The mountains of Montana have yielded fortunes in gold and silver since the mid-1800s — in fact, Montana’s motto is “Oro y Plata,” which is Spanish for gold and silver. Mining is deeply ingrained in our local history, and the Bozeman Trail played a big role. And while you won’t find wagons on the roads these days, you can still take a part of the trail simply by taking Highway 287 from Three Forks to Virginia City.

The Bozeman Trail was an overland route connecting the gold rush territory of Montana to the Oregon Trail.
John Russell / Flickr
In 1863, local pioneer John Bozeman and John Jacobs scouted for a direct route from Virginia City to central Wyoming to connect with the Oregon Trail. Bozeman and Jacobs were said to have blazed the route, although Native Americans had been using the route as a travel corridor for centuries.
The Bozeman Trail left the Oregon Trail in central Wyoming, skirted the Bighorn Mountains, crossed several rivers including the Bighorn, then traversed mountainous terrain into western Montana.
jodene e / Flickr
The route had quite a few advantages, like a large supply of water along with the most direct route to the goldfields.
Unfortunately, as advantageous as the trail was, it was also extremely dangerous.
TheKarenD / Flickr
The route cut through the heart of territory that had been promised to several Indian tribes by the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1848. During the few years the trail was open to emigrants, 3500 traveled it. Indians killed between 40 and 50 of them.
Eventually, pressure was placed upon the U.S. government to protect travelers. Army troops were dispatched to construct three forts along the trail to protect the wagons.
sandwich / Flickr
But raids and ambushes were still carried out against soldiers, civilians, supply train, and anyone else bold enough to attempt the trail. The attacks were led by Oglalla Lakota chief Red Cloud, so this time period is known as Red Cloud’s War.
Although the Bozeman Trail is no more, a modern highway route covers roughly the same general route as the historic trail.
Conner McCall / Flickr
The route consists of I-25 from Douglas, Wyoming to Buffalo, Wyoming, I-90 from Buffalo to Three Forks, and U.S. Route 287 from Three Forks to Virginia City.

Of all the wagon trails blazed during the westward movement, the Bozeman Trail ranks as one of the most contentious. Here are a few more Montana facts you might not know.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

Related Articles

Explore Montana