I've been looking for a route down to Hermosa Creek, just outside of Durango, for at least a couple of years, and, finally I've found it - literally almost right in front of my nose.
The Hermosa Campground is the closest, formal, legal campground to Durango, as well as a very popular multiple use trail head into a very large drainage - but I was looking just for quick access to the creek.
I started off just hiking west from the campground, and very quickly you get 'cliffed out', with nowhere to go but back. Passing vague references to great fishing on this little accessed waterway, actually a small river, inspired me to search further, but with no luck. Determined I became more methodical and by this summer I'd explored just about every cliff for three miles or so downstream from the campground.
Belatedly, I checked out the 7.5' topographic map for the area, and found some probably looking terrain in the vicinity of Jones Creek, just upstream from the campground and trail head. So I dove in, returning via another route - successfully, if not totally gracefully. This was enough success to explore a bit further, and, finally, my fourth route determined this faint little track heading up the slope at a reasonable, if still steep, grade.
Lo and behold it did not fade out in the next patch of brush as many of the game trails in the area do, but rather, continued steadily upward, at times fading into brush. No doubt during the warmer months when the Gambrel Scrub Oak and other plants are in leaf the trail would've disappeared completely, but this one did not, and led completely to the top - no more than 100 yards from the campground no less - albeit with one final push through the brush before reaching the top of the canyon.
(View from the top of the Lost Hermosa Trail)
I've been back and spent a couple of hours clearing out some of the few brushy spots, including right at the top - as such it is very easy to follow, if a tad rougher than your typical US Forest Service maintained route. It's nothing epic, but still a fun challenge - perfect for youngsters expanding their outdoor skills, an aging outdoor traveller such as myself, and, probably, a moderately challenging, easily accessible, horse route.
Though I did clear out some brush, I didn't mark an actual trailhead - so, for now, it is at least a little bit of a secret. If you are familiar with the area already you should have no problem at all finding it - perhaps you already know the start point - a great view of the creek and canyon at a rocky cliff point just to the NW of the Campground. If you've been there, just poke downhill along the upstream cliff face for 20 or 30 feet and you'll find the start, a faint tread heading down through the Gambrel.
To find that cliff view you can depart from the back end of the Campground, near site 13, winding through the brush oak along the rounded top of the ridge, or, from very near the start of the trail - where a small sign saying 'trail' marks the traditional Hermosa trail from the campground access just follow the tree line behind the campground, again winding through the oak brush. It's also possible to leave directly from the lower, main, parking area and traverse behind the other side of the campground, just along the steep edge.
The trail is pretty much a straight shot angling across the slope into a small drainage, the bottom of which is pictured above. From here it is relatively level, save for one final last drop, all the way to the river - it hasn't yet been cleared of brush, but you should have no problems - with a modicum of route finding skill (head downhill!).
I've no clue as to what the origin of this trail was - perhaps a former stock route abandoned because of the semi-dangerous terrain, or perhaps even an old mining exploratory route or an Indian trail. If you know, pass it along to me!
