Set in the Rockies, Bridger Canyon offers skiing, hiking and easy access to top restaurants, shopping and schools in nearby Bozeman
Second-home hotspot Bridger Canyon is an outdoor-pursuits paradise in a high-altitude alpine setting, set just outside the city of Bozeman in Montana.
Set in the majestic Rockies, the area is increasingly drawing out-of-town visitors who come for its Bridger Bowl ski area, hiking and mountain biking trails—all set against scenic landscapes with awe-inspiring views. Its residents range from wealthy multiple homeowners to low-key farmers and ranchers.
Within the Bridger Canyon community, there’s a growing number of state-of-the-art mansions. Some are on smaller plots, showing that people are not buying for acreage alone. Currently, a custom-designed property on Serenity Lane with a great room, a glass-encased 1,000-bottle wine room and a tower room, had an asking price of $6.2 million and has just sold for an undisclosed sum; it has just over 3 acres of land.
“Bridger Canyon has grown in popularity for those looking for a mountain home in close proximity to local amenities. High-end properties, which are classed as $5 million-plus, in particular, have continued to have interest [in recent years],” said Valerie Johnson, of Mike Schlauch Platinum Properties, a team at PureWest Real Estate, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate.
Boundaries
Bridger Canyon lies about 20 minutes northeast of Bozeman, in southwestern Montana, surrounded by national forest, about three hours north of Yellowstone National Park.
Bridger Canyon is bordered by the Bridger mountain range on the west while open land lies on its eastern edge. Jackson Creek Road is on its southern edge, while Brackett Creek Road borders its northern end. The north-south Bridger Canyon Road runs through the middle of the community and has spectacular views.
Price Range
Currently, Bridger Canyon homes are priced between $1 million and $15 million, and there are several listings at the very top end of the market, Johnson said.
Local planning laws now restrict new lot sizes to 40 acres to prevent further high-density development. This has created an increase in the values of these properties. “Since then, year-on-year, we typically see a 10% to 20% increase in home values depending on the property, its amenities, and the quality of the structures,” Johnson said.
Recent data on Bridger Canyon shows that there have been three property deals this year that registered an 8% to 12% appreciation in value between 2021 to 2022, according to Tamara Williams, broker/owner of Tamara Williams and Company.
There are currently 17 homes on the market in Bridger Canyon. Over the last three years, it has taken an average of 14 weeks for a home to sell. There have been 15 sales this year so far, ranging from $910,000 to $6.2 million, according to agents.
Housing Stock
Historically an agricultural community, Bridger Canyon became a modern development starting in the 1970s. It is formed of several subdivisions, each with their own lots, ranches, “ranchettes” and open space. Altogether, there are a few hundred homes, ranging from a few acres to hundreds of acres, Johnson estimated.
Top-end homes in Bridger Canyon “typically have luxury quality builds and finishes and second-to-none views, as well as a homeowners’ association that maintains roads. Some border a national forest, and all are very close to the alpine ski area and other sports facilities. Some properties have a freshwater supply (either a creek or pond), equestrian facilities, outdoor living spaces, trails, or close access to trails,” Johnson said.
Once made up of long-standing family ranch estates, Bridger Canyon has seen these properties divided up and luxury homes built in their stead, which has shifted the buyer profile to those seeking second homes and who want a footprint in the Bozeman area, according to Johnson.
What Makes It Unique
Bridger Canyon has a classic mountain environment, with trout streams, rolling pastures and forested foothills, and includes swathes of national forest. It was first homesteaded by ranching and farming families and some German dairy farmers in the late 1880s. It lies within the wider Gallatin Valley, known for its rich fertile soil.
Bridger Canyon is a prime spot because “it lies close to Bozeman city, with its thriving downtown which has a diverse economy and the fastest-growing airport in the northwest of the U.S.,” Johnson said. “The topography of the canyon, with its lush valley floor to the alpine foothills, allows for spectacular views from nearly every vantage point. Plus, the Bridger Bowl ski area has become a favorite of not just locals but tourists, too.”
