The Donkeys of Oatman, AZ

Near the end of our Route 66 journey, Dannelle Gay (The Traveling Cheesehead) and I discovered Oatman and fell in love with the town. Today this former mining town located in the beautiful Black Mountains is a donkey haven.

The Climb

Although the view is spectacular, there needs to be a cautionary warning before heading to Oatman. The road narrows, then climbs. An ominous sign says, Switchback ahead. I really didn’t know what that meant. The actual definition is “a zigzag trail, road, or railway that uses sharp, reversing bends to climb or descend a steep slope.” Take heed, they mean it. Sharp curves with deep drop offs!

But as you near Oatman, on the hills, there they stand, the donkeys.

The story behind the donkeys

There is an Illinois connection to Oatman. The town is named after Olive Oatman, a girl that was kidnapped by Native Americans in 1851 during an attack. She was traded to the Mohave people who tattooed her face. She was released in 1856. Olive later wrote a book and gave lectures before marrying a rancher and settling in Texas.

The donkeys of Oatman come into play with the gold mining history. The Vivian Mine Company opened around 1904. The miners used donkeys to carry heavy loads of gold and ore. The donkeys were adept in the desert environment. The town of Oatman grew with the mine being the largest gold producing mine before World War II.

When the mine closed after WWII the miners left, but the miners let the doneys loose and they remained and propagated.

The donkeys today!

Daily the donkeys come to town hoping to be fed, then return to the hills at night. We arrived pretty early and saw a hopeful donkey wishing for a treat.

On our way into town, we saw several, some on the hills balancing on a peak. Others in the middle of the road, and many trying to get our attention.

After our treacherous drive, we finally arrived in Oatman. We learned that you could purchase special alfalfa pellets to safely feed to donkeys at the local shops.

We stopped at the Mission Inn Antiques and Curios store.

Carol Blake took time to speak with us. Carol said they try to come into the store. She shared, “They all have names. The dominant donkey, the leader of the herd is Oliver. Then there is Walter and he is famous.”

Carol shared the story how Walter, also known as Walter the Orphan Donkey was born tiny and abandoned by his mother. The Bureau of Land Management allowed him to be bottle fed, and he actually lived inside Brad and Kelly Blake’s home. Walter has his own Facebook page, Walter the Orphan, and has been deemed the honorary mayor of Oatman. The beloved donkey even makes charity and event visits!

Donkeys downtown.

Dannelle got a chance to pet a donkey while we toured downtown Oatman. She was sporting her new hat. Since we were headed west, we thought new western hats were in order from Mission Inn Antiques and Curios.

I would love to come back and stay a while in Oatman. Our trip was way too short. The area is lovely, and there are donkeys everywhere!

Give yourself plenty of time because the drive in, and out of Oatman is a bit tricky, and you’ll want enough donkey interaction to last you long after you leave.