Muleshoe Ranch

The Galiuro foothills and the streams that cross them have drawn people for a very long time. The Apache knew this country intimately, moving through its canyons and mountains, and the wider region remained Apache homeland well into the era of American settlement. The descendants of these communities remain part of Arizona today.

By the late nineteenth century the warm springs here supported a small health resort, and the surrounding land was worked as a cattle ranch. The name Muleshoe carried down from those ranching days. What set this place apart was always the water, so unusual in the desert that it shaped every use people found for it, from Apache trails to a spa to a working ranch.

Most desert washes flow only after a storm, then vanish into dry sand. Muleshoe is different because the geology forces groundwater to the surface along its canyons, feeding creeks such as Hot Springs Canyon that hold water through the driest stretches of the year. These are called perennial streams, and in the Southwest they are among the rarest and most valuable habitats there are.

That constant water builds ribbons of green through otherwise dry country, lined with cottonwood, willow, and sycamore. Cool and shaded, these corridors act like oases, drawing wildlife from miles around and supporting far more species than the surrounding desert could ever hold. Protecting these streams from grazing and diversion is the whole reason the preserve exists.

Muleshoe sits within Arizona's famous Sky Islands, where desert lowlands and forested mountains stack together to create astonishing variety, and its watered canyons make it a magnet for wildlife. Birders come for the herons, hawks, and songbirds that gather along the streams, and the tally of species recorded here runs high, especially during spring and fall migration.

Larger animals thrive in the seclusion. Deer, javelina, coatimundi, and a range of desert reptiles move through the canyons, and the preserve's protected backcountry offers cover for elusive predators. Because the land is quiet and lightly visited, patient early risers often see far more than they expect.

Spring is a fine time to visit, with mild days, running water at its clearest, and migrating birds filling the canyons. Wildflowers can dot the slopes after a wet winter. Fall brings similar comfort, cooler air, and thinning crowds, along with a touch of color in the streamside trees.

Summer is hot and demanding in the low desert, though the monsoon storms of midsummer green the hills and swell the creeks. Winter is cold at night and quiet by day, and the road can turn to mud after rain or snow, so travelers should check conditions before heading out on the long drive in.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.