Trail Overview
This route is fairly well maintained, with a mostly smooth surface consisting of packed dirt and gravel with scattered small rocks and occasional exposed embedded rock. The road is generally one vehicle wide, but there are numerous wider areas and pullouts that provide room for vehicles to pass. There are no major obstacles along the route, making it a relatively straightforward drive under dry conditions. Much of the route travels through dense stands of aspen mixed with spruce and fir, creating a heavily forested mountain setting. In places, the forest opens into small grassy areas along the roadway. Between the trees, travelers can catch occasional glimpses of the surrounding San Juan Mountains. The combination of thick forest, aspen groves, and mountain scenery makes this an especially scenic route.
Difficulty
Mostly smooth, maintained packed dirt and gravel with scattered small rocks and occasional embedded rock. There are no significant obstacles, deep ruts, ledges, or technical sections. The route is generally one vehicle wide, but frequent wider areas provide opportunities for passing. Most vehicles should have little difficulty traveling this route under dry conditions.
History
The Hermosa Creek area has a long history of transportation, ranching, forestry, and recreation. Settlement began near the mouth of Hermosa Creek in the early 1870s, where farms and orchards supplied food to the growing mining camps around Silverton. By 1875, produce from the Hermosa Valley was being transported north to the mining district, first by wagon and later by railroad. The Denver & Rio Grande narrow-gauge railroad reached Hermosa in November 1881, establishing a construction and railroad facility with a depot, siding, water tank, and other infrastructure as construction continued toward Silverton. The upper Hermosa watershed remained comparatively undeveloped and became valued for fishing, hunting, and backcountry recreation. The Forest Service constructed the Hermosa Trail in 1917 for fishermen, recreationists, forest rangers and ranchers. Today, much of the watershed is protected within the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area and Hermosa Creek Wilderness. There's also an important off-road-specific piece of modern history here. In the 1960s, there were proposals to push additional roads into the upper Hermosa watershed to facilitate timber harvesting. Local opposition helped prevent a road from being constructed across the watershed, preserving much of the roadless character that exists today. Congress ultimately passed the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act in 2014, protecting the watershed while retaining recreation on designated existing routes.
