Sites in Arizona
NPS - Landscapes
Canyon de Chelly
Chiricahua
Grand Canyon
Lake Mead
Organ Pipe
Petrified Forest
Saguaro
Sunset Crater
NPS - Historic Sites
Casa Grande Ruins
Coronado
Montezuma Castle
Pipe Spring
Tonto
Tumacacori
Tuzigoot
Walnut Canyon
Wupatki
Other Places
Apache Trail
Ironwood Forest NM
Meteor Crater
Route 66
Sedona
Sonoran Desert NM
Tonto NF
Vermilion Cliffs NM
Arizona Site Map
Site Search
Photograph Search
|
|
Route 66 > Topock to Kingman
|
The part
of Route 66 between Topock and Kingman is the most spectacular remaining in Arizona - the road crosses empty, cacti-strewn desert and over the rugged
Black Mountains, passing through several old mining towns. In places the road is very steep and winding, so difficult for traffic that US 66 was at one time re-routed across flatter lands south of the mountains, where I-40 is today.
Boundary Cone: Driving northeast from Topock, the road gradually ascends towards Boundary Cone, an imposing peak at the edge of the mountains. Only one other vehicle passed in this 19 mile section when I was there. Just before the Cone there are many old mines around the lower slopes of the hills, with rusting cars and machinery, and evidence of former habitation including at least one grave, of a man called Leonard.
Old Mines: The area is rather sad and eerie especially as so few people seem to pass on the road. On the hillsides there are many cholla cacti which have very sharp spikes, and either by accident or design the mine tunnels are carpeted by old spines several inches deep in places which makes exploration difficult, but I was able to find original wooden ladders down some of the shafts, a table with rusty tools down one tunnel, and other
evidence of former mining activity.
Ghost Towns: Beyond the mines, another road joins from the west and Route 66 becomes a bit wider with more traffic. It soon passes through Oatman, a very authentic old west gold mining town with original wooden buildings and raised walkways - there are no pavements here, and cars have to park on the street. The town has many abandoned buildings - maybe 1 in 2 are empty, making it a semi-ghost town. The population is currently estimated to be about 200. Most houses have a great selection of bric-a-brac outside - old cars, rusting iron machinery, disused household appliances etc. A bit further there is supposed to be the (more deserted) ghost town of
Goldroad, but the site is now occupied by a working mine, and for 1.2 miles the land is private property, however there are plenty of remains of old mines and buildings amongst the cacti and boulders at either side of the road.
Sitgreaves Pass: Route 66 crosses the Black Mountains via Sitgreaves Pass (elevation 3,523 feet) - this has great views both west to Bullhead City, the Colorado River and southeast Nevada, and east towards the flat Sacramento Valley and Kingman. There are several places to camp around the Pass, which is noticeably cooler than the desert below. In fact the whole of this part of Route 66 is unfenced and there are many small side tracks and lay-bys where overnight stays are possible. The descent towards
Kingman is scenic but steep and twisting, with other examples of ramshackle old buildings, before the road becomes very straight and level as it approaches the town.
Hotels: The main town with hotels in this part of Route 66 is Kingman.
|
|
|
|
Back to Top
|
