Please do your part to protect these fragile areas. Keep your group size smaller to ensure less impact to the land and to other visitors. Also, the San Juan National Forest Animas Ranger District office asks that groups of 10 or more members check in with the district for a wilderness orientation and a no fee group permit. To avoid contamination you should filter, boil or chemically treat all water. Also, help to not contaminate water sources .
Black bears live in area forests.
A study currently is being done to determine if grizzlies innabit the South San Juan Wilderness. The 463,678-acre Weminuche is Colorado's largest and most visited wilderness. Recreation use in all three wildernesses totaled 300,000 Recreational Visitor Days in 1991. Wilderness visitation is on the increase. If you seek greater solitude away from popular areas, ask about trails elsewhere in the forest.