Western Montana

Nearly everyone in Montana has heard of the Bridger Bowl Ski Area, located 16 miles northeast of Bozeman, MT. However, the road to and from the ski area, Montana Highway 86 aka Bridger Canyon Road, is highly underrated for its scenic beauty and gorgeous desolation, in my opinion.

The road starts out as North Rouse Avenue, easily accessible from Bozeman’s Main Street in downtown Bozeman. There’s a stoplight or two and a couple miles of residential areas to go through before the road opens up and things get beautiful. This is also when the road’s name changes the Bridger Canyon Road. You’ll approach the beautiful Bridger Mountains from the south as you drive through beautiful rolling hills and slowly gain elevation. One thing that surprised me, actually, was that the elevation gain was so slow - the road’s lowest elevation is at roughly 5,000 feet while its highest elevation is nearly 7,000 feet, yet the elevation gain was so gradual I barely noticed it.

The road then enters Bridger Canyon on the backside (that is, the side facing away from Bozeman) of the Bridger Mountains as it twists and turns through the Helena National Forest. The first thing that struck me about this stretch of the road was the absolutely spectacular view of the Bridger Mountains, visible through the trees to your left (if you’re driving north). For those who are unfamiliar with the area, the Bridger Mountains are rugged, soaring to 11,000 feet. The view from the road gives you perhaps the most spectacular view of these mountains of any paved road in the area. In this area, you’ll also drive past the entrance to the Bridger Bowl Ski Area.

From here, you’ll gradually lose elevation until you’re back at 5,000 feet. You’ll leave the Helena National Forest and enter a wide-open valley, giving you views of the Bridger, Crazy, and Absaroka Mountain ranges. This is the portion of the drive that many do not know about - most people drive between Bozeman and Bridger Bowl and never make it this far. However, it’s my favorite portion of the drive. Really, the huge valley with towering mountains in nearly every direction makes the sky look so… big! Montana is Big Sky Country for a reason, and this is it. No picture can truly capture the huge expanses that make this area so gorgeous, but I’ve tried to do the area as much justice as I could.

And one last word - gas up before you leave Bozeman. Highway 86 takes you a couple miles north of Wilsall, but not through it, so if you intend on keep going north toward White Sulphur Springs (along Highway 89) you won’t hit a single gas station until White Sulphur Springs, 80 miles outside Bozeman. This drive also takes you through some of the most remote areas of the state, especially once you’re past Bridger Bowl. I’ve personally found it possible to drive upwards of 15 miles along this route without spotting another car. The desolation is part of the beauty, though! The road can be a bit hairy at times in the winter, but it’s almost always passable. And finally, May and June are the most beautiful months for this drive - the green that colors the area in these months is amazing. I’d suggest this drive any time of the year, though!