Oatman Arizona on Route 66

Burro in the road

 

If you are driving through Oatman, you should plan on stopping for a while. In Oatman there are lots of burros, and they wander throughout the streets.  There are also lots of tourists, who also wander the streets.  Sometimes they shut down the road for a gunfight too. So, even if you don't want to stop there, you probably will.

Here's a burro in the road leading up to Oatman, Arizona. I'd pulled over to take a picture and it walked up to the car looking for a handout.  It lost interest in a hurry when I didn't give her any.  Burros are a type of small donkey, if you are curious.

 

Oatman main street

Route 66 is the main street through Oatman, AZ.  Oatman is primarily a tourist trap. Every store there sells snacks, or souvenirs, or food, often all three.  The whole town is set up for tourists, there's a large, free, parking lot on the south side of town (and a pay parking lot on the north side) as well as public rest rooms.

Burro calling

The burros wander the streets and even poke their heads into the shops from time to time.  This one is contemplating his inability to use a pay phone due to a lack of opposable thumbs.  You can buy burro food in some of the shops and feed it to them.  There are some signs asking you not to feed them carrots because too many carrots can be bad, and there are lots of tourists looking to feed burros.

Gunfight in the street

There are daily shows where they shut down the main street (which is Rt-66).  These are the Red Ridge Marauders and they are bank robbers.  There are also the Oatman Outlaws and the Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters.  A couple of cars did have to stop and wait for the show to end, so be prepared for that.

Oatman Hotel

I stopped at the Oatman Hotel for some ice cream.  They are in the process of covering the walls and ceiling of this room with dollar bills. You can write something on one and donate it there.  The attached bar is already completely covered.  I saw a photo from 2012 and there weren't any dollars on the wall of this room then.

 

Oatman Post Office

Every town needs a post office. Despite the condition of the sign, it is still in service.

Baby Burro

To end at the beginning, here's a burro foal I saw walking in the road outside of town.  It wasn't alone, the first picture in this post is of it's mother.

Prior Stop: Topock and Golden Shores Arizona. You can see all my Route 66 posts here.