Home > AZ > McConnico to Sitgreaves Pass >

Ed's Camp

8331 Oatman Rd, Golden Valley, AZ
Phone:

East < GO > West

Lowell “Ed” Edgarton built Ed's Camp in 1919 as a sort of one stop shop for people traveling through the area. The main trading post building and the Kactus Cafe building are still standing. The Texaco pumps and station are gone. A small building on the west side of the site that apparently had a couple of cabins that travelers could rent for the night still stands. A camping area called Little Meadows offered tent and trailer camping spots for those who preferred being closer to nature, or simply couldn't afford the cabin rent.

Ed's Camp is a bit more than a mile west of Cool Springs on Oatman Rd.

GPS: 35.033673, -114.326270

Hungry travelers could get a meal at the Kactus Cafe next to the trading post building. The sign posts still stand out front near the road. When these photo's were taken in 2013 the buildings and property were showing more than a little wear and tear.

Lowell Edgerton was an accomplished minerologist and even has an ore named after him "Edgertonite". He worked on his own mining business as well as being a a consultant for many mining companies in the area. His main focus was rare earth minerals.

About 2-1/2 miles west of Ed's Camp on the left side of the road there is a pull-out and stone stairs to reach the Shaffer's Fish Bowl. There may be a memorial plaque to Shaffer there. I haven't climbed up to the Fish Bowl, but this is the stairs by the parking pullout.

GPS: (Shafer's Fish Bowl) 35.038848, -114.356360

Photo(s): 2013 2019