This 157-acre luxury property bordering National Forest in Bridger Canyon is asking for $14.9 million. The compound’s many recreational amenities include a toy barn, horse & equipment barn, greenhouse and gardens, and a trout pond for fishing.Christie’s International Real Estate
Luxury Amenities
Bridger Canyon is notable for its array of outdoor recreational activities based at established and well-regarded sports facilities.
Most famous is the Bridger Bowl ski area, which has 2,000 acres of skiing terrain and was established in 1949 by locals. It is the home of the term “cold smoke,” meaning the airy trail of powder that follows skiers in fresh powder. “Bridger Bowl is highly rated as it gets a bit more wind and a lot more snow compared to the rest of Bozeman,” Williams said.
Another popular spot is Crosscut Mountain Sports, which has dozens of looped trails and offers environmental education and sports training, among other things. For mountain bikers, there’s the 23-mile Bangtail Divide trail.
For golfers, there’s Bridger Creek public course and Riverside Country Club, a members’ only family-orientated golf club with an outdoor pool and a racquet sports facility.
Bozeman, some 30 minutes away, is the go-to spot for shopping, dining and culture. There are boutique stores, live music venues, galleries and a well-appointed restaurant scene.
There are numerous live music venues such as the Rialto—which is housed in a 1908 art deco-style building and has the Black Box music and events theatre, Armory Music Hall and the ELM. The Bozeman Symphony hosts symphonic and choral music concerts across local venues.
Downtown Bozeman is “very well-appointed” in the restaurant realm. On Main Street, for starters, there is the JW Heist Steakhouse, which serves prime beef, fresh seafood, and classic cocktails; and the Open Range restaurant, another, more upmarket, steakhouse. It also has the Blackbird Italian eatery, which has a contemporary Montana look; Brigade, with its French-inspired cuisine; Jam! is a cool café all about breakfast whose menu has burritos, mimosa cocktails, and handcrafted espresso drinks.
Wealthy parents might be interested in the Petra Academy, Gallatin Valley’s only K4-12th grade Classical and Christian school, located in Bozeman (about 20 miles from Bridger County). It is where the children of the current governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte, went to school, according to Montana Press.
Other spots to consider would be Headwaters Academy, a private, independent middle school in Bozeman, located about 17 miles away, and Bozeman Summit School, a non-profit Montessori school in Bozeman for grade K to grade 5, 19 miles away. Meanwhile, Montana State University, also located in Bozeman, is highly regarded as a top institution for engineering, architecture, nursing, agriculture and business.
Who Lives There
There are both full-time and part-time residents in Bridger County, according to agents.
This area has “always been known for wealthier individuals,” Williams noted. “Residents work in tech, sales, oil and gas, construction industry and farming, and there are still many longstanding families that have lived on the same plot of land for 100-plus years.”
Notable Residents
Steven Rinella, the host of “MeatEater,” a Netflix series about hunting and fishing, and Daniel J. Cox, a nature photographer whose work has featured on National Geographic magazine covers, are Bridger Canyon residents, Williams said.
Outlook
Over the next year, Johnson said properties in Bridger Canyon are likely to continue to be in high demand.
“There will be another rush of buyers, at all price points, into the market if interest rates decrease by even a point, or the economy shifts in favor of the upper-end clients. We have low inventory now in the upper-end market and we could see a significant uptick in interest, therefore increasing demand and property prices,” she said.
As long as the feeder markets to the area remain strong and inventory remains tight, the area should continue to attract high-end buyers, according to Williams. “The Bridger Canyon area is currently trending around 2017-18 inventory levels, [which is] not as ideal for sellers,” she said. ”Montana is growing and there are many people that are choosing to live here that can work anywhere in the world.”
Source: Mansion Global