San Juan National Forest Culvert Project to Restore Trout, Limit Access

The San Juan National Forest will install a culvert on the mainstem of Hermosa Creek along National Forest System Road 578 (Hermosa Park Road) and reconstruct roughly 900 feet of damaged streambed to restore natural flows and native trout habitat, the Forest Service announced in a Bayfield, Colo., release dated Feb. 5, 2026. The work will replace an existing vehicle ford that has degraded the stream and is expected to improve aquatic organism passage and public safety.

Construction is scheduled to begin in mid‑August and extend through October 2026, with a full road closure of NF Road 578 set for Sept. 8 through Oct. 13, 2026. Outside the full closure dates, motorists should expect delays of up to 30 minutes while crews are working. The project map distributed by the Forest Service was last updated Feb. 6, 2026.

The culvert installation is being presented as an Aquatic Organism Passage project to reconnect fragmented habitat and allow fish and other aquatic species to pass beneath Hermosa Park Road. The reconstruction of approximately 900 feet of streambed is intended to reestablish natural stream flows, improve water quality and enhance native trout habitat, while eliminating the existing vehicle ford that has contributed to erosion and habitat degradation.

The timing of the Sept. 8–Oct. 13 full closure overlaps Colorado’s archery and muzzleloader big‑game hunting seasons and will limit access to a major portion of Game Management Unit 74. The Forest Service specifically advises hunters to take the project schedule into account when applying for 2026 hunting licenses and when planning trips, and recommends consulting Colorado Parks and Wildlife 2026 Regulations Brochures for season dates and rules.

The USDA release included an incomplete sentence about trail access, it reads “Access to the Hermosa Creek Trail will remain [...]” and the provided text was truncated; the Forest Service has said it will update the Hermosa Creek Watershed webpage with clarifications and staging or detour information as the project proceeds. During implementation the Forest Service will operate a project information phone line at 970‑501‑5830; general San Juan National Forest information is available at 970‑247‑4874 and via the forest’s social media accounts on X and Facebook.

Partners and broader restoration work around native trout inform the Hermosa project. Trout Unlimited has noted that “With the rediscovery of the genetically distinct San Juan cutthroat trout, TU is exploring restoration opportunities with the Forest Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, private landowners, and others.” National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funding is supporting watershed characterization studies in the region, and Colorado School of Mines Team AOP work on nearby Sig and Relay Creek underscores a wider effort to replace failing culverts and reconnect fish habitat.

The Forest Service says the culvert installation will both restore aquatic passage and improve safety on NF Road 578; residents and recreationists should monitor the Hermosa Creek Watershed webpage and call 970‑501‑5830 for project updates as the mid‑August start approaches.