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These backpacking pages are dedicated to the Weminuche Wilderness in southern Colorado. This wilderness area includes nearly 100 miles of the continental divide that runs East and West in this area. Its beauty makes it worthy of national park status. The eastern boundary includes Wolfe Creek Pass and the western boundary is the Durango Silverton narrow gauge railroad. The Rio Grande forest lies to the north of the divide and the San Juan forest to the South.
One page has featured the renegade (unlicensed) outfitters that trash out prime camping sites. In the past these people were ruining the trails with frequent trips of livestock and made permanent camps where they left gear and trash over the winter. The forest service was well aware of these renegades and did nothing. We have been assured recently that things have changed but we cannot verify it ourselves. We are looking for the positive as well as the negative. Please review the page and send us your thoughts and comments on what you personally have witnessed. We have nothing against horses on the wilderness trails as private groups have a minor impact. However, the difference in trail conditions where commercial stock is and is not allowed is amazing. Those making money in the wilderness should give something back - not destroy. The outfitters do clear the trails they use of dead falls and all hikers can appreciate that. Take only pictures and leave only footprints had a hollow ring in the Pine River (Bayfield) Forest Service area for many years. We hope the problems are corrected. There is also pressure from sporting goods shops in Durango and Pagosa Springs to allow mountain bikes in this area. The Weminuche is under great pressure.
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