Bridger Road, laid out in 1864 by Jim Bridger, provided a route toward the goldfields of western Montana, which had been booming since 1862. Its origins lay in an 1859 government order directing Captain W.F. Raynolds of the U. S. Army Topographical Engineers to reconnoiter Rocky Mountain topography and possible routes to mineralized regions, with Bridger serving as his guide. While official attention remained focused on the Civil War, Bridger established a road west of the Big Horn Mountains as an alternative to existing approaches. The Oregon Trail was the main western trunk line, and a branch in Idaho led north to the Montana diggings, but that turn added about 200 difficult miles to the shortest practical route. In 1863, John Bozeman had pioneered a road east of the Big Horn Mountains and up the Yellowstone Valley that cut across this angle and saved two weeks of travel time, but it crossed Indian hunting grounds and increased the danger to freight and travelers. Bridger’s route reduced the danger of Indian attacks while saving ten days, though it remained a compromise, never becoming as well known as either of its alternatives. Later, it became important in the settlement of northwestern Wyoming.