Hermosa Creek Special Management Area

About this campground

The Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection legislation, passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama in December, 2014, created the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area (SMA) and the adjacent 37,236-acre Hermosa Creek Wilderness. The Hermosa Creek SMA is located within Hermosa Creek watershed between Highway 550 and the Hermosa Creek Wilderness. Check out the Hermosa Watershed Protected Area Map for SMA boundaries. The SMA is available to the following recreational uses:  Dispersed camping Mountain biking OHV riding Horseback riding Hiking Backpacking Hunting: big game Fishing: creek and stream Snowmobiling Due to the SMA designation, special travel management rules and seasonal closures apply to the area. All users are required to stay on designated trails in the Hermosa Creek SMA; new routes must not be created when trails are impassable. The following maps show what type of users are allowed and the seasonal closures per road / trail.  Bicycle Use Map with Seasonal Closures: Hermosa Creek Watershed Mechanized (bicycle) Allowed Use Motorized vs Non-Motorized Use Map with Seasonal Closures: Hermosa Creek Watershed Motorized Allowed Use Please note, in 2018, the Hermosa Creek Watershed experienced the 54,000-acre "416 Fire". As a result, there are burned area hazards in the Hermosa Creek Watershed. Entry into burned areas is at your own risk. Some trails will be impassable, and hazards such as falling trees, unstable soils, and debris flows will exist.