Probably the last authentic gold mining town that can be easily reached from Las Vegas. The driving distance from center strip is about 125 miles. The roads are excellent except for the last three miles or so which are actually the old Route 66, the Mother Road. This is what we do, we take the roa to Boulder City, where we look around, maybe have a coffe or soda at the historic company store. From there we head to Hoover Dam, which we by-pass and leave for a separate trip. We set course for Kingman, Arizona, a historic mining town. Along the way we pass several ghost towns like Chloride for example. It is not entirely deserted, a few people still hang around in small buildings and trailers. Once in Kingman we locate the Route 66 sign and descend on a very narrow and curvy road to Oatman. We are greeted (at the right time of day) by a small group of donkeys, I call them asses, because that is technically speaking, what they are. Old time miners set them free. Almost the entire town consists of small, wooden, buildings. People scratch out a living by selling trinkets, lunches, pose for pictures. For those of you have heard of mining and ghost towns you cannot go wrong here. A ghost town and Route 66 on one trip, what is there not to like? The name Oatman stems from a young girl who was capturer and enslaved while her family was migrating to California. She was released in the 1850’s at Fort Yuma. Your return trip to Las Vegas can take place on entirely different route by continuing to the Colorado River, and from there taking a very good highway back to Vegas. I would advise not to do this in the Summer. Oatman will be mostly deserted because of the heat. At the Colorado River you will be at he Fort Mojave Indian Reservation. That whole area is notorious for extreme heat. A few years back the thermometer registered 130F.