The Ghost Town of Oatman, Arizona may not be on the top of your bucket list of places to visit but maybe it would rank higher if you knew that Donkeys run and roam the town! Oatman, along historic Route 66, was once a flourishing town during the Gold Rush but when the mines dried up, so did the town. Eventually becoming abandoned, it adopted a Wild West scenery where Donkeys have made themselves right at home. Tourists that stumble into town are shocked to be greeted by a collection of donkeys and Burros on the loose.
The wild burros that greet visitors are the offspring of Spanish Donkeys transported to town in the late 1800s to carry supplies and heavy work loads. Once miners no longer needed them for work, they were turned free. Today, Oatman is home to about 100 people and the free roaming donkeys and burros, which are its main attraction. Visitors and townspeople alike are warned not to try to ride the animals or harass them in any way. Although both tame and friendly, they WILL pop into shops and take a look into cars while looking for food from willing visitors :).