THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Ride Old Route 66 from Lake Havasu City to the storied mining town of Oatman. Meet roaming burros, watch staged gunfights, and walk wooden sidewalks that recall Arizona’s gold-rush past.
Ride Old Route 66 from Lake Havasu City to the storied mining town of Oatman. Meet roaming burros, watch staged gunfights, and walk wooden sidewalks that recall Arizona’s gold-rush past.
You step onto an air-conditioned coach at the London Bridge Resort and watch Lake Havasu’s flat light give way to ridged desert as the bus climbs toward the Black Mountains.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by London Bridge Resort Activities · Lake Havasu City, Arizona
You step onto an air-conditioned coach at the London Bridge Resort and watch Lake Havasu’s flat light give way to ridged desert as the bus climbs toward the Black Mountains.
By the time the wooden sidewalks of Oatman slide into view, the town’s weathered storefronts and sun-bleached signs feel like a living film set. Wild burros mill around the street corners with the casual authority of long-time residents; they nudge pockets and claim shade like they own the place.
Oatman rose during Arizona’s late-19th-century gold rush and later became a Route 66 waypoint — a place where miners, motorists and Hollywood’s traveling curiosity collided. Geologically, the area sits at the edge of the Mojave Desert, with basaltic outcrops and iron-streaked ridgelines that frame the town and tell of old volcanic processes and mining veins.
Today the town mixes staged Old West gunfights and souvenir shops with genuine mining-era structures, notably the Oatman Hotel where names carved into the lobby’s mahogany mark decades of visitors.
Practically: tours depart Tuesdays at 10 a.m. from London Bridge Resort and return by 4 p.m., running September through May. The round-trip is about six hours; most walking is short and on flat wooden sidewalks but wear sturdy shoes for uneven boards and alley gravel. Bring sun protection, at least one liter of water, small bills for shops and restaurants, and a camera with a zoom for burro portraits.
Respect wildlife: do not force-feed burros, follow guides’ instructions, and pack out trash — the town’s character depends on visitors who leave it intact.
easy.
6 hours.
Suitable for all fitness levels; minimal walking on flat streets and short uneven surfaces
The tour is about six hours (10 a.m.–4 p.m.) and operates from September through May on Tuesdays.
Some burros are used to visitors; only feed them if a guide or local vendor provides approved feed and instructs you to do so—never force food on animals.
The coach is air-conditioned and the town walkways are short, but wooden sidewalks and some uneven surfaces may challenge those with limited mobility—ask operator about accommodations.
Yes, there are a few restaurants and cafes; bringing light snacks is wise if you have dietary restrictions.
Oatman began as a gold-mining camp in the early 1900s and later became a Route 66 stop, retaining many original buildings from its boom years.
Visitors are urged to avoid feeding wildlife unapproved food, carry out trash, and support local businesses that help maintain the town’s historic fabric.
London Bridge Resort Activities operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step onto an air-conditioned coach at the London Bridge Resort and watch Lake Havasu’s flat light give way to ridged desert as the bus climbs toward the Black Mountains.
You step onto an air-conditioned coach at the London Bridge Resort and watch Lake Havasu’s flat light give way to ridged desert as the bus climbs toward the Black Mountains.
By the time the wooden sidewalks of Oatman slide into view, the town’s weathered storefronts and sun-bleached signs feel like a living film set. Wild burros mill around the street corners with the casual authority of long-time residents; they nudge pockets and claim shade like they own the place.
Oatman rose during Arizona’s late-19th-century gold rush and later became a Route 66 waypoint — a place where miners, motorists and Hollywood’s traveling curiosity collided. Geologically, the area sits at the edge of the Mojave Desert, with basaltic outcrops and iron-streaked ridgelines that frame the town and tell of old volcanic processes and mining veins.
Today the town mixes staged Old West gunfights and souvenir shops with genuine mining-era structures, notably the Oatman Hotel where names carved into the lobby’s mahogany mark decades of visitors.
Practically: tours depart Tuesdays at 10 a.m. from London Bridge Resort and return by 4 p.m., running September through May. The round-trip is about six hours; most walking is short and on flat wooden sidewalks but wear sturdy shoes for uneven boards and alley gravel. Bring sun protection, at least one liter of water, small bills for shops and restaurants, and a camera with a zoom for burro portraits.
Respect wildlife: do not force-feed burros, follow guides’ instructions, and pack out trash — the town’s character depends on visitors who leave it intact.