Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,440-acre refuge on the Llano Estacado south of Muleshoe, is the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas and an important resting and wintering ground for migratory birds. Established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and renamed in 1940, it gained further recognition in 1980 as a National Natural Landmark. The refuge is a key stop for waterfowl traveling between Canada and Mexico, and in wet winters it can hold vast numbers of sandhill cranes. Its salt lakes, spring-fed Paul’s Lake, prairie habitat, and even small gypsum dunes support a diverse range of animals and plants.