A great stop along historic Route 66 allows a couple of hours of entertainment for all. Doug & Caroline Hennen 02/14/2021 So we went to the saloon and there was no piano player. I (Ane) visited Oatman about 13 years ago and wanted Tommi to get to experience this cool "ghost town" tucked away in the mountains on Route 66. Points of Interest & Landmarks, Scenic Walking Areas, Gift & Speciality Shops, Points of Interest & Landmarks, Monuments & Statues. Then in 1952, Oatman and its part of Route 66 were bypassed by the opening of I40. Ours was a melted mess by the time we got back to the car. more, Oatman Western Mining Village/Museums & Scenic RT66 Experience Small Grp. There are plenty of burros waking around and maybe even a ghost or 2. Dennis & Anne Jex 9/21/2013 Oatman is located in northwestern Arizona, about two hours southeast of Las Vegas. Oatman had some rough times, however. The Oatman Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Follow the signs for Oatman, 23 miles. Robert & Crystal Jones 6/24/2009 If crowds arent your thing, consider visiting Oatman earlier in the day. Took the Route 66 trip and going to Oatman was a must. When the gold ran out -- roughly around the time that the road was paved -- the miners abandoned the burros to fend for themselves. Outlaws Gunfighters performing wild west shootouts daily in Oatman Arizona Friday, July 29, 2022 The Outlaws. We took many beautiful pictures!We also stopped by the old hotel to see the little museum and the room where the great actor, Clark Gables and his third wife stayed, while honeymooning in Oatman. This rally, now in it's second year, is the official motorcycle rally for Oatman, and the entire stretch of Route 66 from Needles CA to Seligman AZ. Elizabeth Gollnick 1/14/2010 The appointments are almost over, so today we took our first day trip since becoming fulltimers! Credits, Media/Business Inquiries The Oatman's joined a group of Mormons in 1850 who were on their way to the Yuma area to establish a Mormon colony. A gunfight occurs every day at noon and 2:15 in the middle of Oatman's main street, a stretch of Historic Route 66 now known as Oatman-Topock Highway. Oatman's population grew to more than 3,500 in the course of a year. If you do wish to, some of the stores sell a cube made of alfalfa hay. John & Rhonda James & Brenda Dean Quaint historic town - always a great afternoon. Believe it or not, weve got more! var scroll = "OUTLAW WILLIE"; Answer 1 of 4: We are planning to visit Oatman in Aug. We will be leaving from Twentynine Palms. Oatman is a former mining town in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona, United States. We came to watch the show and have lunch at the hotel. We took our dog with us and there were at least 8 or 9 other dogs as well. We were there back in 2018 and remember hearing about the gunfight shows, but we were there. It is estimated that miners extracted more than $36 million from these mountains during this period. scroll = scroll + ""; William & Jeanette Rose 5/13/2017 Then the lady from the Making Memories store caught up with me so I asked her about the gun fight. Route 66 [], Copyright 2021 Oatman Chamber of Commerce, Oatman Historic Ghost Town and Mining Camp. scroll = scroll + MessageText.substring(pos, pos + DisplayLength); There are plenty of burros waking around and maybe even a ghost or 2. Jacquline Moore 1/26/2015 - April 26, 2012. The wood plank exterior and sun-faded saloon sign add to its charm. This gold mining town of 15,000 Goldrush prospectors, miners and townsfolk in 1915, is now a lively tourist town of about 150 inhabitants. Oatman Ghost Town: What? John & Nickie Scott 12/29/2018, Russell & She repeated what I was told before about "enough money on the street" but there was a show at 1:30 so she thought there would be a show. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. Jan 6, 2018 - Oatman AZ - a staged gunfight in the center of the town. OUTLAW GUNFIGHTERS Other events occur during the year to entertain, and to thank our veterans for their service to the country. (I'd like to add that a little girl was with her family nearby and was FEEDING THE DONKEYS HOT CHEETOS IN FRONT OF THESE PEOPLE. This little town(population 75 people) was a really cool stop on our road trip from Vegas- Lake Havasu. In 1921, a fire swept through the town destroying most of Oatmans buildings. One of these mines was named after Olive Oatman. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We would stay in Lake Havasu and come up from there. Improve Your Listing. Unfortunately, you can no longer spend the night in the Oatman Hotel, but you can visit the bar, restaurant, and museum during the day. Great spot, absolutely great people, friendly and fast service. Anyone driving through has no choice but to stop and watch. Leather Shop. Upon entering the town, you'll notice that the streets are filled with donkeys, who might be the new sheriffs in town. Oatman is located along the longest continuous stretch of original Route 66 in the US. The town was briefly brought back to life when Route 66 was directed through its center. Jim & Eileen Millea 09/16/2021 Oatman is definitely one of our favorite backroad adventures and one of our. The Ghost Rider Gunfighters have been putting on gunfight reenactments daily for over 25 years. (My dog was over 7 feet away with my dad.). The lady across the street saw me checking the door and called out to me so I asked here about the gunfight. The tourism boom didnt last long in Oatman, thanks to the interstate highway system. (928) 234-7335, HOME Scott & Robin Kobbermann 5/06/2012 GREAT OATMAN BED RACE Saturday January 30 th, 2021 More on Living Ghost Town: Burros and Gunfights. Roger & Janice Divis 10/26/2020 I would guess there were 50+ people wandering around which was more than the last time we were there. newimage5 = new Image(); So be patient. Save Cool Vacation Destinations! Heres the plan for a perfect day in Oatman, Arizona, one of our favorite small-town vacation spots for families. { They say that Oatman, Arizona is so hot that you can fry eggs on the sidewalk. Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Route 66 Kingman to Oatman. During the late 1800s, the Oatman Mountains was rich in gold, silver, and other minerals. At high noon, a shot is fired and contestants from all over the world have 15 minutes to fry the most edible looking egg using any solar powered device. Try My Sights, Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. There are many things to do in Oatman, Arizona, and one of them is to go to regular Wild West gunfights. Cloud, Minnesota. Henry & Elizabeth Brown 10/20/2018 How To Reserve A LEGO Store Minifigure Factory Reservation, How To Odot Trip Check Cameras Santiam Pass. Prospector Bob will teach you to pan for real gold and on some days you will be entertained by our strollin minstrel, Billy Bob, and whip cracker, Big Mike. Robert & Adrianna Hunter 05/22/2021 newimage9.src = "clipart/og2.jpg"; AZ Answer 1 of 4: We are planning to visit Oatman in Aug. We will be leaving from Twentynine Palms. She repeated what I was told before about "enough money on the street" but there was a show at 1:30 so she thought there would be a show. Tristan & Charlotte Guindon Recommended. The Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters are the oldest gunfighter group in Arizona, and theyre not to be missed. Every day at 1:30 and 3:30 pm, traffic stops in Oatman, Arizona for a wild-west shootout, just like in the movies. Preston & Carrie Trosper 6/23/2012 Oatman, Arizona, bills itself as a throwback to the Old West, a "living ghost town." In recent years, the Bureau of Land Management has started discouraging feeding the Oatman burros. Categories Destinations, Southwestern United States, United States, Western United States. Saturday, Jan 21, 2023 from 9:00am to 12:00pm, Saturday, Jan 28, 2023 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. The Best Western in Kingman is very family-friendly, with an outdoor pool and free breakfast. Her book is available by calling the Oatman Chamber of Commerce at (928) 768-6222. Quaint historic town - always a great afternoon. 28. David & Jessie Myers 03/15/2021 The "people in charge did nothing), A donky gets spooked by one of the locals and moves towards me. . Frequent washouts for the first 12 miles leave you repeatedly plowing through sand. Daniel & Cynthia Klaudt 11/21/2020 Only one way to find out! They are so friendly and adorable! Not much came of the discovery until two lucky prospectors struck it rich in 1915, with a 10 million dollar claim. Oatman's gunfights are staged on weekends for visitors. Their hairy descendants still live in the hills around Oatman, and come into town to beg for food whenever tourists arrive. Michael & Patsy Shanen 3/19/2016 Oatman, Arizona This ghost town was a gold rush town, but it is also known for its burro population and its regular Wild West gunfight schedule. Population & Diversity Oatman, AZ is home to a population of 43 people, from which 100% are citizens. On 6/28/1992 at 11:57:34, a magnitude 7.6 (6.2 MB, 7.6 MS, 7.3 MW, Depth: 0.7 mi, Class: Major, Intensity: VIII - XII) earthquake occurred 135.5 miles away from the city center, causing 3 deaths (1 shaking deaths, 2 other deaths) and . newimage4.src = "clipart/dl1.jpg"; Oatman is one of only a few functioning municipalities with regular Wild West gun battles in its street. The noise of the day's first gunfight seemed to draw them out of the hills, and soon a dozen or more were wandering the main street. On Yahoo, Yelp, SuperPages, AmericanTowns and 25 other directories! Robert & Margaret Meeker 4/12/2013 In fact, seeing burro poop along the road is a reliable sign that you're approaching the town. One of the more colorful shopkeepers is known as Betty the Bead Lady, who for many years, drilled beads and sold them to the Navajos for their jewelry making. Oatman Az Gunfight Schedule is a small town in Nevada that has had a gold rush. Loren & Kacee LaVern 10/21/20147 We checked the times for the gunfights with both "official websites" and were sure it would be at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm so we decided to take in the 3:30 show as it was January so it wouldn't be so hot they would have to cancel it. Oatman, Arizona is home to a large burro population. Though surrounded by towering rock vistas, it hardly resembles the neat, spacious, fake Wild West towns or precious antiques destinations most people visit nowadays. newimage6 = new Image(); What You Need To Know About Balboa Inn Tripadvisor, What You Know About Deetjens Big Sur Inn, ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT Rhobh Recap Vulture. We spend about two hours in this little town, but enough to make great memories!We really enjoyed strolling through the place, and petting the burros. Weather in June. Richard & Susan Hartford 12/22/2013 Oatman is definitely one of our favorite backroad adventures and one of our favorite small towns to visit in the United States. newimage4 = new Image(); Oatman Gold Road Chamber of Commerce Website is made Oatman is just one of the fun places to explore on historic route 66 in Arizona. Buddy & Bertha Skillings 10/23/2020 Steven Groden & Barbara Affannato The Oatman AZ gunfight schedule is full of events that take place daily, starting at high noon. We were there back in 2018 and remember hearing about the gunfight shows, but we were there too late in the day shortly before things were starting to close for the day. During our last visit, one got pushy trying to steal my ice cream cone, which definitely wasnt appreciated! If you advertise a gunfight then you have a commitment to have a gunfight. If you didn't know about Oatman, and just happened to drive into town, and burros were coming up to your car to beg for food, guns were blasting, and bodies lay in the street, it would seem pretty strange. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Weather in June . As of 2020, 60.5% of Oatman, AZ residents were born outside of the country (26 people). Loyal & Martha Arends 02/17/2021 Heres a travel tip - come early for a good parking spot as the town fills up fast. ScrollInStatusBar() The Durlin Hotel was originally built in 1902 and then rebuilt in 1924 after the fire. Store Clothing store. Home of the 6927 E Brooks Blvd. The town is home to more burros than people, and it's not unusual to see dozens of donkeys in Oatman wandering the main drag, sticking their heads through the rails along the wood-plank sidewalks, nudging people for treats and otherwise delighting visitors. After a few other names . Michael & Vicki Lalicker 2/1/2015 newimage2.src = "clipart/ow1.jpg"; The Old West lives here. Slow your car down and burros are likely to stick their heads in the windows searching for handouts. Fireworks, parades and barbecues: The following July 4th events may share some similarities with more traditional celebrations, but do so in At Arizona boat rentals we work hard to offer the best quality boat and jet ski rentals on the market at any lake in the state. Oatman Gift Shack Gift Shops Novelties (365) Website 37 YEARS IN BUSINESS Amenities: (928) 768-8433 221 Main St Oatman, AZ 86433 CLOSED NOW 4. Richard & Nancy Tejchman 10/10/2017 Mark & Jennifer Easterday 4/07/2012 Oatman is best known for its beloved burrossmall donkeys descended from miners' beasts of burden. The town grew rapidly after that, and in the course of a single year, the tiny tent village became a bustling town of 3,500 people. United Eastern Mines stopped operating in the town three years later. Just before the gunfights begin, they completely block off the street, which is the only route through town. Oatman has a colourful history and named in honour of Olive Oatman, a young lady who was travelling west with her family. Which is to say, all of the time. Phoenix, Arizona 85009. Michael & Samantha Ekebratt Tara- Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Once everything was said and done, both gunfighters were dead and Fred (the real bad guy) left with the money. Gunfights are staged on weekends for visitors to Oatman, AZ. Jump in the car and hit the Mother Road to discover a treasure in the Arizona desert. We got to town about 3:00 pm and I asked a shop keeper about the gunfight and I was told to check with the Making Memories store becuase the gunfight only goes if there "is enough money in the street" (enough tourists to make some decent tips) The store was locked but the sign on the door said that they may be closed while the gunfight was on so I felt confident our friends would get to see it. When the mines went under, prospectors turned the animals loose to fend for themselves. But now it was already 3:30 and no signs of a gunfight. This Oatman tour shuttle will pick you up at your Lake Havasu hotel in an airconditioned bus and take you on a quirky afternoon journey to this fun ghost town in the desert! Barron 1/6/2018 Nestled in Arizona's rugged and remote wilderness, this tiny town's rich Wild West history comes to life with staged shootouts, wooden sidewalks and a bounty of burros that roam freely. The town of Oatman is nestled in the Black Mountains at an elevation of 2,700 feet in elevation. Start here.Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip. Lonnie & Jennifer Burch 5/17/2009 Join or Sign In. newimage7 = new Image(); Sorry to say that there was never time for just traveling or sightseeing or having fun. Tom & Patricia McCartney 9/27/2013 newimage9 = new Image(); The honeymoon suite is still one of the Oatman Hotels main attractions, and the owners report that Gable and Lombard loved the hotel so much that they are still haunting it. Greg & Bobbie Gragnon 05/22/2021 WEDDINGS Jeremy & Brenda Farris 9/23/2014 Oatman was one of our favorite discoveries on our Route 66 road trip through Arizona last year. The gunfighters' brief, improvised narratives are not sophisticated drama ("You slept with my daughter!