Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area

The Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area (CMA) is 55,000 acres of rugged beauty, lush riparian areas, and an array of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. This area is jointly owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. These three groups are working together to conserve and enhance the unique ecosystems found here and to protect endangered species, as well as the areas they depend upon. The mosaic of public and private land, which includes the BLM's Redfield Canyon Wilderness, the U.S. Forest Service's Galiuro Wilderness, and The Nature Conservancy's Muleshoe Preserve, offers a diversity of remote recreational opportunities.

Within the Muleshoe is found most of the watershed area for seven permanently flowing streams, representing some of the best remaining aquatic habitat in Arizona. Some 80% of the region's wildlife species depend upon these streamside communities at some time in their lives. The importance of this area to early settlers is seen in the numerous ranches and homesteads that dotted the area in the last 150 years. They were also critically dependent upon the riparian communities for their survival in such a rigorous landscape.

The Muleshoe provides everyone with the opportunity to learn more about southeastern Arizona's rich natural and cultural history. This area boasts rugged mountains, canyon streams, saguaro cactus, and mesquite bosques that are home to desert dwellers such as coatimundi, javelina, and a wide variety of neo-tropical migratory birds and native fish.

Visitors to the area must sign in at the entrance kiosk at the start of Jackson Cabin Road. Group sizes must not exceed 15 persons within the Redfield Canyon and Galiuro Wilderness areas. Motorized use is limited to existing routes and hunters must be aware of areas signed as open or closed to hunting on The Nature Conservancy's property. Use of the U.S. Forest Service-managed Jackson Cabin is first-come, first-served.