Arizona's Oatman ghost town a whimsical area that delights many visitors. Illustration by Mike Miller/Review-Journal.

Lively symbols of the Old West, Arizona's Oatman ghost town and nearby Goldroad mining camp continue to attract visitors from around the world. At least 500,000 people annually find their way to the century-old communities seeking experiences unique to the American West. They seldom leave disappointed.

They arrive in private cars and on tour buses following a key section of historic Old Route 66, vacated as a major cross-country route half a century ago. Hard to believe now that the narrow, winding, often challenging road used to carry most of the traffic between the Midwest and the Pacific coast.

Oatman and Goldroad lie in the mountains east of the sister communities of Laughlin and Bullhead City, Ariz., on the Colorado River. To reach the old towns from Las Vegas, drive 90 miles to Laughlin, following U.S. 95 south to Highway 163, then east to the river. Approach the historic town and neighboring camp by way of an all-paved route or a shorter pavement and gravel route.

The 24-mile paved route begins at the river bridge in Laughlin. Head south along the river 10 miles to Boundary Cone Road. Turn east 12 miles to Old Route 66. Head north two miles to Oatman, then two and one-half miles to Goldroad.

The shorter route begins across the bridge in Bullhead City. At a major stoplight, turn east on Silver Creek Road, a 15-mile scenic side road through the desert along a wide arroyo. The pavement turns to a good graded surface after the first few miles. The road takes you to Route 66 at the outskirts of Oatman. From this junction, Goldroad lies a couple of miles to the left at the beginning of scenic Sitgreaves Pass, a curvy hair-raiser with splendid views, when you can take your eyes off the road. Truckers using it in the old days must have turned gray.

The desert and mountain scenery seems familiar even to those who have never been West before. Striking, dramatic, rugged and full of contrast, the landscape frequently appears as backdrops for television and print advertisements. Those old enough to remember the heyday of Western movies recognize the settings from many films shot on location in Arizona, including portions of "How the West was Won."

The region boasts a long history of mining, starting in the late 1800s and peaking with booms in the early 1900s. Large-scale gold mining began at Goldroad where a camp grew around a mine and ore mill. A few rock walls remain of the early buildings along the old road into the pass. Changing mining methods and rising gold prices revived Goldroad a couple of times. Over the decades, the Goldroad Mine produced several million dollars in gold until the latest venture ended in 1998. Changing fortunes may open the mine again, but for the present the mine makes money with popular guided underground tours.

Visitors pay $12.50 for adults and $6 for youngsters aged 12 and under for the hour-long tours that run daily every half-hour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Since underground temperatures remain constantly cool, the guides take groups even in summer. The tour begins with transport to the opening, then inside about an eighth of a mile. Visitors see a deep shaft and the glory hole where black light detects existing gold veins. On-site amenities include parking, a gift shop, restrooms and a small cafe. For more information, call the mine at (928) 768-1600 or visit the Web site at www.goldroadmine.com.

Oatman schedules special events during the year to keep people coming back. The single street bustles with foot traffic and vehicles inching along. Weekends include swap meet-style vendors along the sidewalks. Never a day goes by without shootouts between costumed adversaries. The biggest draw to Oatman may be its burros, which enjoy the right-of-way in town. Descendants of mining era pack animals, these comical charmers come into town from the desert to cadge snacks from the tourists.

Margo Bartlett Pesek's column appears on Sundays.