the gold rush of the 1800’s and now draws people to the joy of a “Ghost Town” -although there are shops and tourist items. It is a very touristy area but is filled with a charm all its own -making a mark with the “Wild Burro’s” that roam the streets.
The burros roam but are pleasantly aware of the crowds of people that venture in, thus letting you feed (purchase the burro food at any store) and pet them. These burros are said to be the descendants of the hard working animals from the mines, holding onto their rugged nature, but you can occasion catch that sideways glance, that one cannot help but laugh out loud. These animals are a joy to share the town with and add so much to the experience.
Watch a high-noon gun fight between bank robbers or filter in and out of the antique shops…to be noted if you are coming in during the shootout and hit the Saloon for lunch you will wait over an hour. The Saloon is a fun stop with interesting eats, but if you do not have much time, or tend to shy away from crowed restaurants, it would be an ideal little town for a picnic!
And if you are lucky, you may see the Burros take to the street for a duel. They did this a couple times-just be sure to be out of the way of those kicking back legs – although they are used to people they are still wild animals!
“More than 500,000 visitors are drawn annually to Oatman’s gold mine history as well as the legend of its namesake. Olive Oatman is entrenched in Wester lore as a woman who was kidnapped by an Indian tribe, then sold to a friendly local tribe fore being freed to her family near what became Oatman.” (https://www.visitarizona.com/cities/west-coast/oatman)
Make it a part of your route 66 ride. Leaving Kingman, AZ with a beautiful drive through the historic side of the city filled with murals, and vintage style gas pumps…drive a little further take a right onto Old Route 66 and head through a stunning ride into the mountains for a visit to the old mining town of Oatman, AZ. (approximately 28 mile ride, expect it to take between 40 and 50 minutes) Be sure to give yourself the time to enjoy the ride. The wilderness surrounding Oatman is Bureau of Land Management and you may glimpse the great desert bighorn sheep.
Written by Danell Lynn, Guinness World Record Rider – www.danelllynn.com,
@danelllynn Photography copyrights & Images by Danell Lynn.