Quick Tips
- Use quality optics
- Know your physical limits
- Be bear aware while camping
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep | 140"-150" | 150"+ |
On The Ground
Southwest of Creede sharing both the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forest lays the Weminuche Wilderness, home of a growing Rocky Mountain Bighorn herd.
Hunters can either backpack or go on horse into the wilderness area. The terrain and weather can be extreme so preparation is important.
Terrain
With over 6,000 feet of elevation change there is a ton of diversity in the terrain. From the rolling valley floor there are a few foothills that lead up to big steep creek drainages. In the top of the drainages there are some large basins that typically hold alpine streams and lakes. Out of the basins there are tall peaks, some of are over 13,000 feet.
Roughly 276 square miles
95.6% public land
Elevations from 7,749-13,014 feet
Vegetation
Large alpine basins covered in wildflowers can be found here, along with lichens, mosses and stunted pines, to forests of spruce, fir, lodgepole pine, chunks of aspen, open grassy parks, expanses of oak brush, mountain mahogany and willows along creeks.
Access
Rio Grande National Forest can be reached off of Colorado Route 149 southwest of Creede. San Juan National Forest and Weminuche Wilderness are reached off of a number of county and forest service roads that connect to a wilderness trail system. East Fork, Squaw Creek and Lake, Fern Creek and Texas Creek trails all lead into the backcountry. Trails are long and steep making it difficult to reach sheep areas.
Camping and Lodging
Rio Grande and San Juan National Forest provide improved campgrounds as well as dispersed camping. Weminuche Wilderness is under specific camping and travel guidelines. Creede, in the northeast and Bayfield, in the south provided a limited number of motels, cafés and gas. Durango some 40 miles to the southwest offers a wide variety of motels, hotels, restaurants, medical facilities, a regional airport, gas and diesel.
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