1864 Bridger Trail

Contributed by Steve F. Russell

Also known as Bridger Road and Bridger Immigrant Road, the Bridger Trail connected the Oregon Trail to the 1864 gold fields in Montana. The route intentionally avoided the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho by running west of the Bighorn Mountains in the lands of the Crow and Shoshone People. The trail was not well-defined except at stream crossings and where the topography dictated the course. The trail had limited grazing and water yet at least ten wagon trains traveled the trail in 1864.

Map files: KML | KMZ | CSV

Static Maps

1864 Trail Map (PDF)

1864 Skeleton Map:

1864 Bridger's Wagon Trail skeleton map

Topics

Google Maps Route Center Line Lewis and Clark Trail Oregon-California Trails Lolo Trail Nee-Me-Poo National Historic Trail Mullan Road Trail Inventory Other Bird-Truax Trail Fur Trade Carroll Trail Methodology Old North Trail The Wilderness Road

Contributors

Steve F. Russell Kristopher K. Townsend US National Park Service (LCNHT) Robert H. Dunsmore Richard S. Buswell Merle Wells Larry Jones John (Jack) P. Harlan Martin Plamondon II James D. Harlan Ralph Saunders David and Sue Eakin Raymond Borchers