Oatman, Arizona Travel Guide: Wild Burros, Route 66 & Nearby Camping
Imagine driving along Historic Route 66 through the Arizona desert and arriving in an old mining town where wild burros wander right down the middle of the street.
That’s Oatman, Arizona.
Oatman had been on our bucket list for quite some time, and when we finally made it there, we were so excited that we couldn’t even wait until the next morning to explore.
We had just left Quartzsite in April to begin our third year of full-time RV living. We drove the trailer to a dispersed camping area outside Oatman, got everything set up and immediately headed into town.
We had to see those burros.
But the burros aren’t the only reason to visit Oatman.
The town sits along old Route 66, has a fascinating gold-mining past and is surrounded by beautiful Arizona desert and mountains.
It turned out to be exactly the kind of quirky historic place we love finding on the road.
Why Visit Oatman, Arizona?
Oatman isn’t a polished modern tourist destination.
That’s part of its charm.
The town has an old Wild West feel, with historic-looking buildings lining Route 66 and desert mountains rising around it.
And then there are the burros.
They wander through town looking for food, mingling with visitors and generally behaving as if the streets belong to them.
Which, frankly, they seem to think they do.
Tourism is a major part of modern Oatman, and the burros are certainly the stars of the show.
But once we started learning more about the town, we discovered there was an interesting story behind it too.
Oatman Is Part of Historic Route 66
Oatman sits along a historic section of Route 66.
That alone makes it a fun stop for anyone following America’s famous Mother Road through Arizona.
Instead of bypassing the old town, Route 66 runs right through it.
The road, old storefronts, surrounding mountains and wandering burros combine to create one of those places that doesn’t feel quite like anywhere else.
We’d seen plenty of unusual things during our travels.
Oatman definitely earned a place on that list.
The Story Behind the Name Oatman
The town wasn’t always called Oatman.
During our visit, we learned that it had originally been known as Vivian before being renamed Oatman in 1908.
The name came from the story of Olive Oatman.
Her family was traveling west toward California when Olive and her younger sister were captured by Native Americans. Olive eventually lived among the Mojave before returning to the American community at Fort Yuma several years later.
Her story became closely associated with this part of the Southwest, and the town eventually took the Oatman name.
Oatman’s Gold Mining History
Before tourists arrived to photograph burros, mining helped put Oatman on the map.
Gold discoveries transformed the area into a mining community.
According to the information we learned during our visit, Oatman experienced a particularly significant gold strike around 1915.
That mining heritage still contributes to the old Western atmosphere visitors experience today.
Eventually, mining stopped being the main reason people came here.
The burros took over that job.
Meeting Oatman’s Famous Wild Burros
This was what we’d been waiting for.
And yes, there really were burros wandering through town.
They walked along the streets and around the buildings, looking for visitors willing to give them something to eat.
Some could be a little pushy.
They’re very accustomed to people.
But it’s important to remember that these aren’t petting-zoo animals.
They’re animals living in and around the desert who have become closely associated with the town.
We loved seeing them.
We also think visitors have a responsibility to treat them properly.
Please Be Careful About Feeding the Burros
This was something Ed felt strongly about when we made the video.
Don’t bring random food from home and start feeding it to the burros.
During our visit, stores throughout Oatman sold pellets specifically intended for feeding them.
If you’re going to feed the burros, follow the current local guidance and use only food approved for them.
We also saw animals wearing tags asking visitors not to feed them.
Those tags are there for a reason.
Respect them.
Feeding wildlife isn’t simply about getting a cute photograph. What an animal eats can affect its health, and an animal that isn’t supposed to be fed shouldn’t be fed just because it walks up and asks.
Enjoy the burros.
Photograph them.
Give them space.
And follow the current local rules about interacting with and feeding them.
Exploring the Streets of Oatman
The burros may grab your attention first, but take some time to look around the town too.
Oatman’s location adds enormously to its atmosphere.
