Nestled in the rugged terrain of southern Wyoming, Bridger Pass stands as a silent sentinel to centuries of American history. This mountain pass on the Continental Divide, named after the legendary fur trapper James Bridger, was a crucial passageway for prehistoric peoples, fur traders, and countless emigrants during the intense period of Westward Expansion. Its gradual, hilly landscape, adorned with sagebrush and scrub pine, belies the dramatic events that unfolded within its confines, making Bridger Pass a site of profound historical significance in the narrative of the American frontier.
Though now a relatively isolated area serving local ranching interests, the echoes of its past resound through the subtle contours of the landscape, where a county dirt road still traces the general course of the old Overland Trail. From ancient migrations to the tumultuous era of the Utah War and the perilous days of the Overland Stage, this pass has witnessed pivotal moments that shaped the destiny of the nation.
Early Explorers and the Discovery of the Pass
While the exact period when humans first traversed Bridger Pass remains a mystery, carbon dating suggests that prehistoric indigenous peoples utilized this route for an astonishing 11,000 years, making it a critical corridor across the High Plains. Following these ancient trails, Western fur trappers, keen to find efficient routes through the vast wilderness, likely employed the pass during the height of the Rocky Mountain fur trade. It was in either 1842 or 1843 that the renowned fur trapper James Bridger, for whom the pass is named, is credited with discovering this strategic divide.
The first documented crossing by an American expedition occurred in 1850. Captain Howard Stansbury of the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers navigated the pass while returning east after completing a comprehensive topographical survey of the Great Salt Lake. With Jim Bridger himself serving as his guide, Stansbury’s party specifically sought a direct eastern route that would bypass the more southerly South Pass, a testament to Bridger’s keen knowledge of the landscape. They followed Bitter Creek, Muddy Creek, passed through Bridger Pass, and skirted the north side of Elk Mountain before heading towards Fort Laramie.
The Cherokee Trail and Military Road Development
Stansbury’s subsequent report played a pivotal role in publicizing the immense potential of an overland route through Bridger Pass. This trail soon gained recognition as the Cherokee Trail, a name derived from a group of Cherokee Indians who had traveled through the region in 1849 en route to the California Gold Rush. The allure of gold fueled a significant surge of westward migration throughout the 1850s, leading to increased emigrant travel over the pass.
By 1856, the U.S. Army recognized the strategic importance of Stansbury’s route and began to explore its development as a military road. Lieutenant Francis Bryan was tasked with surveying a road connecting Fort Riley, Kansas, to the Salt Lake Valley. Bryan’s expedition diligently followed the Platte River west to Lodgepole Creek near present-day Julesburg, Colorado, continuing across southwestern Nebraska Territory and southeastern Wyoming. In August of that year, Bryan successfully moved his wagons through Bridger Pass, undertaking necessary trail improvements. His success in crossing the continental divide with wagons was a major achievement, solidifying the pass’s viability for large-scale transportation, despite challenges like scarcity of water, grass, and wood in certain sections.
The Utah War and Bridger Pass’s Strategic Role
The simmering tensions between the federal government and the Mormon community in Utah erupted into what became known as the Utah War. In June 1857, President James Buchanan declared Utah in rebellion, mobilizing U.S. Army regiments. As the situation escalated, Brigham Young, then Governor of Utah, declared martial law in September 1857, forbidding federal troops from entering the territory. Amidst this turmoil, Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston was appointed commander of the U.S. troops, tasked with asserting federal authority.
Colonel Johnston’s army eventually wintered at Camp Scott, near Fort Bridger. Recognizing the strategic importance of alternative routes, Johnston dispatched John Bartleston across Bridger Pass to assess its suitability for troop movements from Fort Laramie. Bartleston’s diary entry on December 1, 1857, famously noted the favorable terrain, concluding, “I think this pass is better than the South Pass.” This endorsement underscored the pass’s superior gradients and easier traverse compared to other high-altitude routes.
