Bear Creek Landscape Corridor - part of Proposed Hermosa Wilderness

At a Glance:

The Hermosa roadless area includes a western spur that descends along Bear Creek to the Dolores River. Using Bear Creek and Hermosa Creek, travelers can traverse from the Dolores to Animas Rivers, over the crest of the La Platas, without crossing a road or otherwise encountering signs of civilization. Not only does Bear Creek provide a critical corridor between the two river drainages, in a larger context it constitutes a link in the landscape between the state's largest protected area, the Weminuche Wilderness, and lower elevations along the San Juan Mountains' western perimeter.