Hermosa Creek

[Ggarrett]

I am considering a hunt in Hermosa Creek Wilderness area, my main concern is pressure. I’ve read in some relatively outdated threads that it is ate up with hunters. Hikers and such are not of too much concern as I don’t plan to be near a trail head. Would appreciate a little input.

 

[Poser]

Hermosa drainage is super popular with hunters. In terms of getting off the trail, its easy to look at satellite imagery and envision that, but the 416 Fire back in 2019 laid waste to much of that area and its now either waist to chest high young aspen growth or scrub oak -both are THICK. Underneath that gegereartion is an entanglement of burned timber. Turn on your slope shading layer and you'll realize how deceptively steep that area is -its really difficult to get off trail. Even the tops of the ridges are difficult to pass through and the fire burned so hot that it stripped the soil in many places, leaving it loose without much purchase.

As far as I can tell, the FS has abandoned Clear Creek and South Fork trails. I hiked aways down both recently doing some shooting and on both trails, I got to a point where I couldn't find the trail anymore and the undergrowth was shoulder high. While there are pockets that weren't as affected, its much more of a jungle in there than it appears on the imagery.