Bridger Trail
Encyclopedia
The Bridger Trail was an overland route connecting the Oregon Trail
to the gold fields of Montana
. Gold was discovered in Virginia City, Montana
in 1863, prompting settlers and prospectors
to find a trail to travel from central Wyoming
to Montana. In 1863, John Bozeman and John Jacobs scouted the Bozeman Trail
, which was a direct route to the Montana gold fields through the Powder River Country
. At the time the region was controlled by the Sioux
, Cheyenne
and Arapaho
, who stepped up their raids in response to the stream of settlers along the trail.
In 1864 the commandant of Fort Laramie, Colonel William O. Collins, concerned about the hostilities along the Bozeman Trail, asked Jim Bridger
to lead a party of settlers from Denver on a new route to the mines through the Big Horn Basin along the western edge of the Big Horn Mountains
. In 1859, Bridger had guided a topographical expedition through the area, and knew the region well. In all, 10 wagon trains made the trip in spring and summer of 1864, two of them guided personally by Bridger. The following year, hostilities along the Bozeman Trail had escalated to the point where Major General
Grenville M. Dodge
ordered Brigadier General
Patrick E. Connor to lead the first Powder River Expedition to try to end the raids along the trail. Connor chose Bridger as one of his guides, and Bridger spent the next few years guiding various military excursions into the Powder River Country
and never again lead settlers along the Bridger Trail.
in central Wyoming, and headed in a northwestern direction. The trail crossed Badwater Creek near present day Lysite, Wyoming
, and followed Bridger Creek into the Bridger Mountains
located just to the west of the southern end of the Big Horn Mountains
. After cresting the range, the trail lead down along the Kirby Creek drainage to where it meets the Big Horn River near the current town of Lucerne
. From there, the trail turns north and follows the Big Horn River. At the mouth of the Nowood River
the trail turned northeast and headed toward the Greybull River
. After that crossing, the settlers forded the Shoshone River
near Powell
and continued north into Montana. After traveling through Bridger Canyon, the trail met the Clark's Fork
of the Yellowstone River and followed it downstream past the present day town of Bridger, Montana
, finally joining with the Bozeman Trail
at Rock Creek. The two trails continued together west across Montana to the Virginia City gold mines. The trip could be made in as little as 34 days, though most of the wagon trains took some time to prospect the streams along the route.
and Cowley, Wyoming
.
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
to the gold fields of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. Gold was discovered in Virginia City, Montana
Virginia City, Montana
Virginia City is a town in and the county seat of Madison County, Montana, United States. In 1961, the town and the surrounding area was designated a National Historic Landmark District, the Virginia City Historic District...
in 1863, prompting settlers and prospectors
to find a trail to travel from central Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
to Montana. In 1863, John Bozeman and John Jacobs scouted the Bozeman Trail
Bozeman Trail
The Bozeman Trail was an overland route connecting the gold rush territory of Montana to the Oregon Trail. Its most important period was from 1863-1868. The flow of pioneers and settlers through territory of American Indians provoked their resentment and caused attacks. The U.S. Army undertook...
, which was a direct route to the Montana gold fields through the Powder River Country
Powder River Country
The Powder River Country refers to an area of the Great Plains in northeastern Wyoming in the United States. The area is loosely defined between the Bighorn Mountains and the Black Hills, in the upper drainage areas of the Powder, Tongue, and Little Bighorn rivers.During the late 1860s, the area...
. At the time the region was controlled by the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
and Arapaho
Arapaho
The Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre, whose people are seen as an early...
, who stepped up their raids in response to the stream of settlers along the trail.
In 1864 the commandant of Fort Laramie, Colonel William O. Collins, concerned about the hostilities along the Bozeman Trail, asked Jim Bridger
Jim Bridger
James Felix "Jim" Bridger was among the foremost mountain men, trappers, scouts and guides who explored and trapped the Western United States during the decades of 1820-1850, as well as mediating between native tribes and encroaching whites...
to lead a party of settlers from Denver on a new route to the mines through the Big Horn Basin along the western edge of the Big Horn Mountains
Big Horn Mountains
The Big Horn Mountains are a mountain range in northern Wyoming and southern Montana in the United States, forming a northwest-trending spur from the Rocky Mountains extending approximately 200 miles northward on the Great Plains...
. In 1859, Bridger had guided a topographical expedition through the area, and knew the region well. In all, 10 wagon trains made the trip in spring and summer of 1864, two of them guided personally by Bridger. The following year, hostilities along the Bozeman Trail had escalated to the point where Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Grenville M. Dodge
Grenville M. Dodge
Grenville Mellen Dodge was a Union army officer on the frontier and during the Civil War, a U.S. Congressman, businessman, and railroad executive who helped construct the Transcontinental Railroad....
ordered Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Patrick E. Connor to lead the first Powder River Expedition to try to end the raids along the trail. Connor chose Bridger as one of his guides, and Bridger spent the next few years guiding various military excursions into the Powder River Country
Powder River Country
The Powder River Country refers to an area of the Great Plains in northeastern Wyoming in the United States. The area is loosely defined between the Bighorn Mountains and the Black Hills, in the upper drainage areas of the Powder, Tongue, and Little Bighorn rivers.During the late 1860s, the area...
and never again lead settlers along the Bridger Trail.
Route
The route left the Oregon Trail at Red Buttes, near Fort CasparFort Caspar
Fort Caspar was a military post of the United States Army in present-day Wyoming, named after 2nd Lieutenant Caspar Collins, a U.S. Army officer who was killed in the 1865 Battle of the Platte Bridge Station against the Lakota and Cheyenne...
in central Wyoming, and headed in a northwestern direction. The trail crossed Badwater Creek near present day Lysite, Wyoming
Lysite, Wyoming
Lysite is an unincorporated community in northeastern Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. It lies along local roads northeast of the city of Lander, the county seat of Fremont County. Its elevation is 5,276 feet . Although Lysite is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP...
, and followed Bridger Creek into the Bridger Mountains
Bridger Mountains (Wyoming)
The Bridger Mountains are a short subrange of the Rocky Mountains, approximately long, in central Wyoming in the United States. The range forms a bridge between the Owl Creek Mountains to the west and the southern end of the Bighorn Mountains to the east. The Wind River passes through the gap...
located just to the west of the southern end of the Big Horn Mountains
Big Horn Mountains
The Big Horn Mountains are a mountain range in northern Wyoming and southern Montana in the United States, forming a northwest-trending spur from the Rocky Mountains extending approximately 200 miles northward on the Great Plains...
. After cresting the range, the trail lead down along the Kirby Creek drainage to where it meets the Big Horn River near the current town of Lucerne
Lucerne, Wyoming
Lucerne is a census-designated place in Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 525 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lucerne is located at ....
. From there, the trail turns north and follows the Big Horn River. At the mouth of the Nowood River
Nowood River
The Nowood River is a river in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The river rises in the Bridger Mountains on the southeastern side of the Bighorn Basin. The stream runs north through the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains and past the town of Ten Sleep where it is joined by Tensleep Creek...
the trail turned northeast and headed toward the Greybull River
Greybull River
The Greybull River is a tributary of the Big Horn River, approximately long in northern Wyoming in the United States. The river was reportedly named for a white buffalo that had been seen on its banks. Native Americans consider the appearance of a white buffalo a powerful omen.The river rises...
. After that crossing, the settlers forded the Shoshone River
Shoshone River
The Shoshone River is long river in northern Wyoming in the United States. Its headwaters are in the Absaroka Range in Shoshone National Forest. It ends when it runs into the Big Horn River near Lovell, Wyoming. Cities it runs near or through are Cody, Powell, Byron, and Lovell. Near Cody, it...
near Powell
Powell, Wyoming
Powell is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,373 at the 2000 census. Powell is an All-America City and home to Northwest College.-Geography:Powell is located at ....
and continued north into Montana. After traveling through Bridger Canyon, the trail met the Clark's Fork
Clarks Fork Yellowstone River
The Clarks Fork Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, 150 mi long in the U.S. states of Montana and Wyoming....
of the Yellowstone River and followed it downstream past the present day town of Bridger, Montana
Bridger, Montana
Bridger is a town in Carbon County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 745 at the 2000 census.The town of Bridger was named for the scout Jim Bridger...
, finally joining with the Bozeman Trail
Bozeman Trail
The Bozeman Trail was an overland route connecting the gold rush territory of Montana to the Oregon Trail. Its most important period was from 1863-1868. The flow of pioneers and settlers through territory of American Indians provoked their resentment and caused attacks. The U.S. Army undertook...
at Rock Creek. The two trails continued together west across Montana to the Virginia City gold mines. The trip could be made in as little as 34 days, though most of the wagon trains took some time to prospect the streams along the route.
Remnants
Few remnants of the trail remain today. Some visible tracks can be seen in Fremont County and Hot Springs, County. There are two sets of remaining carvings of settlers names: one on a sandstone cliff face near Bridger Creek, and the other at Signature Rock between Byron, WyomingByron, Wyoming
Byron is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 557 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.9 square miles , of which, 0.8 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of it is...
and Cowley, Wyoming
Cowley, Wyoming
Cowley is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 560 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cowley is located at ....
.