Oatman is a former mining town in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona where wild donkeys roam the streets having descended from the pack animals associated with the town’s early mining history.

These days there are plenty of gift shops and “museums” to peruse, while the locals are incredibly inviting. While I was there a couple of local guys were trying to teach me how to feed the donkeys carrots from mouth to mouth!

More than half a million visitors are drawn to Oatman’s gold mining history as well as the legend of its namesake. Olive Oatman is entrenched in western lore as a woman who was kidnapped by an Indian tribe, then sold to a friendly local tribe before being freed to her family near what became Oatman.

To get to Oatman you must first navigate the Oatman Highway - an intimidating 20 miles of steep grades, narrow road, and sharp hairpin curves - a thrilling drive!