Arizona Ghost Towns Day Trip: Route 66 & Cowboy Shootout

Oatman Wild West shootout and ghost town tour through desert mining boom ruins

This nine-hour day trip from Las Vegas takes you to three Arizona ghost towns (Chloride, Oatman and El Dorado) with stops at the Hoover Dam and a Western shootout performance in the street. Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, bottled water, transportation in an air-conditioned van and a professional guide are included. Choose between a small group tour (up to 14 people) or a private tour if you book eight seats.

Step-by-step itinerary

Arizona Ghost Towns and Wild West Tour

• Pickup from Las Vegas hotel
• Drive to Hoover Dam for photos
• Visit Chloride mining town and browse shops
• Enjoy lunch in Chloride
• Drive along Historic Route 66 to Oatman
• Explore Oatman ghost town and see wild burros
• Participate in Western cowboy shootout show
• Have a drink at local saloon (own expense)
• Drive through Mojave Desert on Veterans Memorial Highway
• Stop at El Dorado ghost town
• Return and drop off at original departure point

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup from Las Vegas and a short drive to the Hoover Dam, where you'll stop for photos of the 726-foot structure and Lake Mead behind it. From there, the route heads east into the Arizona desert along Historic Route 66, the highway that once connected Chicago to Los Angeles and now passes through the landscape where the Old West still lingers. Your first stop is Chloride, a mining town that has survived since the 1860s with about 250 residents who've stayed despite the boom ending decades ago. You'll have time to browse antique shops, see local art and sculptures, and chat with people who live there before lunch.

The drive continues along Route 66 to Oatman, a ghost town of 150 people where wild burros roam freely through the streets and the Black Mountains frame the horizon. This is where the tour shifts from sightseeing to participation: you'll stand in the middle of the street and watch costumed cowboys and bandits face off in a Western shootout, complete with the theatrical draw and gunfire. You can pose for photos with the performers in front of an authentic Route 66 sign, and if you want, grab a drink at a local saloon (at your own cost). The final stop is El Dorado, named by Spanish prospectors who found gold here and later used as a filming location for Western movies. The Techatticup Mine, which produced millions in gold and silver, operated here for decades.

Lunch is a boxed sandwich (turkey, roast beef or vegetarian, your choice at booking) plus fruit and a snack, eaten somewhere along the route. The return to Las Vegas follows the Veterans Memorial Highway through the Mojave Desert, a straight road cutting through empty landscape before you're dropped back at your hotel. The whole day runs nine hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Las Vegas.
• transportation in an air-conditioned van.
• a professional guide speaking English.
• lunch (boxed sandwich with your choice of turkey, roast beef or vegetarian, plus fruit and snack).
• bottled water throughout the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Small Group TourGuide in English · Available from 28 Nov · 08:30Pickup is included

Private TourGuide in English · 08:30Private tour, 1 day, with a picnic lunch. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 14 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Bindlestiff Tours

Is this one for you?Book the small group tour if you're comfortable with up to 14 people and want to meet other travelers. Choose the private tour option (eight seats minimum) if you'd rather have the van and guide to yourself or your group. Either way, the fixed itinerary and included transport mean the day holds together without you arranging stops, timing or meals.

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Top questions

What exactly happens during the Western shootout in Oatman?

The shootout is a staged performance held in the middle of Oatman's main street, with costumed cowboys and bandits standing face-to-face and drawing their guns. You watch from the street and can pose for photos with the performers afterward.

Can I choose what sandwich I want for lunch?

Yes. At booking, you'll select turkey, roast beef or vegetarian. If you don't specify, a vegetarian sandwich will be provided. Lunch also includes fruit and a snack.

What is Chloride like as a stop?

Chloride is a small mining town that's been inhabited since the 1860s and now has about 250 residents. You'll have time to walk through antique shops, see local sculptures and art, and talk with people who live there before the group has lunch.

Do I need to pay extra for anything during the tour?

No, except for drinks at the saloons in Oatman if you choose to order one. Hotel pickup and drop-off, transportation, lunch, water and the guide are all included.

Is the Hoover Dam a major stop or just a quick photo break?

It's a brief photo stop. You'll drive to the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge area for pictures of the 726-foot dam and Lake Mead, then continue on to Arizona.

What's the age requirement for this tour?

The minimum age is 7 years old. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels.