Hermosa Creek

Hermosa Creek is a tributary of the Animas River in San Juan and La Plata counties in Colorado. The creek rises near Hermosa Peak in San Juan County, Colorado and then flows generally south to La Plata County and to its confluence with the Animas River in Hermosa.

Hermosa Creek
The creek in Hermosa, Colorado
Map showing the location of the river mouth in Colorado
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountiesSan Juan and La Plata
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationSan Juan National Forest
 • coordinates37°42′52.99″N 107°53′7.24″W [1]
Mouth 
 • location
Hermosa, Colorado
 • coordinates
37°24′4″N 107°49′49.24″W [1]
 • elevation
6,585 feet (2,007 meters) [1]
Basin features
ProgressionAnimas – San Juan – Colorado
River systemColorado River

Protected areas

Most of the creek lies in the San Juan National Forest. In 2014, Congress passed and the president signed the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act. The legislation created the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area and the adjacent Hermosa Creek Wilderness.[2] Much of the creek and its watershed lies within these two federally-protected areas.

Effect of the 416 Fire

In 2018, the 416 Fire burned thousands of acres of the Hermosa Creek watershed. Long known for its pristine and clear waters, the creek has been severely affected by the erosion occurring as a result of the fire.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Hermosa Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  2. "Hermosa Wilderness". San Juan National Forest. United States Department of Agriculture. Forest Service. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  3. Romeo, Jonathan (2019-04-24). "Once a source of fresh water, Hermosa Creek now threatens Animas River". The Durango Herald. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
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