Bridger (also known as Bridger Canyon) is in Montana’s Carbon County and comes under the Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The population of this small community is still less than 1000, and the town was named for the scout and trader Jim Bridger.
Reportedly local residents initially wanted to name the town after George Town–one of the original settlers—but it was actually Town who convinced them to name the newly founded town after his friend Jim Bridger, a renowned mountain man and guide of the area.
The region in south-central Montana along the Yellowstone River that now includes the community was used by Bridger and other trackers, traders, and mountain men for convenient transportation purposes by using a cut-off trail through the canyon.
Fort Ellis was the only Cavalry Post in western Montana and it began operations in 1867.
Logs and lumber were required for the fort and apparently, it was soldiers from the fort who built a road running more than 15 miles along with a sawmill at the military timber camp in the vicinity.
What is now Bohart Ranch is today located on the same spot on Bridger Canyon Road.
German immigrants began to arrive over the next decade or two and ranches, cabins, and eventually schools and other similar buildings began to spring up to form a proper community.
The town’s commercial district today retains much of its early 20th-century look, especially by way of the old bank buildings and a few 2-story commercial buildings—some of which are listed in the National Register.
The buildings stand as a modern testament to how quickly merchants came to the area and launched into businesses to attract the increasing numbers of homesteaders in the Clark Fork River valley.
As you head north into Montana from the direction of Wyoming on US 310, the first place you run into is Bridger.
Bordered to the north by nearby Fromberg, Bridger is another typical Northern Pacific Railroad town from the turn of the 20th century that has managed to survive and thrive.
This region of the Clark’s Fork River Valley contains the well-known Bridger Trail that passes to the southeast of the town.
People have been attracted to Bridger Canyon today for similar reasons to the first settlers more than a century ago—the lush, fertile land and the scenic surrounding regions with peace and solitude yet within close proximity to the much bigger Bozeman.
Main Attractions In or Near Bridger
The first homesteaders built a few lasting community institutions like the Bridger United Methodist Church that are worth seeing today.
The church stands as an impressive example of vernacular Gothic design and is thus listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The town library is a similarly impressive example of what the best formal buildings looked like in their original small-town setting.
There are various other historic elements related to the town’s community buildings such as the Civic Center from the 1930s.
This place isn’t at its best these days but it has served its time as an important point for the community and social gatherings for decades. The town reminds in many ways of the deep past of the Clark’s Fork River Valley.
With its National Register-listed historic homes and other buildings like institutions and local businesses, it showcases an important but often overlooked chapter in the history of the Clark’s Fork Valley.
Recreation Activities In or Near Bridger
Once the snow arrives locals and visitors alike will doubtless head into Bridger Canyon’s main winter wonderland by way of Bridger Bowl.
The Bridger Bowl Ski Area has got to be one of the main recreation attractions in the area and includes more than 1,500 acres of mainly downhill skiing, with backcountry access.
Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing can also be accessed along the main Bridger Canyon Road—this is incidentally the only access to Bridger Bowl.
This year-round destination is the closest ski area to Bozeman, located in the Bridger Mountain Range of the Gallatin National Forest.
You can get here from Bozeman by heading north on Highway 86 and following the signs north onto Bridger Canyon Drive, and to Bridger Bowl.
Wildlife
Bridger Canyon is renowned among birders as the place where yearly raptor migration occurs, quite often in the first two weeks of October.
It is possible to catch glimpses of these impressive-looking birds of prey as they migrate to more southern regions. There are two decent viewing sites in the Bridger Mountains, and one is located at Bridger Bowl.
This makes it possible to reach viewing areas via a hike up the Bridger Lift area, where the Forest Service maintains a raptor monitoring station.
Sacagawea Peak is another top-viewing site and is accessible from Fairy Lake. Anyone intending to view a variety of birds might want to check in at the fish hatchery next to Bridger Creek.
This is five miles from downtown Bozeman and contains a mix of cottonwood, willow, dogwood, and Douglas fir which act as something of a magnet for plenty of birds.
Biking
Road bike enthusiasts get a treat when they enjoy a ride from Bozeman up Bridger Canyon and/or vice versa.
Here they can make the most of smooth, paved roads surrounded by amazing scenery. This is a 20-mile stretch with an elevation gain of 1400 feet, and many have found it to be a great way to spend a sunny morning.
Fishing
