Living Like a Local in Mohave County – An A to Z Guide to Exploring Our Backyard: A

When we say we live, work, and play in Mohave County, we mean it. The “A” in this A–Z series is packed with some of the best adventures and local stories in and around our corner of northwest Arizona.

In this post:

• Alpacas of the Southwest

• Andy Devine

• Aviators & aviation (including Amelia Earhart)

• Alamo Lake State Park

You can hit these as individual outings or weave them into a full weekend loop.

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Alpacas of the Southwest – Fluffy Faces in the High Desert

If you’ve never stood in the middle of a curious herd of alpacas, you’re missing out on one of the gentlest, quirkiest experiences in Mohave County.

Alpacas of the Southwest is a working alpaca ranch just outside Kingman that offers tours by appointment. According to local tourism information, visitors can meet the herd, learn about fiber production, and browse a small on-site shop with yarn, socks, and other alpaca products. It’s the kind of place where kids light up, adults relax, and everyone walks away with more photos of alpaca faces than they planned.

This is an easy half-day outing from the Kingman area and pairs well with lunch in town or a longer day that also includes aviation history or a Route 66 drive.

Good to know:

• Tours are typically by appointment; check their website or Facebook page before you go.

• Reviews often mention friendly owners and a hands-on, educational experience.

• From our personal experience, this is an awesome place to stop by. We took the grandkids, and they loved seeing all the animals (there’s more than just Alpacas there).

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Andy Devine – The Cowboy Voice of Kingman

Drive through Kingman, and you’ll see his name everywhere: Andy Devine Avenue, signs, and Route 66 references.

Andy Devine was a character actor and cowboy with a distinctive raspy voice who appeared in dozens of Westerns and films from the 1930s onward. According to the Mohave Museum and local historical sources, Devine grew up in Kingman and went on to Hollywood, but his hometown never stopped claiming him as one of its own.

That’s why Route 66 through Kingman is named after him.

He’s a great example of how our little corner of Arizona connects to the wider world.

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Aviators & Aviation – From Pioneers to WWII Training Fields

A lot of people drive right past Kingman Airport without realizing how much history is sitting out there on the mesa.

Long before Kingman became a major World War II training hub, it was already making aviation history. In 1929, Kingman was selected as a key stop in the new Transcontinental Air Transport system—a groundbreaking coast to coast route that combined air and rail travel to dramatically shorten cross country trips. To serve that route, Port Kingman was built just outside town, becoming Arizona’s first commercial airport and the first dedicated airport terminal in northern Arizona.

When Port Kingman officially opened, it wasn’t a quiet local event. Two of the most famous aviators in the world—Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart—arrived together aboard a Ford Tri Motor aircraft as part of a national promotional tour. Earhart’s presence gave instant credibility to the new airport and to commercial air travel itself, at a time when flying was still new, loud, and unfamiliar to much of the public. Thousands of people turned out to see the planes land and to catch a glimpse of aviation’s future unfolding in the high desert.

For Kingman, Amelia Earhart’s visit marked a turning point. It placed the town directly on the map of early American aviation and tied it to the bold, optimistic era when air travel was reshaping how the country moved and connected. That early role set the stage for what came next—because just over a decade later, the same open desert skies that welcomed pioneering passenger flights would become home to one of the most important Army Air Fields in the United States during World War II.

Kingman Army Air Field was one of the major aerial gunnery training bases in the United States during World War II. Historical accounts describe it as a key training and aircraft storage facility of the era, and old photos show row after row of surplus planes parked in the desert after the war.

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Alamo Lake State Park – Quiet Water, Big Sky

Alamo Lake is one of those places that feels like a secret, even though it’s been on Arizona maps for decades.

Located east of Mohave County but still within a reasonable drive for a weekend camping or fishing trip, Alamo Lake State Park is known for bass fishing, low light pollution, and wide open desert skies. According to Arizona travel resources, the park is popular with anglers, stargazers, and people who want a quieter, less developed lake experience than the big Colorado River reservoirs.

As a family, we rode our 4-wheelers and sand buggies out to Alamo Lake from Alamo Road. There are no facilities on this side of the lake, but it’s still a nice ride. From the other side, we’ve camped out and rented boats from the park side. This is a great place to go fishing!

Think of Alamo Lake as the “A is for an escape” option in this series—perfect for people who love water but don’t necessarily want crowds.

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If you’re dreaming about building a life that fits this kind of everyday adventure – whether that means buying your first home here, selling a property, or investing in Mohave County – there are lots of options.

If you’re ready to make Mohave County part of your story (or the next chapter of it), reach out to HISER & CO Real Estate Professionals and let’s explore what’s possible.