The Utah War eventually concluded peacefully in June 1858, largely due to the diplomatic efforts of Thomas Kane and the subsequent offer of a pardon by President Buchanan. Johnston’s Army proceeded through the vacated Salt Lake City to establish Camp Floyd, but the detailed reconnaissance of Bridger Pass during this period cemented its reputation as a viable and preferred route.
The Overland Trail and Native American Conflicts
Following the resolution of the Utah War, activity through Bridger Pass saw a temporary lull until 1862. The onset of the American Civil War had a profound impact on the West, as military resources were redirected east, leaving frontier outposts and trails vulnerable. This depletion of military strength led to a significant increase in Native American harassment, rendering sections of the Oregon-California Trail unsafe for travel. Consequently, Ben Holladay’s Overland Stage and Express Company, crucial for delivering U.S. mail to the West Coast, found its operations severely disrupted.
To circumvent these escalating depredations, a vital section of the Stage Line was rerouted along a path utilizing Bridger Pass. New stage stations were swiftly erected along this revamped Overland Trail. One such station was established directly at Bridger Pass, approximately 922 miles west of the Missouri River. Flanked by Pine Grove Station ten miles to the east and Sulphur Springs Station ten miles to the west, this segment of the trail became a flashpoint for conflict. The Native American tribes, including the Ute, Shoshone, and Arapaho, fiercely resisted the encroachment on their lands, leading to a disastrous summer of 1865.
Between late May and late June 1865, a series of relentless attacks occurred at stations along this route, including Bridger Pass, Sage Creek, Pine Grove, and Sulphur Springs. Washakie Station was raided, men were wounded, and valuable U.S. Cavalry horses were driven off. Emigrants were killed, and the mail line was disrupted over a 50-mile stretch. In response, soldiers from the 11th Ohio Cavalry were dispatched from Fort Halleck to restore order. They found Pine Grove and Bridger Pass stations deserted, their employees having retreated to Sulphur Springs. To counter these assaults, three to five soldiers and a non-commissioned officer were stationed at vulnerable points, with mounted cavalry escorts often accompanying stages during periods of heightened danger.
Further military intervention saw the First Battalion of the Nevada Volunteer Cavalry dispatched from Fort Bridger to patrol the Overland Trail. They established a temporary headquarters at Washakie Station, posting soldiers at various strategic points. The year 1865 proved devastating; in addition to disruptions and property destruction, the Overland Line lost all its livestock over a 100-mile span, and several white men were killed. Though attacks diminished in 1866, fresh hostilities flared in 1867, fueled by the Powder River Wars to the north. From April to August 1867, the Overland Line reported staggering losses: 350 head of stage stock, 12 burned stations, three destroyed stage coaches, and 13 employees killed. On June 4, two stagecoach men met their end on Bridger Pass itself, and the station at Bridger Pass was burned to the ground two days later, though fortunately without loss of life.
The persistent conflicts eventually led to the Peace Commission of 1867. After more than a year of intense negotiations, treaties were drafted which, by late 1868, largely brought an end to the widespread attacks along the Overland Trail within the newly formed Wyoming Territory.
Legacy and Modern-Day Echoes
The era of the Overland Trail and its associated stage lines drew to a close with the advent of the transcontinental railway. The completion of the first transcontinental railway in 1869 rendered overland stage travel largely obsolete. The Overland Stage Line suspended its operations, and Bridger Pass, once a bustling and critical artery of westward expansion, receded from the mainstream of transcontinental movement.
Today, the landscape around Bridger Pass has returned to a quiet solitude, primarily serving the interests of local ranching communities. It remains a relatively isolated region, far removed from the frenetic pace of modern life. However, a county dirt road still winds its way through Bridger Pass, faithfully following the general course of the historic Overland Trail. This enduring pathway serves as a tangible link to a past filled with pioneers, soldiers, and the indomitable spirit of those who ventured westward, leaving an indelible mark on the American story.
