Montana Highway 86

Montana Highway 86
Route information
Maintained by MDT
Length:	37.498 mi[1] (60.347 km)
Major junctions
South end:	I‑90 Bus. / US 191 in Bozeman
North end:	US 89 near Wilsall
Location
Counties:	Gallatin Park
Highway system
Montana Highways Secondary ← MT 85 MT 87 →

Highway 86 in the U.S. State of Montana is a route running in a northerly direction from the city of Bozeman to an intersection with U.S. Route 89 north of the town of Wilsall, a distance of approximately 38 miles (61 km). Much of the route follows the eastern flank of the Bridger Mountains, and the road provides access to the Bridger Bowl ski resort.^[2]

Before receiving its current designation, Highway 86 was designated as Montana Secondary Highway 293.

Route description

MT 86 begins at the intersection of Rouse Avenue and East Main Street, which carries US 191, in downtown Bozeman. It heads north on Rouse along a two-lane street through a residential area. In the northern part of town, MT 86 crosses the Montana Rail Link while simultaneously passing beneath Interstate 90. The highway turns to the east and leaves the city; it skirts the southern edge of the Bridger Range. It passes beneath the "College M", a 250-by-100-foot (76 m × 30 m) limestone majuscule M built into the side of Old Baldy within sight of Bozeman and Montana State University.^[3] The highway curves around the eastern flank of the mountain range and follows a northerly path.^[4]

MT 86 travels through mountainous terrain. Coniferous trees line either side of the road's right-of-way. It passes the Bridger Bowl Ski Area, which lies to the west. Shortly thereafter, it meets Brackett Creek Road, which roughly marks the halfway point of the route. The forest surrounding the highway yields to grassland and the terrain levels somewhat as the road turns to the north-northeast near Sedan. The highway takes a sharp curve to the east and then angles to the northeast. The road ends at US 89 a few miles north of Wilsall.^[4]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Gallatin	Bozeman	0.000	0.000	I‑90 Bus. / US 191 (E. Main Street)
	​	18.774	30.214	Brackett Creek Road
Park	​	37.498	60.347	US 89
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

Route map: Bing / Google

1. "Montana Road Log" (PDF). Montana Department of Transportation. 2011. p. 211. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
2. Official 2007-2008 Montana Highway Travel Map (PDF) (Map). Montana Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
3. "History of the "M"". Montana State University. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
4. Google (December 23, 2013). "Montana Highway 86" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 23, 2013.