The Weminuche Wilderness comprises nearly half-a-million acres of untrammeled woods, mountains, meadows, streams and lakes. Although a fair chunk of that area burned last year, many of its easier-to-access areas are still there for all to explore.
Bearing that in mind, with each passing day, it is more important to educate others about the wonders of wilderness.
Howard Zahniser, the mastermind behind the Wilderness Act, expressed his feelings in a 1956 magazine article titled “The Need for Wilderness Areas.” He wrote: “I believe that at least in the present phase of our civilization we have a profound, a fundamental need for areas of wilderness – a need that is not only recreational and spiritual but also educational and scientific, and withal essential to a true understanding of ourselves, our culture, our own natures, and our place in all nature. ...
“By very definition this wilderness is a need. The idea of wilderness as an area without man’s influence is man’s own concept. Its values are human values. Its preservation is a purpose that arises out of man’s own sense of his fundamental needs.”
If you presented Zahniser’s quote to the general public today, most people would believe it could be from the last decade rather than 1956. The need for wilderness is timeless. As humans, we are animals that evolved from the earth.
Kindling a connection with the earth is more important than ever in 2014. So many people, children included, have become disconnected from nature. There is too much emphasis on computers, cellphones, video games, TV and other technologies that take us away from our natural environment. Everyone needs to do something to keep connected with the natural environment.
As school budgets tighten, field trips are becoming more rare. At the same time, field trips to wild places are becoming more important because children spend more time connected with technology.
But wilderness is closer than you might think. Teachers can take their classes there. Parents can take their children and their children’s friends there on weekends and holidays.
Anyone who knows a child should try to get that child into the wilderness. Take your neighbor, your nephew, your niece.
Read on for ideas about where to go, and visit your local Forest Service office (in Durango, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs and Dolores) to find more information, including regulations specific to wilderness.
Durango/Bayfield area Vallecito Creek Trail
6.4 miles round trip to the double bridge.
1.2 miles round trip to the Weminuche Wilderness boundary.
The Vallecito Creek Trail parallels the turbulent Vallecito Creek for most of its 19 miles. Proximity to the creek makes it easy to feel more connected to nature in just a few miles. This trailhead is adjacent to Vallecito Campground. To get there from Bayfield, take County Road 501 18.8 miles to County Road 500. Turn left on County Road 500 and go 2.3 miles to the trailhead parking, just left of the campground entrance gate.
Silverton Area Highland Mary Lakes
4.8 miles round trip to the first lake.
2 miles round trip to the Weminuche Wilderness boundary.
This hike may be shorter than the others in terms of distance. However, it is more challenging because of the steepness of the trail and the high elevation. The trail starts at 10,800 feet, and the first lake sits at about 12,200 feet. To find the Highland Mary trailhead, drive through Silverton and bear right on County Road 2 and follow it for about 4 miles. Turn right on County Road 4 at Howardsville (an old town site). Stay to the right – along Cunningham Creek – at all the forks in the road for the next 3.4 miles. When the road forks here, park on the left. High-clearance may be required for the last half mile. From the parking area, follow the left fork in the road down to the trailhead.
Pagosa Springs Area Fourmile Falls
6.4 miles round trip to the falls.
1.2 miles round trip to the Weminuche Wilderness boundary.
The falls are located along the Fourmile Trail, accessible from the end of Fourmile Road. Don’t get confused here – at no point will you be traveling exactly four miles.
Join San Juan Mountains Association, the Forest Service and many other local organizations on Sept. 27 for a “Wilderness Walk” to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Meet at the La Plata County Fairgrounds at 9 a.m. for a walk on the Animas River Trail, then return to the fairgrounds for more education and fun for all ages.
MK Thompson is assistant for education, volunteer programs and visitor information services for San Juan Mountains Association, a nonprofit dedicated to public land stewardship and education.
