Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge

About Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge

Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge is the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas and was established in 1935. Located in the High Plains of west Texas, the refuge is important to migratory birds and many resident species of wildlife, the refuge is best known for hosting one of the largest concentrations of lesser sandhill cranes in North America. It is estimated that every year approximately 15 percent of the lesser sandhill crane population depends upon the refuge between the fall and spring. Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge offers wildlife-dependent recreation, including wildlife watching and photography, limited hunting by drawing only, hiking and camping. The 6,440-acre refuge is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a national network of lands and waters set aside for the benefit of wildlife, habitat and you.

How to Get There

Directions to the Headquarters: From Muleshoe, Texas: Take Highway 214 south 20 miles. Go west on Caliche Road for 2.25 miles to refuge headquarters. From Morton, Texas: Take Highway 214 north 18 miles. Go west on Caliche Road 2.25 miles. Directions To the Refuge: From Muleshoe, take Highway 214 south 20 miles. Go west on Caliche Road for 2.25 miles to refuge headquarters. From Morton, take Highway 214 north 18 miles. Go west on Caliche Road 2.25 miles.

Plan Your Visit to Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge

Heading to Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)