You’re surrounded by rugged desert mountains.
Historic Route 66 runs right through town.
Old buildings line the street.
Then a burro wanders past.
It’s colorful, touristy, historic and just a little bit ridiculous.
We loved it.
This isn’t the kind of destination where we needed a rigid sightseeing itinerary.
For us, the fun was simply walking around and taking everything in.
Dispersed Camping Near Oatman
We didn’t stay in a commercial campground for this visit.
Instead, we found a dispersed camping area along Route 66, approximately 20 minutes from Oatman.
That made it easy for us to get the trailer set up and head straight into town.
Our campsite also gave us beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
And apparently the burros didn’t confine themselves to town.
Back at the trailer, we could sometimes hear them in the distance.
We even tried photographing some of them from the campsite.
Being able to camp out in the desert while visiting a Route 66 town like Oatman was exactly our kind of travel.
As always, dispersed-camping access, land-use regulations and road conditions can change, so check current information before planning to camp in the area.
High Winds Gave Us Extra Time to Explore
We ended up staying longer than originally planned because high winds delayed our travel.
That’s something we’ve dealt with repeatedly while towing an RV.
Sometimes the safest decision is simply not to move.
So we stayed put.
And since we suddenly had extra time, we decided to explore more of the landscape around our campsite.
Hiking in the Desert Near Oatman
There was a mountain near our campsite that kept tempting us.
Eventually we decided to hike up and see what the view looked like from the top.
It was worth it.
The higher we climbed, the more of the surrounding desert and mountains we could see.
Our campsite already had beautiful scenery.
From above, it was even better.
Unexpected weather delays aren’t always bad.
Sometimes they give you an excuse to slow down and discover something you otherwise would have driven right past.
Oatman Was Our First Stop of a New Travel Year
This visit was also special because of when it happened.
We had spent the winter in Quartzsite, and in April we finally hit the road again.
Oatman was the first stop of our third year of full-time RV living.
There’s always something exciting about pulling out after sitting in one place for a while.
The road opens up again.
There’s another town ahead.
Another campsite.
Another landscape.
Another adventure.
Starting that travel year with wild burros wandering through an old Route 66 mining town wasn’t bad at all.
What We Enjoyed Most About Oatman
For us, the highlights were pretty simple:
- Seeing the famous wild burros
- Walking through the historic town
- Traveling another section of old Route 66
- Learning about Oatman’s mining history
- Discovering the story behind the town’s name
- Camping in the desert nearby
- Hearing burros from our campsite
- Hiking into the surrounding mountains
- Enjoying the beautiful Arizona desert scenery
Oatman isn’t a place that needs a long checklist of attractions.
Oatman is the attraction.
Tips for Visiting Oatman
Based on our experience, we’d keep a few things in mind.
Take your time walking through town rather than simply driving through.
Be prepared to encounter burros in and around the roadway.
Treat them as animals rather than props for photographs.
Follow current local guidance about feeding them, and don’t feed an animal marked with a tag asking you not to.
If you’re RVing and considering dispersed camping nearby, verify current access and camping rules before arriving.
And don’t forget about the surrounding landscape.
Oatman’s desert setting is a huge part of what makes the town memorable.
Is Oatman, Arizona Worth Visiting?
For us?
Definitely.
We’d wanted to see Oatman for a long time, and it didn’t disappoint.
It’s weird.
It’s historic.
It’s touristy.
It’s beautiful.
It’s on Route 66.
And there are burros walking down the street.
What’s not to like?
Some destinations impress you because they’re enormous or spectacular.
Others stick with you because they’re completely unlike anywhere else you’ve been.
Oatman falls into that second category.
If you’re traveling Historic Route 66 or exploring western Arizona, we’d put this quirky little mining town on the list.
Just remember: The burros live there. We’re the visitors. Treat them accordingly.
And we’ll see you down the road…and Over the Hills!
Continue the Journey
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