Hermosa, Colorado

Last updated

Hermosa
Unincorporated community
Hermosa, Colorado.JPG
The D&SNG water tank along U.S. Route 550 in Hermosa, April 2020
Etymology: From the Spanish word hermosa, meaning beautiful [1]
USA Colorado location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Hermosa
Location within the state of Colorado
Coordinates: 37°24′55″N107°50′07″W / 37.41528°N 107.83528°W / 37.41528; -107.83528 [2]
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
State Flag of Colorado.svg State of Colorado
County La Plata County
Elevation
[2]
6,644 ft (2,025 m)
Time zone UTC-7 (MST)
  Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
81301
Area code 970
GNIS feature ID183933 [2]

Hermosa is an unincorporated community in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. It is located north of Durango along U.S. Highway 550. [1]

Contents

History

The community was established around 1874 [1] and had a post office from 1876 to 1900. [3] Residents are now served by post offices in Durango.

In 2018, the 416 Fire burned northwest of Hermosa, prompting evacuations.

Attractions

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has a water stop in Hermosa, and the railroad maintains a maintenance yard and a siding there, which is sometimes called the Hermosa Depot. The yard has a prominent railroad water tank that is easily seen by motorists passing through Hermosa on Highway 550.

Hermosa Creek passes through the community from west to east and has its confluence with the Animas River nearby.

The Hermosa Cliffs, [4] formed of red sandstone, line the river valley in Hermosa.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bright, William (2004). Colorado place names (Third ed.). Boulder: Johnson Books. p. 85. ISBN   1555663338. LCCN   2003024331.
  2. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hermosa, Colorado
  3. "Post offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  4. "Hermosa Cliffs". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved May 4, 2020.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Hermosa, Colorado at Wikimedia Commons