Oatman lost its highway traffic in 1952, when engineers rerouted the road to the south. A few hundred citizens hang on today, relying largely on the growing tourist business. The mountainous section between Kingman and Oatman tops out at 3,550 feet on Sitgreaves Pass before descending past the modern Addwest Gold Road Mine to Oatman. A sauna cave and hot springs make enjoyable stops. Call daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Nevada time.
Trees provide welcome shade in summer.
Visitors enjoy use of the picnic area, swimming beach, boat ramp, playground, volleyball court, basketball court, horseshoe pit, cactus garden, and hiking trails. Interpretive programs and hikes go Jan.-April. Lightning Bolt Trail climbs to an overlook from near the ranger station. Cruising along the Colorado River on a jetboat with Yuma River Tours. The short-lived flowers bloom at night, then turn pink as they wilt.