Oatman, Arizona Donkeys (Wild Burros of Route 66) The famous donkeys roaming the streets of Oatman are actually wild burros, and they’re one of the most iconic sights along U.S. Route 66. These burros date back to the late 1800s gold mining days. When miners flooded the area after gold was discovered in 1915, they used burros to haul supplies through the rugged Black Mountains of Arizona. When the mines eventually shut down, many miners released their burros into the desert rather than take them