Bridger Ridge
Bridger Ridge Trail is a 15.9-mile trail in Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 1 to 2 to 3, minimally developed to developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Custer Gallatin National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 45.7106° N, 110.9751° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 45.9002° N, 110.9758° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 9 segments.
The trail
| Length | 15.9 miles |
| Trail class | 1, minimally developed; 2, moderately developed; 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 513 |
| Forest | Custer Gallatin National Forest (unit 0111) |
| States | Montana |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 06/16 to 10/14 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 06/16 to 10/14 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
College M Trailhead and Picnic Area Open Year Long - slippery and icy in winter | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedFy26 West Zone Piles Unit 22N 999C 999D Rx
19 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedCrow Creek Slim Sam Rx
49 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,100 acres
- PrescribedJohnny Bonanza Rx
49 mi from the trail midpoint · 42 acres
- PrescribedBonanza Ridge Rx
50 mi from the trail midpoint · 550 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Montana
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Bridger Ridge Trail?
The Forest Service records 15.9 miles under this name in Custer Gallatin National Forest, the sum of 9 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Bridger Ridge Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Bridger Ridge Trail start?
The line begins at 45.7106° N, 110.9751° W and ends at 45.9002° N, 110.9758° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is College M Trailhead and Picnic Area, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Bridger Ridge Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Bridger Ridge Trail?
Fairy Lake Campground (0.8 mi) and Battle Ridge Campground (3.9 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 2 with the season each forest publishes.
How developed is the Bridger Ridge Trail?
Trail class 1 to 2 to 3, which the Forest Service describes as minimally developed to developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Bridger Ridge Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Bridger Ridge Trail?
Custer Gallatin National Forest, Forest Service unit 0111. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Bridger Ridge Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Fy26 West Zone Piles Unit 22N 999C 999D Rx at 19 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 9 segments named Bridger Ridge in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0111. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.