Bridger Mountains (Wyoming)

{{Short description|Subrange of the Rocky Mountains}}

{{For|the mountain range in Montana|Bridger Mountains (Montana)}}

Image:Wpdms nasa topo bridger mountains wyoming.jpg

The Bridger Mountains are a short subrange of the Rocky Mountains, approximately {{convert|40|mi|km}} long, in central Wyoming in the United States.{{cite peakbagger |rid=14424 |name=Bridger Mountains}} 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 between the range and the Owl Creek Mountains. Bridger Creek passes through the gap between the range and the Bighorns. The highest point in the range is Copper Mountain at {{convert|8317|ft|m}}.

image:Jim Bridger.jpg

The range is named after Jim Bridger, who pioneered the Bridger Trail through the mountains from southern Wyoming into the Bighorn Basin in 1864.{{cite web|url=https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/bridger-trail|work=WyoHistory.org|author=James Lowe|title=The Bridger Trail: A Safer Route to Montana Gold|accessdate=April 24, 2024}}

Bates Creek in the eastern part of the range is the location of Bates Battlefield, a significant battle on July 4, 1874, in which the U.S. Army soldiers from Camp Brown (Today's Fort Washakie) with 167 Shoshone scouts attacked the village of Chief Black Coal (Northern Arapaho), killing at least 34 Northern Arapahos.{{cite web|url=https://wyoshpo.wyo.gov/index.php/programs/national-register/wyoming-listings/view-full-list/588-bates-battlefield|work=Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office|title=Bates Battlefield|accessdate=April 24, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://county10.com/lookback-black-coal-an-arapaho-chief/|title=Lookback: Black Coal, An Arapaho Chief|work=County10.com|date=April 24, 2020|author=Mick Pryor}}

A trail running through the mountains starts southeast of Shoshoni, Wyoming ending north of Thermopolis, Wyoming.{{cite web|url=https://www.wyohistory.org/field-trips/bridger-trail-through-bridger-mountains|work=WyoHistory.org|title=Bridger Trail through the Bridger Mountains|accessdate=April 24, 2024}}