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.

Quick Facts Location, Country ...

Hermosa Creek
The creek in Hermosa, Colorado
Map showing the location of the river mouth in Colorado
Location
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Counties	San Juan and La Plata
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	San Juan National Forest
• coordinates	37°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
Progression	Animas – San Juan – Colorado
River system	Colorado River

Close

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.

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]

• List of rivers of Colorado