How Was Quake Lake Formed? The Night the Earth Shook
August 17, 1959 at 11:37 PM a lake was formed and twenty eight people lost their lives. There were 250 people in the valley when the 7.3 magnitude earthquake rocked the valley. Hebgen Lake tilted cracking the dam and the side Sheep Mountain slides across the valley damming the Madison River.
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- Earthquake Lake visitors center about Quake Lake in the Madison River Canyon of Montana
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- Cover of A Guide to the Madison River Canyon Earthquake Area by the Forest Service Published August 1962
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- Entrance to the Earthquake Visitors Center in the Madison River Canyon, Montana
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- Display in the Earthquake Visitors Center
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- After math of a night of terror in the Madison River Canyon Montana at Earthquake Lake Visitor Center
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- Trails to Memorial Boulder and overlooks at Earthquake Visitor Center. Sign also list other geological points in the area.
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- Landslide from Sheep Mountain creates a earthen dam across the Madison River. As the water backs up cabins, trailers and other structures float away and sink or left in the surrounding forest as water levels drop once the spillway is created.
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- Trail up to Memorial Rock and overlook of the Madison Valley and River to the west.
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- Hike to Memorial Rock is a moderate to the rock and overlook beyond.
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- Memorial Rock in the distance. Memorial rock weighs in at three thousand tons.
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- Looking backdown at the visitors center and forward at Memorial Rock. Think about it.
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- Memorial Boulder at Earthquake Visitors Center, looking towards the east up Quake Lake.
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- Names of the twenty eight individuals who lost their lives in the Hebgen Lake Earthquake.
Area Natural Wonders of Yellowstone
Quake Lake is one of the many natural wonders of the area. Book an Adventure in Yellowstone Country, such a day on a Livingston, Montana spring creek, do a raft trip down the Yellowstone River, or allow us to set up the perfect Yellowstone Cabin or Lodge for your stay.
More Yellowstone Country Adventures
Learn more about Yellowstone Country to plan your personal safari in Yellowstone National Park or take a trip to Biscuit Basin a Yellowstone Wonder and hike up to Mystic Falls or do the whole loop. It’s your adventure you choose.
