Hermosa Creek Wilderness
Hermosa's crimson-colored red shale and sandstone formation define the landscape as well as it being home to the Colorado cutthroat trout, peregrine falcon and large herds of elk. The mid-elevation wilderness...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 37,344 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 2014, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.5174, -107.9727 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 13 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
1 more within ten miles is not listed here.
Fire nearby
- WildfireGold Mountain
40 mi from the center point · 39,747 acres · 92% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.1 miRico City Hall ↗Rico, CO
- 5.1 miKauffman, William, House ↗Rico, CO
- 5.2 miDey Building ↗Rico, CO
- 8.9 miCascade Boy Scout Camp ↗Durango, CO
- 11.4 miColorado Ute Power Plant ↗Durango, CO
- 11.5 miSmiley Junior High School ↗Durango, CO
- 11.6 miDurango High School ↗Durango, CO
- 11.8 miNewman Block ↗Durango, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Hermosa Creek Wilderness?
37,344 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hermosa Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hermosa Creek Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hermosa Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2014.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hermosa Creek Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Lower Hermosa Campground, 0.6 miles out. 13 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Hermosa Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.517, -107.973. Mesa Verde National Park is 28 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Hermosa Creek Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Gold Mountain at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Hermosa Creek Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 11 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Hermosa Creek Wilderness?
Mesa Verde National Park (28 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Hermosa Creek Wilderness?
12 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Rico City Hall and Kauffman, William, House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.