Oatman, ghost town?
 

My daughter wants to visit a ghost town and we will be at the Grand Canyon in August. We will be driving back to Las Vegas. She found Oatman and it doesn't look too far out of the way, but is there anything there worthwhile?

We'd want a tour of some sort and a lunch stop. Anyone have any idea's or any other places that would be worth a side trip from the South Rim to Las Vegas.

O.K. Check out:

http://www.desertusa.com/oatman/du_oatman.html

You should be aware that heading to Oatman from the east you have shear cliffs on your right hand side. If you have trouble with heights it can be stressful. Very narrow two-way road.

I love Oatman, but my wife said the next trip I can leave her in Laughlin.

I think the website will tell you all you need to know.

Also: http://www.ghosttowngallery.com/

No tours that I'm aware.

& to add to above... I was disappointed once I finally got to Oatman over narrow dirt roads, sheer cliff -- to find it a "tourist trap" of souvenir shops, etc. Far from deserted.

Still kind of neat though.

Monument Valley is a bit out of your way (to the east) but quite a neat drive (or jeep tour) through it. Lots of movies filmed here.

Sunset Crater volcanic national monument is on your way, near Flagstaff. (depending on age of your daughter she might find it boring though)

Hoover Dam is an interesting stop.

I thought the old Route 66 from Kingman to Oatman was some of the best old route 66 that I've been on. You really feel like you're traveling on the old route.

Oatman is a living ghost town and it is a tourist trap. Check on the website below. There are other ghost towns like Goldroad in the area that you could check out. We didn't stop but it looks like they have a gold mine tour.

http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/goldroad.html

http://www.goldroadmine.com/

Utahtea

Yes I agree with utahtea - it is a good part of the historic Route 66.

Just didn't know if the original poster knew it was off the main roads & slow going to get to Oatman.

I feel qualified to respond to this post. In 2001 four of us (two couples) visited Las Vegas. It was my big idea to drive one afternoon to Oatman. First off we got a bit turned around and second, it was a Sunday and as we were finally nearing Oatman on a slow, winding road, coming our direction were approx. 8 - 10 mules. We stopped the car and one stuck his head right in the window - yikes. Anyway, as we pull into Oatman they are rolling up the sidewalks - show's over folks (they apparently have an old west shootout on Sundays) - mules have "clocked out" and are on their way to Muriel's for dinner and bed. Too funny. Went into the 2 room hotel that Clark Gable and Carole Lombard supposedly had their wedding night at (hmmm .. not so sure but so they say). Bought a Route 66 fridge magnet and ... we're outta there - back to Vegas for dinner (and lots of laughs at my expense).

We just happened to luck into the gunfight on a Saturday. We had been walking around town and heard of it. We stuck around until the time. They have the tourist stand in the middle of the road (route 66) to stop the traffic and then they do a skit and shoot out. Lots of fun!

Those are burros and not mules. Not sure what the difference is, but the burros are decendents of ones that the gold prospectors brought to the area.

Utahtea

http://www.azcentral.com/travel/ariz...az/oatman.html

That website has a good article on Oatman.

Utahtea

Thanks for the replies and web site suggestions. It still seems like something we might want to do, except for the drive along the steep cliffs. would this be the road to get there from the Grand Canyon and how long of a drive would it be? THANKS!

We've driven this route twice and I don't remember any real steep cliffs, but then again mountain driving never bothered me. I do remember some drop offs, but more like the pictures below. I also remember some really windy sections and you have to be careful because some of them are blind turns, so stay on your side of the road.


http://www.americansouthwest.net/ari...oldroad_l.html

http://www.myrvadventures.com/SUB/SU...0to%201953.htm

From Grand Canyon visitor center to Las Vegas via Oatman is around 330 miles and will take about 6 1/2 - 7 hours just to drive. If you don't want to do all of this in one day, then I suggest a night in Laughlin, NV (225 miles 4 1/2 hours driving). Laughlin is said to resemble Las Vegas back in the early days.

Utahtea