Hermosa Creek Wilderness is a 37,236-acre protected area in the San Juan National Forest north of Durango, established in 2014 as part of a broader protected landscape. Rising from about 7,500 feet at Hermosa Creek to 12,338 feet at Indian Trail Ridge, it contains extensive forest, including notable old-growth spruce-fir that escaped many of the fires, disease, insects, and logging seen in surrounding mountains. Its geology is distinctive within the San Juans, being formed mainly from Paleozoic sedimentary rocks rather than the volcanic rocks common nearby. Wildlife is abundant, and limited trail access helps preserve its quiet, lightly developed backcountry character.